John Lovell, 1840-4/2/1856.

I know nothing about John Lovell except for what I have found in the Southern Cemetery and the Otago Witness - and also an online archive of the text of "Reminiscences of the early settlement of Dunedin and south Otago: dealing in the main with Clutha and neighbouring districts: compiled frominformation supplied to the Clutha Pioneers' Association by early settlers, and matter taken from other sources."

It is also our melancholy duty to record a fatal accident which occurred at the Clutha in the early part of this week, by which a youth of 17 years of age, the Son of J. Lovell, Esq., of Sawyers' Bay, lost his life. The deceased, although warned of the danger, attempted to cross the Clutha by swimming his horse, a totally unnecessary proceeding, as he might have been ferried over. The river was much swollen by the late heavy rains, and deceased was washed from his horse; the latter reached the opposite bank much exhausted, but its rider it is presumed was drowned. The body has not been discovered, and in all probability has been carried out to sea.  -Otago Witness, 9/2/1856. 

In 1855 the only settler at Kaitangata was John Lovell who, for a while previous, had his sheep grazing on Lovell's Flat, so named after him.  As his was the only house between Tokomairiro and Iwikatea (Balclutha), Lovell was put to a good deal of expense and inconvenience by visitors, who often consumed all his provisions.  On shifting to Kaitangata, he built his house near the Maori kaik, which was at the junction of the Kaitangata Creek with the Matau, on its eastern bank, where there was some native bush.

On the 4th of February, 1856, he had the misfortune to lose his only son, John, by drowning in the Clutha River.  This young man attempted to cross the river by swimming his horse.  He had failed to make the ferrynman hear, so, as he had previously crossed by swimming, he evidently determined to do so again.  The river was in flood, and he was washed off his horse and drowned.  The body was afterwards recovered and buried on the point above the division of the waters; but some years afterwards the remains were transferred to the Northern cemetery.  "Reminiscences..." published 1912.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.  DCC photo.