John Danforth Greenwood

John Danforth Greenwood
4th Headmaster of Nelson College
In office 1863–1865
Preceded by	Reginald Broughton
Succeeded by	Charles Lendrick MacLean
Personal details
Born	John Danforth Greenwood 4 January 1803 London, England
Died	15 June 1890 Motueka, New Zealand
Resting place	Pioneer Park, Motueka
Spouse	Sarah Field ​ ​ (m. 1831; died 1889)​
Children	13
Relatives	John Greenwood (grandfather) Ellen Greenwood (daughter) Jane Stowe (daughter) Elizabeth Greenwood (granddaughter) John D. H. Greenwood (grandson) Leonard Greenwood (grandson) Averil Lysaght (great-granddaughter) Mary Watt (great-granddaughter)

John Danforth Greenwood (1803–1890) was a New Zealand physician, newspaper editor, amateur painter and principal of Nelson College.[1][2][3] His grandfather was the portrait painter John Greenwood.[4][5]

Biography

John Danforth Greenwood was a physician, at Mitcham, Surrey.[6][5] He married Sarah Field in 1831.[5] They had thirteen children, including Ellen Greenwood and Jane Greenwood.[7][8] His daughter Frances Mary Greenwood married William Pharazyn (1842–1872) the son of Charles Johnson Pharazyn.[9][10]

Portrait of Greenwood by his wife, Sarah (1852)

He and his wife, Sarah, connected over art and music.[5] Until ill-health forced his retirement in 1837, Danforth Greenwood continued his medical practice.[5] The family then moved to Charenton-le-Pont, France.[5] In 1842, they bought New Zealand Company sections in Wellington, Nelson and Motueka.[5] He received free passage for himself and his family as ship's surgeon superintendent, on the Phoebe at Gravesend on 16 November 1842.[5] In 1843, they settled in Motueka and built their house called "Woodlands."[2]

They also lived in Nelson where he held roles such as justice of the peace, inspector of schools (1857 to 1863), board member of Nelson College (1855 to 1863) and headmaster of Nelson College (1863 to 1865).[2][11][12] He was editor of the Nelson Examiner for several years.[12] He also was appointed Sergeant-at-Arms in the House of Representatives by the Speaker Sir David Monro from 1866 to 1871.[5][12]

Greenwood died on 15 June 1890 in Motueka and was buried in Pioneer Park, Motueka.[13][14]

References

1. "Greenwood, John Danforth, 1803–1890". natlib.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 1 January 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
2. "John Danforth Greenwood". collection.nelsonmuseum.co.nz. Archived from the original on 1 January 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
3. "Sarah and John Danforth Greenwood". www.theprow.org.nz. The Prow. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
4. "Mrs Humphrey Devereux Collections Online – Museum of New Zealand te Papa Tongarewa". Archived from the original on 26 December 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
5. Paul, Janet. "Sarah Greenwood". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
6. Platts, Una (1980). Nineteenth century New Zealand artists : a guide & handbook. Christchurch: Avon Fine Prints Limited. p. 112.
7. Stace, Hilary. "Ellen Sarah Greenwood". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
8. "Stowe, (Mrs) Jane | NZETC". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
9. "Pharazyn, Frances Mary, 1847–1927". natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
10. "Pharazyn, William, 1842–1872". natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
11. "Hundred Years Ago To-Day". Nelson Evening Mail. Vol. 79. 8 February 1944. p. 4.
12. "Obituary". Nelson Evening Mail. Vol. XXIV, no. 141. 16 June 1890. p. 2. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
13. "Death". Colonist. Vol. XXXIII, no. 5831. 17 June 1890. p. 3.
14. "Record ID 17333". www.tasman.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.