Transcript

of

Daniel Gould [Obituary]

Trans. Devon Assoc., vol. IV, Part I. (1870-1), pp. 40-41.

by

Rev. W. Harpley, M.A.

Prepared by Michael Steer

The Obituary was presented at the Association’s July 1871, Devonport meeting. Mr Gould was very briefly an Association member, but was as mayor, host at the Association’s 1868 Honiton meeting. A comprehensive list of the Mayors of Honiton from 1685 to 2016, and showing Daniel Gould Esq., as Mayor for 1868 is available. The Obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from Google Books. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Daniel Gould was born on the 18th July, 1806, at Honiton, where his father had for many years been engaged in practice as a solicitor. He was educated in the Grammar School in that town, then under the mastership of the Rev. R. Lewis. He early devoted his attention to the study of the law, for which he displayed a great aptitude; and in the year 1828 he was admitted an attorney and entered into a partnership with his father. Bound by family ties and associations with the place of his birth, he there devoted himself to his profession and to the study of genealogy- a pursuit which often proved useful to him in his daily occupation. For deep legal knowledge, and for the soundness of his opinions, few of his contemporaries were more respected.
Straightforward and uncompromising, and outspoken in his opinions, he made himself beloved by many of his fellow-men, respected by all who knew him; and he was ever ready to do all in his power to benefit the place of his birth which he always seemed to love with an affection of a more than ordinary kind.
He collected much information relative to many of the leading families in the county, as well as good materials for a history of his native town, which, however, he unfortunately did not live to complete.
He was Mayor of Honiton in the year 1868, when the Devon Association held their meeting there. He took an active part in giving the Association a cordial reception and in virtue of his office he was elected one of the Vice-Presidents for that year.
His connection with the Association, however, was but short. On leaving Honiton in 1869, after a severe attack of bronchitis, he settled in Exmouth, where apparently he was restored to health. But on the 3rd November, 1869, he was suddenly taken ill, and after an illness of but nine days, during which he occasional gleams of consciousness, he passed away from this world, apparently without pain, a few minutes after midnight on 12th November last.  
His memory will long be cherished by all who knew him as one who was ever a kind and genial friend, thoughtless of self when he could benefit his fellow-men, and upright and honourable in his professional career.