Johnson, Charles


Descendants of :

Charles JOHNSON

Generation 1

1. Charles JOHNSON was born ABT 1810 and died 24 Jan 1895 in Port Hughes, SA. He married Mary Ann TUOHEY 06 May 1858 in Adelaide, SA. She was born ABT 1837 and died 22 Aug 1915 in Port Hughes, SA, daughter of John TOOHEY.

Other events in the life of Charles JOHNSON

Burial: in Moonta Cemetery, SA

Children of Charles JOHNSON and Mary Ann TUOHEY:

i. John Lingwood JOHNSON was born 26 Jul 1856 in Kangaroo Island, SA and died 13 Aug 1896 in Port Hughes, SA

ii. 2. Flinders JOHNSON was born 23 Mar 1860 in Kangaroo Island, SA and died 07 Apr 1950 in Moonta, SA

iii. Unnamed female JOHNSON was born Jun 1862 and died 19 Jul 1862 in Cape Borda, Kangaroo Island, SA

iv. 3. Troubridge Mayne JOHNSON was born 14 Jan 1864 in Flinders Light Kangaroo Island, SA and died 10 Aug 1945 in Moonta East, SA

v. Catherine Rebecca JOHNSON was born 21 May 1866 in Port Hughes, SA and died 21 Aug 1928 in Port Hughes, SA

vi. Frederick Patrick JOHNSON was born 24 Dec 1868 in Port Hughes, SA and died 07 Dec 1902 in Port Adelaide, SA

vii. 4. Caroline Agnes JOHNSON was born 07 Jul 1871 in Port Hughes Moonta, SA and died 23 Dec 1913 in East Payneham, SA

Generation 2

2. Flinders JOHNSON was born 23 Mar 1860 in Kangaroo Island, SA and died 07 Apr 1950 in Moonta, SA. He married Ellen Frances WEBB 02 Apr 1888 in Kadina, SA. She was born 13 May 1864 in Adelaide, SA and died 10 Aug 1908 in Wallaroo, SA, daughter of Charles Francis WEBB. He married Annie Ernestine HAINES 16 Aug 1913 in Wallaroo Mine, SA. She was born ABT 1870 and died 23 Sep 1915 in Wallaroo, SA. He married Gwendoline Pretoria Maud WILTON 16 Dec 1937 in Port Hughes, SA.

Children of Flinders JOHNSON and Ellen Frances WEBB:

i. 5. Frederick Charles JOHNSON was born 25 May 1890 in Moonta, SA and died 25 Jan 1967 in Moonta, SA

ii. Bella JOHNSON was born 16 May 1892 in Yelta, SA

iii. 6. William JOHNSON was born 12 Nov 1893 in Moonta Bay, SA and died 20 Dec 1963 in Moonta, SA

iv. Nellie JOHNSON was born 14 Nov 1895 in Moonta Bay, SA and died 31 Dec 1896 in nr Moonta, SA

v. 7. Lottie JOHNSON was born 09 Dec 1896 in Cross Roads, SA

Children of Flinders JOHNSON and Ellen BAWDEN:

vi. Mary Josephine Bawden JOHNSON was born 19 Aug 1900 in Rosewater, SA and died 06 Nov 1900 in Rosewater, SA

3. Troubridge Mayne JOHNSON was born 14 Jan 1864 in Flinders Light Kangaroo Island, SA and died 10 Aug 1945 in Moonta East, SA. He married Mary EGAN 04 Oct 1890 in North Adelaide, SA. She was born ABT 1863 and died 22 Feb 1940 in Wallaroo, SA.

Children of Troubridge Mayne JOHNSON and Mary EGAN:

i. 8. Gertrude JOHNSON was born 07 Aug 1891 in North Adelaide, SA and died 05 Jul 1984

ii. 9. Elsie Mayne JOHNSON was born 14 Mar 1893 in Port Hughes, SA and died 18 Aug 1975

iii. 10. Gladys Mayne JOHNSON was born 30 Jun 1895 in Port Hughes, SA and died 14 Aug 1919 in Adelaide, SA

iv. Eileen Mayne JOHNSON was born 08 Feb 1898 in Port Hughes, SA

v. Clarence Mayne JOHNSON was born 17 Dec 1900 in Moonta Bay, SA and died 27 Jun 1902 in Moonta Bay, SA

vi. Hilda Mayne JOHNSON was born 31 Jul 1903

4. Caroline Agnes JOHNSON was born 07 Jul 1871 in Port Hughes Moonta, SA and died 23 Dec 1913 in East Payneham, SA. She married Sidney Edward FERRIS 25 Feb 1895 in St Peters, SA. He was born 12 Mar 1871 in Edwards Town, SA and died 30 May 1951 in Cheltenham, SA, son of Thomas FERRIS.

