Reverend John Dougall Print Page

The marble tablet commemorates the Reverend John Dougall, a former minister of the church who died in 1871. 

Quite a shock was felt in Maitland on Wednesday morning (says the Mercury), when it became generally known that the Rev. John Dougall had died on the previous evening, at his residence, East Maitland. The deceased clergyman, a man of earnest work, had been ailing with a cold for some little time past, but notwithstanding he visited Wallsend to assist the Rev. Mr. Humphries. By this time he had become unfit for travelling, but having previously promised the Rev. J. S. White, of Singleton, to go up and assist at a tea- meeting, he went, and attended the tea-meeting, on Tuesday, 6th June. At Singleton he became so ill that Mrs. Dougall was sent for. Longing to be at home, on last Saturday a bed was kindly made up for Mr. Dougall in the guard's van of the luggage train, and he returned to East Maitland— so very ill that it was feared he would not survive the journey. He was now suffering from inflammation of the lungs, but lingered on until 6 o'clock on Tuesday evening.

Mr. Dougall had been only a short two years stationed in Maitland, having previously lived in Sydney; but he had in that time become known and respected, and liked, to a wide extent very rare in such a short period. In his own communion, the Presbyterian Church, he has always borne the character of a good, earnest minister. Outside it, in the general world of charity and philanthropy, he had become a great favourite. Endowed with good ability, and having an easy flowing style of oratory, he united great humour with great pathos, and could move an audience at pleasure to cheerful laughter or to tears. And unlike many witty men, no unkindly satire was ever uttered by him. He was nearly the only public speaker in Maitland, who, frequently making his audience indulge in a hearty laugh, never wounded the feelings of any - whose wit was entirely free from personality. The deceased gentleman was forty-six years old, and leaves a widow. We understand that Mr. Dougall's chest had been more or less affected from the time when he suffered some internal injuries through a buggy accident in West Maitland. The remains were brought to Sydney on Thursday in the steamer Morpeth. 
Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW ), 17 June 1871.

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