Age at registration of death was given as 40 years old.

John KERRISON, born Dec 1822, Norfolk, England, died 29 Mar 1890, Moonta Bay, S.A.. SOURCE NOTES: Death Cert. No. 465 in District of Daly: John died of injuries from a fall and peritonitis. He was 69 and his profession was given as a publican.

S.A. Death Index Book 0184 Page 465 (from Bob Adams) My death reference says Book 16 Page 2774

Marriage Cert. No. 50 in District of Adelaide says John was full age and Mary Dermody was 18. Witnesses: John Fallon & Bridget Kearney. S.A. Marriage Index Book 0008 Page 51 (from Bob Adams)

Marriage Cert. No. 368 in District of Port Adelaide: John was 47 and Harriet Peddey was 37. I can't read the witnesses' names. S.A. Marriage Index Book 0087 Page 368 (from Bob Adams)

In the S.A. Almanack 1849 John was listed as a farmer at Three Brothers Survey.

From David Stephen Kerrison: John is said to have come to S.A. on the same boat to bring Governor Hindmarsh and he was engaged by S.A. Company Whaling expeditions for 3 seasons. In the off season he was in trade as a mason. After resuming whaling a second time John bought a farm as Mt. Barker. Having got fed up with farming he turned to his own building & contracting business at Wallaroo. From here he went to Moonta.

Will of John Kerrison: I appoint my friends Silas Stephens of Kadina and George Emerson, Moonta, executors. All furniture, plate, linen, china, galss, books, prints, pictures, liquors and sonsumable provisions and other household effects to my wife Jane. Step-daughters Mary Jane Tossell and Maria Tossell 50 pounds each. All real estate to Jane and her assigns for her life and after her death to my 8 children Mary, wife of Alick Marshall, Eliza, Stephen, John, William, Michael, Alice and Stephen George equally. Written 5/9/1884. Witnesses Henry James and Y.W. Hodges. Married first, 23 Jan 1843, South Australia, Anne COLYER, born about 1824, died 1 Sep 1843, Adelaide, S.A.. Married second, 30 Apr 1847, Catholic Church, Adelaide, Mary Lucy DERMODY (3494), born 1828, Tipperary, Ireland, died 30 Sep 1870, Moonta Bay, S. Australia. Married third, 10 May 1871, Wesleyan Pars., Moonta, Harriet PEDDEY (NEE COX), born 1835, died 8 Dec 1879, Moonta Bay, South Australia. Married fourth, 23 Oct 1880, Bride's res., Moonta Bay, Jane TOSSELL (N. WAY), born 1834, died 6 Jan 1895, Moonta Bay, South Australia.

Lived married life at Mount Barker and Moonta Bay, South Australia.

Age at the registration of death was given as 69 years.

The following extract is from the book “Kerrisons in Tasmania 1835-1985” by Mandi Ann Haynes nee Kerrison, page 23:

John left Tasmania with his brother Stephen in 1845 and they took a train of horses to Bombala in the Snowy Mountains. John then went to join sister Caroline in South Australia. On the 30 Apr 1847 John married by licence in the Catholic Church in Adelaide to Mary Dermody. They bought a farm at Mt Barker where they lived as neighbours to Carline and John Hancock until the Hancocks left for Victoria. John had four sons and three daughters. John and Mary moved to Wallaroo in 1861. Mary died at a young age, quite probably in childbirth. John accompanied Edward John Eyre on his expeditions of exploration into the interior.

In 1870 John left wallaroo and moved to Moonta where he married a widow, Harriet Peddey (nee Cox) at the Wesleyan Parsonage. Harriet also was short lived and John’s third wife was Jane Tassell (nee Way). They were married at her residence at Moonta Bay.

John died in 1890 and four and a half years later, at the age of sixty Jane died of a heart attack while walking home one day with her niece and grand-daughter.