John A Carvosso – author

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This website presents the historical biography book of Samuel Carvosso, an ‘old colonist’ of Adelaide, South Australia, and includes information about related family members from the period of 1814–1874 (refer to the Cast of Characters).

Also, there is my spiritual journey “59 Years”. You may find it both interesting and helpful.

The Book

Audio sample of Samuel and families arrival and early years in Adelaide South Australia:

176 years ago, Cornishman Samuel Carvosso and Louisa arrived in Adelaide, South Australia, on 13 February 1849, thus an ‘Old Colonist’. This book recreates his story, building a picture of his personality, his actions, and his motivation.

Dig into the extensive appendixes section includes family trees and known details about Samuel’s contemporaries, friends and extended family who intersected his life. Insightful fragments about the women in Samuel’s wife Louisa, their daughters, and other women, are included.

Review Comments!

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Retired librarian – “I am really enjoying the book.  It is a rattling good yarn even if one is not interested in the family- all that rushing about putting out fires. Very best wishes and congratulations!”    EC

Another UK review – “I’ve just started reading and am already really excited about what I am going to learn from your painstaking researches. The indexes alone are a gold mine of information.” by Rev John C UK

UK reader’s quote – “John’s book provides great insight into the life of a man whose story brings history to life. Samuel’s story is one of everyday life, work and family, yet also enables us also to gain insight into their hopes, dreams and adventures. It is rare thing to learn so much about a family living 150 years…

“I have read to chapter 12 and am very impressed. Samuel was quite an important person among the early settlers.” by DL

“It’s a fun read!” LL

Amazon ***** “John’s book is a fascinating look at an early part of South Australia’s colonial history. The writing style is very accessible. The research on Samuel Carvosso’s family move from Cornwall to South Australia is thorough and interesting. The story is familiar to anyone who has a grasp of South Australian history – the long voyage, the landing, Adelaide’s growth as a middle-class city, the mining adventures and so on. Samuel was a hearty small businessman fully participating in the life of the colony. Samuel was also an enthusiastic Cornish Wesleyan, or Methodist, as were many of the settlers at the time. The book is a nice complement to D. Pike’s seminal work on the early life of the colony, Paradise of Dissent. The book is well worth a read for those interested in early South Australian history.” by Peter Hill (Refer to Amazon Australia)

Book launch speech 2 May 2024

Cast of Characters

List of key characters only. Refer to the book’s Index for other names.

• SAMUEL CARVOSSO (1814–1874) — Coachbuilder, grandson of William-the-evangelist, son of William-the farmer. Born in Cornwall, immigrated and arrived in Adelaide in February 1849, and died in Adelaide on 30 November 1874.
• Alice Mitchell Carvosso (1815–1883) — Sister of Samuel
• Ann Carvosso (nee Pearce) (1766–1838) — Louisa’s mother
• Baker Banks Carvosso (1841–1919) — Samuel’s first son, clerk
• Baker Banks Carvosso (1826–1866) — Son of Benjamin Carvosso, teacher
• Baker Banks snr (1767–1840) — Deborah and Louisa’s father, Samuel’s father-in-law
• Baker Banks jnr (1795–1869) — Son of Baker Banks snr
• Benjamin Carvosso (Rev) (1789–1854) — Son of William-the-evangelist Carvosso
• Bessie Mabel Rischbieth (nee Earle) (1874–1967) — Daughter of Jane Anna and William

• Caroline Banks (1826–1891) — Louisa’s niece, daughter of deceased Kennett Banks
• Caroline Banks Carvosso (1854–1944) — Samuel’s daughter
• Deborah Carvosso (nee Banks) (1793–1848) — Rev Benjamin Carvosso’s wife
• David Banks Carvosso (1834–1903) — Son of Rev Benjamin Carvosso, master mariner
• Elizabeth Banks Carvosso (1851–1920) — Samuel’s daughter, married Rev John Leggoe
• Elizabeth Dunn (nee Williams) (1836–1928) — Mary Turner Carvosso’s elder sister
• Jabez Carvosso (1812–1862) — Brother of Samuel, Cornwall, then London
• Jane Anna Carvosso (1847–1921) — Samuel’s first daughter
• Jane Anna Carvosso (1821–1846) — Samuel’s sister, Cornwall
• Jane Anna Earle (nee Carvosso) — Samuel’s youngest sister
• Jane Cork Dunn (1833–1929) (nee Williams) — Mary Turner Carvosso’s eldest sister
• John Bennett — Coachbuilder of Budock, near Falmouth, Cornwall. Samuel’s indenture.
• John Dunn (Hon) (1802–1894) — Flour miller baron
• John Dunn jnr (1830–1892) — Son of John Dunn Hon, flour miller
• John Francis Carvosso (1825–1874) — Samuel’s youngest brother
• John Rounsevell (1836–1902) — Elder son of William Rounsevell
• John Williams (1810–1878) — Architect, father of Mary Turner Carvosso; the first wife of Baker Banks Carvosso
• Joseph Hobart Carvosso (Rev) (1828–1863) — Son of Rev Benjamin Carvosso, Wesleyan minister

• Louisa Ann Carvosso (nee Banks) — Samuel’s wife
• Louisa Ann Carvosso (1823—1894) — Rev Benjamin Carvosso’s daughter
• Mary Rounsevell (–1911) — Wife of William Rounsevell snr
• Mary Turner Williams (1842–1882) — First wife of Banker Banks Carvosso
• Mary Williams (nee Cork) (1810–1905)— Mother of Mary Turner Carvosso; first wife Baker Banks Carvosso
• Munduthoo Hardman Earle (1879–1966) — Son of Jane Anna and William Earle
• Robert Carvosso (1811–1871) — Farmer, brother of Samuel, Cornwall
• Robert Terrill Rundle (Rev) (1811–1896) — Missionary to Blackfoot and Cree, Canada
• Thomas Barlow (1799–1866) — Coachbuilder and early partner with Samuel Carvosso; president of the Temperance Association and a powerful speaker on teetotalism.286
• William Benjamin Rounsevell (1843–1923) — Younger son of John Rounsevell, parliamentarian, racehorse owner … breeder etc., m. Louisa Ann
• William Carvosso (1842–1884) — Samuel’s second son, accountant
• William Earle (1847–1903) — husband of Jane Anna Carvosso
• William Francis Carvosso (1852–1928) — Samuel’s nephew, John Francis Carvosso’s son
• William Frederick Carvosso (1820–1905) — Brother of Samuel, Cornwall
• William Hodge — Saddler and harness maker of Truro287
• William Rounsevell snr (1816–1874) — South Australia’s coach line baron

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