Rev Daniel John Gogerly, son of Daniel and Elizabeth Gogerly, and 1^st cousin of Charles James Gogerly was a Methodist Missionary. He arrived in Ceylon in 1818. He was the son of a loyalist family. His Grandfather fought and died in the American War of Independence and lost all his property as a consequence.

He was born in London 25 August 1792, Christened at St. Sepulchre, London 26/8/1792 and died in Ceylon on 6 September 1862 at 70 years of age.

Converted at the age of fourteen, he gave early indication of his devotion and ability. He adopted the trade of a printer and during his early years came under the notice of Richard Watson who induced him to join the staff of the then newly formed "Mission to Asia" and to take charge of the mission press in Colombo Ceylon. He entered upon these new duties in 1818. He left Plymouth on the 17 May 1818 and arrived in Jaffna Ceylon October 1818 an un-ordained Wesleyan missionary. He was ordained in 1823 and assigned his own mission station in 1848. Ceylon at this time was under British rule and part of the British Empire.

He was a very distinguished man and was said to be the greatest man that Methodism ever gave to Ceylon. He became an outstanding scholar and was president of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. His scholarship laid the foundation for serious Buddhist-Christian dialogue.

Up until his arrival in Ceylon, the Buddhists dismissed Christians as ignorant of the truth of Buddhism. After 14 years study of the Pali language, he wrote a serious apologetic questioning of the Buddhist faith, whereby many monks came to Christ.

Wesleyan missionary to Ceylon, Spencer Hardy, wrote of Daniel Gogerly's apologetic work "Nearly every religious movement in different parts of the Island (Ceylon) owes its origin to Gogerly's Christian Institute". Rhys Davids, founder of the Pali Text Society, commended Gogerly "For so much accuracy, so wide a range of knowledge, and such sound and sober judgment that his conclusions were far ahead of any previous writings"

The following description of him was given by another missionary " with the head of a German, the heart of an Englishman, the faith of a Methodist he was a great man in every way. In mental stature he stood head and shoulders above his brethren, in scholarship in his own line he has left no peer. In administration capacity he could have governed a kingdom. As a preacher he was as convincing as Apollo and as sinewy as Paul. The best of the man was his kind and large heart. He was the William Carey of Ceylon, giving to the Singhalese successive versions of the word of God. He was more, he studied the structure of Buddhism until he mastered it and then marshaled his forces and delivered an attack that shook the citadel"

In Agnes Gogerly's letter to Laura Green (see comments under "Early History") she states "About uncle Daniel Gogerly, Professor Max Muller of Oxford said in his book, "------- from a German workshop" the church has sent out many great missionaries but if it had sent out only two, David Livingston and Daniel Gogerly the world would have been made a constant debt to the church"

He married four times and was widowed four times!!

1^st Wife Sarah Kenegan – Born unknown England – Married 19 January 1817, Christchurch, Greyfriars, London England – Died 20 September 1821, Madras, India

2^nd Wife – Baroness Anna Johanna Suzanna Van Lynden  - Born 23 September 1793  Colombo Ceylon (A Baroness in her own right and a Countess by a previous marriage). She was the Widow of the Jean Guillaume Comte du Bois de La Saussaye – Her father was born in the Netherlands – She Married 18 September 1822 – Died 9 November 1829 Colombo Ceylon.

3^rd Wife – Eliza Jane Torriano, Daughter of Lieut. Charles C. Torriano of London –Born London – Married 6 July 1830 Cotta, Colombo, Ceylon – Died Unknown (dates etc not known)

4^th Wife – Anna Deborah McCully (Widow of the Rev: James Chater) – country of birth etc not known – Married in Colombo Ceylon Died – 21 December 1861 Colombo Ceylon.

He only had issue from his second marriage.

 Elizabeth Gogerly – Born 24 June 1826 Colombo Ceylon – Died 1 April 1890 Surrey England and

Daniel Gogerly – Born, 1827, London England – Died Ceylon (date etc not known). The place of birth is as recorded by my grandfather.

Elizabeth's date of birth is recorded as 24 June 1823 in the family "Birthday Book" However she appears on the 1841 Census report - Borough of Sheffield, Township of Brixton as a student aged 15. This would make her year of birth 1826. Her younger brother Daniel also appears on this Census report as student aged 14 which makes his year of birth 1827. Daniel's year of birth is also recorded as 1827 in an article in a magazine titled "British Settlers, A Biographical Register, in Natal 1824 - 1857" Volume 7. The article is about his sister Elizabeth and her husband William Green who went to South Africa from Ceylon. Elizabeth's date of Birth in this article is recorded as 24 June 1822. The 24 June 1822 date is obviously not correct as the Rev DJ Gogerly and the Baroness got married on 18 September 1822.                                                                                                                                                         

On 24 September 1845 in Colombo Ceylon, Elizabeth married William Green. He was born 1822 in London. Died 19 June 1864 Australia. They had eight children. Elizabeth and William migrated to South Africa, arriving in Natal South Africa on 15/2/1849 on the "Douglas".

They left South Africa on 12/10/1851 for Mauritius then England finally arriving in Adelaide, Australia on 1 January 1852 on the "Cheshire Witch". The family settled in Melbourne later that year. Sometime shortly after the death of William, Elizabeth and her children, with the exception of the two eldest boys, William Dutton Green and John George Green, who remained in Melbourne Australia, returned to Ceylon (1865). Arthur Henry Green married Augusta Cornelia van der Straaten in Ceylon. He became a coffee planter. Her other son Charles Joseph Green married Euphemia Morgan in Ceylon.

Following the death of her youngest son Frederick James Green in 1877 she left for England with her two daughters. They are recorded in the 1881 census as living in Surrey England. Elizabeth died 1st April 1890.

Some of their descendants in Australia have taken the name "Gogerly-Green"

Daniel Gogerly married Maria Johanna Gertruida Leembruggen on 28 November 1847 in Colombo Ceylon. She was born in Jaffna Ceylon on 28 November 1827 - Died 25 June 1894 Colombo Ceylon. Her father, Casparus Henricus Leembruggen was born in Leyden,  Holland. Her mother Maria Elizabeth Adeliade du Bois de La Saussaye was French. Daniel and Maria had seven Children. Their descendants live in Australia, the UK and Ceylon.

I am a great great great grandson of the Rev Daniel John Gogerly.

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