Washbon, John Gould 1916-1999 Morris NY Ties

John Gould Washbon

ROCKLEDGE, Fla. — John Gould Washbon, 82, of Rockledge, Fla., and Morris, N.Y., died Thursday, Jan. 7, 1999, at home after a brief illness.
He was born May 15, 1916, in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, to Charles G. and Mary (Coldwell) Washbon. He moved with his family to Everglades City, Fla., in 1926, and resided in Florida for the remainder of his life.
He was married, in March 1942, to the former Virginia Eastmoore in Jacksonville, Fla., the daughter of the late Harold and Harriet (Manning) Eastmoore.
He enlisted in the United States Navy Air Reserve at the beginning of World War II and was stationed at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville.
In 1948, he moved to Miami, Fla., and held various positions in the construction and aviation industries until his retirement. A civil engineer by training and a chemical engineer by education, he attended the University of Florida and the University of Miami.
A passionate student of history, in retirement, John and his wife spent much of their time in Morris, lovingly restoring the home of his great-grandparents, Lucetta and Otis B. Matteson.
Although born in Canada and raised in Florida, John's roots lay deep in Otsego County. His fourth great-grandparents, Zebah and Nancy Washbon, natives of Newtown, Conn., homesteaded the Maple Grove area in about 1796. Five subsequent generations of Washbon sons lived in Morris and Maple Grove and attended the local schools. His maternal grandmother, the late Harriet (Matteson) Washbon, was the great-granddaughter of Deacon Joshua Matteson, a settler in the Mount Vision area from Pownal, Vt. Harriet's father, Otis B. Matteson, and his father, Joshua D. Matteson, ran a tannery on the brook running through the Matteson/Washbon homestead in Morris.
John Washbon is survived by his wife, Virginia; his sisters, Diana (Benjamin Lee) Bird of Washington, Va., and Elizabeth (Leo) Horvath of McLean, Va.; a son, Thomas G. (Margaret) Washbon, and family of New Castle, Del.; a daughter, Janet Washbon, and family of Madison, Wis.; a sister-in-law, Alma C. Field of Merritt Island, Fla.; and brothers-in-law, Ray (Betty) Eastmoore of Port Saint John, Fla., Frederick (Betty) Eastmoore of Columbus, Ga., Eugene (Jeanine) Eastmoore of Palatka, Fla., and Charles B. Norton of Melrose, Fla.; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and other family.
He was preceded in death by his parents and daughter, Carolynn Washbon.
Graveside memorial services will be held Friday, Aug. 20, 1999, at 3 p.m. at the Washbon family lot in the Hillington Cemetery in Morris, N.Y., with the Rev. John Scott III officiating.
Donations may be made to the Tebeau-Field Library of Florida History, 435 Brevard Ave., Cocoa, Florida 32922 or Wuesthoff Brevard Hospice, P.O. 6565002, Rockledge, Fla. 32956.
Local arrangements are by the Johnston Funeral Home of Morris, N.Y.

Published in The Daily Star on August 18, 1999.