Cannan, John

John CANNAN was an assistant surveyor who was reported to have arrived on the Cygnet. John CANNAN bought two town acres at auction in early 1837 and was re-appointed assistant surveyor in 1838. He examined Streaky Bay, Denial Bay and Fowlers Bay in 1839. Col William LIGHT wrote that he appreciated CANNAN and HARDY in particular as assistant surveyors and CANNAN was one of the donors to LIGHT’s memorial. By 1840 John CANNAN had established a water-powered saw mill at First Creek at the foot of the Adelaide hills and was advertising it for sale in August 1840 as a potential grain mill. This land was sold to Boyle Travers FINNISS, to become ‘Traversbrook’ and later ‘Finnissbrook’. By 1845 John CANNAN was in Van Dieman’s Land where he selected land at Circular Head and was made a Commission of the Peace. When he died in Scotland in 1852, South Australian newspapers reported that John CANNAN, ‘formerly of South Australia and afterwards of Circular Head, Van Dieman’s Land’ died at ‘Linstrathen by Kerriemuir Scotland’. His will states that he died at 38 Danube Street, Edinburgh on 27 August 1852 at the age of 38. In his will John CANNAN was described as ‘Surveyor, Factor, Planter and Agent in South Australia and Van Diemans Land, son of David CANNAN, Doctor of Divinity’. John CANNAN was born in 1814 to Rev David CANNAN and Margaret LOWE at Murroes. He died intestate in 1852 at 38 years and his will makes no mention of a wife or children. John’s brother Robert CANNAN, who was Lieutenant General in the Turkish Army, was his executor.