Children of Caroline Agnes JOHNSON and Sidney Edward FERRIS:

i. 11. Sydney Eric FERRIS was born 21 Nov 1895 in Kent Town, SA and died 19 Apr 1983

Generation 3

5. Frederick Charles JOHNSON was born 25 May 1890 in Moonta, SA and died 25 Jan 1967 in Moonta, SA. He married Elsie May PHILLIPS 11 Sep 1911 in Moonta Bay, SA. She was born 08 Dec 1891 in Moonta, SA, daughter of Walter Charles PHILLIPS.

Children of Frederick Charles JOHNSON and Elsie May PHILLIPS:

i. Kenneth Ray JOHNSON was born 15 Apr 1912 in Moonta Bay, SA

ii. Laurel May JOHNSON was born 10 Dec 1913 in Moonta Bay, SA

iii. Cyril Charles JOHNSON was born 10 Jan 1915 in Moonta Bay, SA

iv. Ernest Keith JOHNSON was born 15 Jun 1917 in Moonta Bay, SA

v. Golda Elaine JOHNSON was born 28 Dec 1923 in Moonta, SA

6. William JOHNSON was born 12 Nov 1893 in Moonta Bay, SA and died 20 Dec 1963 in Moonta, SA. He married Clarice Lessetta Evelyn PHILLIPS. She was born 25 Jul 1898 in Cross Roads, nr Moonta, SA.

Children of William JOHNSON and Clarice Lessetta Evelyn PHILLIPS:

i. Ellen Loraine JOHNSON was born 19 Jul 1917 in Moonta Bay, SA

ii. Dudley (Douglas) Howard JOHNSON was born 25 Sep 1918 in Moonta Bay, SA

iii. Kevin Maxwell JOHNSON was born 04 Jan 1921 in Moonta Bay, SA

iv. Esme Veronica JOHNSON was born 13 Jan 1923 in Moonta, SA

v. Gwenda Maureen JOHNSON was born 19 Nov 1924 in Moonta, SA

vi. William Daryl JOHNSON was born 13 Feb 1927 in Moonta, SA


7. Lottie JOHNSON was born 09 Dec 1896 in Cross Roads, SA. She married Albert James MARSLAND 13 Aug 1918 in Moonta Bay, SA. He was born 13 Jan 1895 in Yelta, SA and died 1978 in Hawthorn, Victoria, son of George Henry Albert MARSLAND.

Children of Lottie JOHNSON and Albert James MARSLAND:

i. Colin James MARSLAND was born 27 Oct 1918 in Moonta, SA and died 21 Jan 2007

8. Gertrude JOHNSON was born 07 Aug 1891 in North Adelaide, SA and died 05 Jul 1984. She married William Treverton BELE 22 May 1920 in Kadina, SA. He was born 30 Apr 1894 in Ballarat Row nr Moonta, SA and died 18 Oct 1959 in Adelaide, SA, son of William Charles BELE.

Children of Gertrude JOHNSON and William Treverton BELE:

i. 12. Gladys Mary (Mary) BELE was born 11 Jun 1920 in Wallaroo, SA and died 19 Dec 2007

ii. William Francis BELE was born 11 Sep 1922 in Wallaroo, SA

9. Elsie Mayne JOHNSON was born 14 Mar 1893 in Port Hughes, SA and died 18 Aug 1975. She married Joseph NICHOLAS 01 Feb 1917 in Kadina, SA. He was born 10 Nov 1887 in Moonta Mines, SA and died 04 May 1956 in Moonta Mines, SA, son of Matthew NICHOLAS.

