Biography

The Reverend D. Ross Hewton, F.R.G.S., rector of St. John's Church, 1921-1933 was born in the Kyneton district of Victoria in 1863. His parents came from Armagh, Northern Ireland. He was educated at St. Jude’s School, Carlton, and went to Trinity College, Melbourne.
He was first employed for several years in the office of a firm of solicitors in Melbourne.
Influenced by the appeals of Bishop Moorhouse, his interest turned to the Church, and he went as a layman to the Home Mission at Terrick Plains, just north of Bendigo. Soon after this he won a ‘Diocesan Exhibition’, which enabled him to study at Trinity College in Melbourne.
He was ordained deacon and was appointed curate to Canon Goodman, at Geelong. There he met Miss Ada Steedman, who became his wife.
After he was ordained priest, the Reverend David Ross Hewton was appointed vicar to the parish of Croagingalong, near Orbost, and there he built St. James’, the first Christian church in East Gippsland. This old building was replaced with a modern brick structure some forty years later.
The Revd Hewton then became vicar of St. John’s, Maffra, for five years.
He returned to Melbourne, to North Brighton, then to Flemington and to St. Luke’s South Melbourne for fourteen years, including the years of World War I.
While at St. Luke’s he was chaplain of the Domain Camp, and performed many other military duties connected with Victoria Barracks. He was also probation officer for the Court.
In 1921 the Reverend Hewton became the rector of St. John’s Church, Launceston, and retained that position until he retired in 1933. Many things happened to this church during these years. A large debt owed by the church was cleared and the building extensions and alterations were allowed to proceed. The church also had in 1925 a very successful celebration of its first one hundred years.
The Reverend and Mrs Hewton visited Britain and Ireland several times. They also travelled in Canada and America, and in Europe. He held temporary chaplaincies in Switzerland and France. They also made a tour of the Holy Land.
He was made a graduate of the Intercollegiate University of Illinois, and in 1927, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
In Launceston he was a member of Rotary, padre of the local group of Toc H and a military chaplain (3rd class). He was also a probation officer with the Children’s Court.
An article published in 1931 noted that there was only one surviving daughter, Mrs. T.H. Humphries.
The Reverend David Ross Hewton died late in September 1933 aged 70, only five months after he had retired from St. John’s.
Mrs Ada Ross Hewton survived her husband and died in August 1942, aged 73.
David Ross Hewton (1863-1933) 
The organ screen at St. John’s Church was carved by Gordon Cumming and given in memory of the late rector. The carved inscription reads:
TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN MEMORY OF
THE REV’D ROSS HEWTON
RECTOR OF THIS PARISH 1921-’33.
(Extract from Engraved in Memory by J.S.Gill. 1988)
The death of Revd. Hewton so soon after his retirement was quite a shock to the parish, and to his successor, Revd. William Greenwood, as reported in the rector's letter in St. John's Parish Messenger Dec. 1933
 

Source

Extract from Engraved in Memory by J.S.Gill. 1988

Advocate Newspaper (NLA Trove collection) 17 Feb. 1933
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/68001641
Monument Australia - Reverend D. Ross Hewton
https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/religion/display/108650-reverend-d.-ross-hewton