Obituaries Australia

John Maslin, n.d.

from Pastoralists' Review, 15 June 1908

Mr. John Maslin, whose death took place at Mitcham, South Australia, on 16th May, was born in Wiltshire, England, in October, 1828, his parents being of Scottish origin. Marrying young, he came out to South Australia in the ship Agincourt, when the combined ages of his wife and himself were only thirty-seven, and after being some time in South Australia, went, in 1857, to the Bendigo goldfields, and thence to the Loddon district. When he had made a certain sum in mining, his inborn love of stock and country life made him turn to pastoral investment, and, in conjunction with Messrs. George Angas, Swinden, and Moorehouse, he became joint owner of Saltia and other runs, and after a trip to Queensland, settled in the north of South Australia, and then came to live in Adelaide. Subsequently he was associated with Mr. Robert Barr Smith, and purchased along with him the Koolunga and Hummocks Run, and also Warrakimbo, in the north. Afterwards they bought Bundaleer for a quarter of a million. Mr. Maslin eventually became sole owner of Bundaleer and Warrakimbo, and Mr. Barr Smith retained the Hummocks. Mr. Maslin also bought Wilpena Station, in the north. About seven years ago he divided his station property, and gave Bundaleer, containing 60,000 acres freehold, to his sons George and Frederick.

Mr. Maslin was known for his generosity in a quiet way. When the northern areas were thrown open many of the settlers around Snowtown, Georgetown, and Jamestown had suffered a good deal of hardship, and at times were in a precarious condition. Mr. Maslin allowed them to run their stock on his property, and gave them monetary assistance. In fact, his liberality was such in coming to the friendly aid of tillers of the soil and stockowners that he was known as "the friend of the farmer." In recent years, although nothing was said at the time, he made substantial gifts to philanthropic and religious enterprises.