Thomas Stephenson

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Thomas married Lina MalanEldoret, Kenya. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Edward Stephenson
2. Mary Stephenson

Alfred married Alice Mary Gush on 24 Apr 1889 in Hentland farm, Barkly East, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Alice (daughter of William Gush and Sarah Davies) was born in 1865 in Salem, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died in 1918 in Kampala, Uganda. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Residence: Barkly East, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Notes:

William must have grown up in the Salem area and probably went to school at Mrs Matthews academy in Salem. Very little however is known about William's early years it may be presumed that he farmed somewhere in that area as his children were born there.
During the late 1860's William trekked North eventually settling on the farm Hentlands in the Barkly East district. According to his daughter Sophie who was about 8 years old at the time, when they arrived on the farm Hentlands the thermeda grass was in seed and looked almost like a land of wheat in ear. He did not however stay there long as he felt that his neighbours the Bothas were not very honest. He then trekked further eventually reaching the Transvaal, this move was however disasterous as he lost most of his livestock to disease. From here he moved into Natal where his few remaining livestock died and he decided to move back and eventually settled in Maclear, possably on the farm Woodcliffes. Most if not all of his children returned from Natal with him although some moved away when they grew up.
In latter years he was fond of pottering in his vegetable garden. One day he was busy in the garden and as so often happened in Maclear a mist drizzle came down and William became drenched, when he eventually came indoors instead of changing immediately he decided to rest awhile as a result of this he developed pneumonia and died.

William married Sarah Davies in 1853 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Sarah (daughter of William Davies and Charlotte) was born on 18 Jun 1833 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died on 8 Apr 1915 in Maclear, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Settler ID: 2840
• Name: Richard Gush 1820
• Occupation: a Carpenter
• Birth: 24 Apr 1789, Beer, Axminster (nr), Devon, England
• Settler: 15 Feb 1820, Gravesend, Kent, England

Notes:

