John Cheriton

Who is John Cheriton?

John Cheriton, born in Whitestone near Exeter, Devon was a pioneering farmer at Strathalbyn, South Australia, and a member of parliament in South Australia.

John arrived in South Australia on the Spartan on 12 April 1848, and for some time worked on a farm, having experience as the eldest son of a prominent farmer, then was for many years an auctioneer. In November, 1849, he married the youngest daughter of David McLean, who was one of the first farmers to grow wheat in South Australia. After his marriage he farmed at Penwortham before proceeding to Burra, where he worked for the Copper Company. In 1851 he left for the diggings, driving a team of bullocks from Adelaide to Ovens then to Melbourne. In 1853 he returned to Adelaide, and bought land at Angas Plains, where he farmed from 1853 to 1867, being the largest grower of wheat in the State at that time. He moved to Strathalbyn in July 1867, his son John Cheriton jun. taking over management of the Angas Plains property, and there he remained.

In 1868 he was elected as a member of the House of Assembly for Mount Barker, paired with John Dunn and after the dissolution in 1870 he was again elected, this time with J. G. Ramsay.