John Smith early Rockhampton Postmaster
John Smith an early Rockhampton postmaster was born in about 1834 at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. His parents were William Smith and Hannah Trotman. He appears on the UK 1841 Census at High Street, Cheltenham with parents William and Hannah, and siblings Charles, Ann and Frederick.
Family folklore says that he came to Australia with his parents on the Americas/Americus. He married Fortitude migrant Mary Ann Voysey, daughter of John Voysey and Margaret Good on 31 Jan 1859 in QLD. They had 13 children.
Amelia Voysey Smith
Percival Beaumont Trotman Smith
Louisa Adelaide Voysey Smith
Florence Adeline Voysey Smith <m William Lutton> \\
Gertrude Louisa Voysey Smith
Maurice Augustus Trotman Smith <m Margaret McDonald? Campbell> \\
Frederick George Trotman Smith
Laura Emeline Smith <m Thomas Groom> \\
Albert Charles Trotman Smith
Elsie Geraldine Voysey Smith <m Daniel McIntosh?>\\
William Herbert Trotman Smith <m Jessie Fraser Waddell>\\
Edith Amelia Voysey Smith <m Charles Selkirk Mee> \\
Beaumont Percival Trotman Smith
John Smith was appointed to the position of postmaster of Rockhampton from Brisbane. He was accused of embezzlement while postmaster in August of 1868, he was then acquitted. When the Government latter wished to close certain mail routes, he helped keep them open.
Smith died of a cut throat (apparently suicide) on the 21st May 1889 at William Street, Rockhampton. An inquiry was held on the 23rd. He is buried in the Rockhampton Cemetery by a Congregational minister. Their does not seem to be a surviving headstone.