THE GUSH FAMILY IN SOUTH AFRICA

Richard Gush was born at Beer, in Devonshire. His parents were members of the Episcopal Church of England. He was a spirited lad who often spent his leisure trying to obtain useful knowledge. At age 14 he was apprenticed to a carpenter which trade he followed for most of his life. When he was 17 he was confirmed and after the ceremony told his companions that he would now not commit sin since his God parents were no longer responsible for his conduct, hereby showing his ignorance of these things.
At age 21 he went to London with his youngest brother and they lodged in the home of a pious Wesleyn family and eventually Richard joined the Wesleyans and became a Sunday school teacher. In his 23rd year he married Margaret Evans which was a happy union. Along with several other Wesleyan families he emigrated to the Albany district of South Africa. Richard was part of the Sephton party which was by nature a religious band. Most of this party, 66 families, were on the Aurora however some 35 families sailed on the Brilliant, with Gush as their leader. They arrived at Simons Bay on 30th April 1820, and at Algoa Bay on 15th May 1820.
While still in London Richard met with a Richard Barrett a minister of the Society of Friends and eventually he himself embraced the Quaker principals On reaching South Africa Richard settled in the Salem area, and apart from a stay of 2 years in Grahamstown this was his home for the rest of his life. The Old Farm was looted and burnt by the impis of the Gaika Chief Hintsa. He was a Methodist lay preacher and helped to build the church in 1822 as also the one which succeeded it in 1832. He did much of his work as a carpenter under a large tree which grew near the front door of his home which was not far from the village of Salem.
Richard Gush possessed a tender loving spirit with a keen sence of justice which caused him to feel that slavery was wrong, also his Quaker principals made him feel that violence of any kind was contrary to the will of God. He gained fame for an act of bravery during the frontier war of 1834 / 35 when Salem village was threatened by a large band of Caffres. He being a pacifist and opposed to bloodshed rode out unarmed with a person named Woest to meet the Caffres and persuaded them not to attack the village, in exchange he fetched two loaves of bread weighing about 15 pounds a 10 pound roll of tobacco and pocket knives for them.
Tradition has it that Salem was not again threatened by Caffres.
He was a total abstainer from alcoholic liquors for more than twenty years, desiring by his example to induce others to abstain from these intoxicating drinks, which he saw, often betrayed, even religious professors, into sin: he also laboured to put a stop to the sale of intoxicating liquors, which, as in other places, had long proved a great injury in the neighbourhood in which he resided.
He was noted for his strict honesty and truthfulness. Though often placed in circumstances in which these qualities were tested he would not yield in any degree to the temptation of falsehood. " To convey an untruth in any way, is equal to telling a lie. "
Having given up his business of carpenter and builder, the last seven years of his life were spent in tending to his garden, which was a great source of pleasure to him, and afforded him much opportunity, for contemplation, and communion with his God and Saviour.
A few weeks before his death, he grafted a number of trees; and on one of his daughters saying to him, that the garden was well stocked; he replied, that if sold they would realize five pounds, which sum he intended to give to the Bible Society that year. His intention was carried out by his children, though they kept the trees as memorials of their honoured parent, whose deep interest in circulating the Holy Scriptures, was one of the many evidences he gave, of his high esteem for the Sacred Volume.
Towards the close of his life, Richard Gush had thought of making a voyage to England to visit his relations, and enjoy the company of Friends for two or three months. His family were beginning to make preparations for his voyage; and one of them remarked, that it would soon be time for him to be going. He replied, " I have had some thoughts lately, that the Lord is about to give me Heaven instead. " His wife being on a visit to some of their children at Woodbury, about twenty-five miles from Salem, he joined her, intending to return in a few days, but was prevented by the great heat of the weather. In the morning of the 20th of September 1858, he complained of spasms, which soon passed off. In the course of the day, while walking in his room, he several times repeated these lines:
Who can sink with such a Prop,
That bears the world and all things up.
About seven o'clock in the evening, he suddenly became insensible; and on reviving, he requested his wife to come to him that he might take leave of her; having bid her farewell, he waved his hand, as if to signify that he had done with earthly objects. He then required to be left in quiet, when all but his eldest son retired from the room. Joseph when observing him looked as if he wanted to say something, asked if he wanted to speak and he replied, " Yes -- Heaven. " His son then knelt by him and silently prayed, that his father might be permitted peacefully to enter the realms of eternal bliss; and Richard Gush, as though his spirit was in secret union with that of his son, emphatically responded -- Amen. He then said " Joseph, set your affections on things above. " After a short time his son again addressed him, saying " My dear father, the God who has sustained you through life is able to support you in death." He fervently replied, " Yes;" and then quietly breathed his last. He was nearly 70 years of age. His remains were removed to Salem, where he was buried in the Churchyard, and followed to the grave by a large number of his friends among whom were four ministers, three of them Wesleyans and one Baptist.
His two eldest sons, regarding their father's objection to the practice of putting on black; as a token of mourning, abstained from doing so , thus honouring his memory, as true mourners for the loss of a parent, who by precept and example had trained them up in the fear of the Lord, and whom the Lord had greatly blessed, and made a blessing to many.

( Originally published by " The York Friends " Tract Association. 1860. )
His grandson Rcigard Cherry Gush wrote on 4 Sep 1920 " When the settler Richard Gush landed in Salem, he dug out a room in the banks of the Assigai or Salem river, which he called the 'Salt Box' and lived in it with his family until the river flooded and washed them out like rats out of a bourah. see https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSVZ-5SMP-T?i=1125&cat=305287

County Devon
Place (with link) Seaton
Church name (with link) St Gregory
Register type (with link) Parish Register
Baptism date 24 May 1789
Person forename Richard
Person sex M
Father forename Thomas
Mother forename Mary
Father surname GUSH
Film number 22-051
Transcribed by Dawn G
File line number 1531

Settler:
Sephton's party on the Brilliant

Richard married Margaret Evans, 1820 Settler on 2 Feb 1812 in London Church (St Anne's - Soho), London, England. Margaret (daughter of Joseph Evans and Hannah Grainger) was born on 21 May 1790 in Bradfield, Berkshire, England; was christened on 20 Jun 1790 in Bradfield, Berkshire, England; died on 20 Apr 1881 in 'Woodbury', Salem, Eastern Cape, South Africa; was buried in Salem, Eastern Cape, South Africa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• 1820 Lineage: Yes
• Settler ID: 3790
• Name: Margaret Evans 1820
• Settler: 15 Feb 1820, Gravesend, Kent, England

Notes:

Settler:
Sephton's party on the Brilliant

Notes:

Married:
Name: Margaret Evans
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 2 Feb 1812
Marriage Place: Saint Anne Soho,Westminster,London,England
Spouse: Richard Gush
FHL Film Number: 918596, 918597, 918598, 918599, 918600, 918601, 918602

Notes:

Could this be William Davies 1820 Settler ?????

William + Charlotte. Charlotte was born est 1813. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]