Abe Shannon


Abraham Shannon was a pastoralist in South Australia, a substantial donor to philanthropic and patriotic causes.

History

Shannon was born at Stockwell, South Australia to David Shannon MHA and his second wife Martha Shannon, née Davison.
He was educated at Whinham College and was a successful pastoralist, concentrating on wheat and sheep.
He died suddenly at his property, "Kingscourt", near Eudunda, at the age of 76.

Contributions

His contributions to philanthropic and patriotic causes include:
  • During the Boer War he visited South Africa to investigate the conditions of sick and wounded troops, and paid for their hotel accommodation in Cape Town and Durban and other expenses incurred while recuperating.
  • During the Great War, having been rejected for active service, he went to England at his own expense and did voluntary war work, going to France, and working at many of the hospitals, with the honorary rank of captain in the Australian Red Cross.
  • He donated the prize for Eudunda's annual band competitions.
  • He provided the funds in 1929 to set up a new school in the district.
  • He started a memorial fund for Anderson and Hitchcock, who died while searching for Charles Kingsford Smith, who had been reported missing. Shannon considered Anderson's risky search for his once-friend particularly noble.
He never married and had no children. His estate was valued at between £35,000 and £40,000. In his will he left:
He was awarded the OBE for his services, and was presented to King Edward VII.
In 1929 he was awarded the Returned Soldiers' League certificate of merit, the highest honor given to non-members.

Family

  • David Shannon MHA followed his brother Abraham Shannon to South Australia, arriving in either 1838, 1839, or on John Pirie in 1843. died at "Yatara", near Stockwell, South Australia between Kapunda and Truro. He married twice, had five sons and two daughters. By first wife Sarah née Kelly :
See David Shannon for a more extensive list of family members.