10. Gladys Mayne JOHNSON was born 30 Jun 1895 in Port Hughes, SA and died 14 Aug 1919 in Adelaide, SA.

Children of Gladys Mayne JOHNSON:

i. Eric Mayne JOHNSON was born 21 Jan 1917 in Moonta Bay, SA and died 19 Oct 1983

11. Sydney Eric FERRIS was born 21 Nov 1895 in Kent Town, SA and died 19 Apr 1983. He married Esther Constance WILLIAMSON 02 Sep 1922 in Payneham, SA. She was born 27 May 1896 in Payneham, SA and died 08 Dec 1966 in North Adelaide, SA, daughter of William WILLIAMSON.

Generation 4

12. Gladys Mary (Mary) BELE was born 11 Jun 1920 in Wallaroo, SA and died 19 Dec 2007. She married Kim FIELD.

Other events in the life of Gladys Mary (Mary) BELE

Probate: 15 Oct 2007 in Victoria

Children of Gladys Mary (Mary) BELE and Kim FIELD:

i. Unknown female FIELD was born 28 Aug 1946 in Adelaide, SA

Last updated: 16 March 2020


Charles Johnson (c.1810-1895) was the second keeper at the new Flinders Light at Cape Borda, Kangaroo Island. He played a key role in the rescue of survivors from the Fides shipwreck. His career was cut short and he became a fisherman in Port Hughes, where he became bankrupt.

Charles' death index (and his burial index), points to him being born in 1810, rather than 1813 on his marriage certificate. Charles probably took three years off his real age as his wife was 27 years younger. (Not a trusting start to a marriage!) His father's name was John JOHNSON (from the marriage index). It is most likely John did not emigrate.

There seems to be no information how Charles arrived in SA, but many lightkeepers had a sea-faring history, so he most probably was a crew member of a ship, possibly from Hobart or Sydney town,

His wife, Mary Anne TUOHEY/TOOEY/TWOEY/TUEY (from various indexes) most probably the Gaelic TUOHEY - similarly, there is no trace of how she arrived in the colony, or how and why she went to Kangaroo Island. Her father was recorded as John TUOHEY on her marriage index. And they were almost certainly Irish with a name like that.

Before they were married in 1858 (in Adelaide) they were on Kangaroo Island for some unknown reason, (Cape Borda light wasn't ready until 1858), where they had their first child in 1856. That child (John Lingwood JOHNSON) was baptised in the Holy Trinity Church Adelaide on the same day (and place) as their marriage. It seems they then returned to K.I. to Cape Borda lighthouse, where there are records of 1860, 1862 and 1864 - where they had Flinders JOHNSON (1860) and the infant girl who died at 1 month (1862). A well-manufactured memorial (probably from Adelaide) is at Cape Borda. Troubridge Main JOHNSON (1864) was born at Flinders Light (another name for Cape Borda lighthouse).

On 2 Sep 1864 "2nd Keeper Johnson had an accident, dislocating shoulder, and was evacuated." - no evidence of his return, We know that he left the Marine Board service the next year in 1865 and became a fisherman at Port Hughes, where he had three more children. In 1869 he was in financial trouble losing his boats and equipment and declared insolvent in 1874. To support his wife and young family, it is possible that he then worked in the Moonta mines before dying at Port Hughes in 1895 and buried in Moonta cemetery. It is interesting that his eldest son John Lingwood JOHNSON died the very next year (age 40) in Port Hughes. The family seemed to stay in the Port Hughes / Moonta for all their lives.

As for Mary Anne's story, the sad thing is that so little is recorded about "the wife". She must have been fairly tough to marry a man 27 years older, follow him to one of the most remote places on earth, produce 7 children, and support them all through bankruptcy.

  • David Wilson


Cape Borda lighthouse cottages

About JOHNSON, Charles

Charles Johnson, late of Port Hughes, fisherman; a final hearing [1874], in forma pauperis. The accountant reported:— ' Liabilities, £157 15s. 9d. ; assets, nil. The insolvent states that he left the Marine Board Service in 1865, having saved £150, which he invested in boats, &c., for fishing; that from time to time they have all gone ashore and broken up, that his effects were sold off in 1869 by execution, and that he has kept no account of his earnings and expenditure.' A second-class certificate was granted.

- LAW AND CRIMINAL COURTS. (1874, October 28). South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), p. 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39809815

Burial Notes

Surname JOHNSON Given Names CHARLES Cemetery Moonta Cemetery Section West 11 Plot/Grave/Niche 544w Age at Death 85 YEARS Date of Interment 26.01.1895 Grave Depth 9 feet Right of Interment Number 12631