Murchison
New
Zealand - How a Settlement Emerges
from the
Bush
by J.R.Grigg
- printed 1947
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The Stories of Pioneer
Families -
BROWN - Joseph
- 87
Joseph Brown came to the district from around Reefton with his
step-father Mr J.Blight,
who
owned a claim at the Eight Mile. In 1888
a farm owned by a Welshman, David
Evans,
at the Six-Mile was bought in
the name of Joseph Brown.
------ later a section across the road
belonging to the blacksmith, Ted
Kerr was added --- In 1896 Joseph
married Miss Florence Fittall,
of Richmond. Of their family of 4 sons
and 4 daughters only 2 are still in the district, Mr
E.M.Brown,
County
Chairman and Mrs Nelson.
------
Joseph died in 1921 ------
DELLOW
- Harry - 74
Born at Nelson in 1850, he went to Murchison with his father at 14
years of age. With them was George Moonlight, who had prospected the
district ---- for 70 years Harry Dellow remained here.
----
he joined the Flower brothers
and their father prospecting for gold. they found many rich
claims, the best known the Blue Duck. ---- for some
years
he was ferryman over the Buller ------ His brother Mr Tom Dellow is
still in the township as well as a number of descendants. Mrs
Emma Russell, who lived in
the
township for 67 years was a sister.
DOWNIE - Charles -
81 & photo 67
The 4th son of a family of 14, Charles was born at Heather
Ha',
Eaglesfield, Scotland in 1843. at 19 he set sail from
Liverpool
in the
ship "Great Tasmania"
his first attempt was on the Victorian
goldfields until 1866 when the West Coast fields lured him to
Hokitika
he was there until 1868 when he left for Westport ----
in
1871 he
married Miss Sarah Goodyer,
and 3 years later with his wife and infant
son travelled up the Buller to Lyell. here he joined his
brother
John
and brother-in-law William Goodyer in road-contracting
----- had a
family of 9 daughters and 3 sons, before his death in
1939
Charles
Downie then aged 96 was known as the grand old man of
Murchison.
His
wife died 13 years earlier.
DOWNIE - John
- 81a & 82 & photo 67
Born in 1875 at Stafford, near Hokitika, John as a few
weeks old baby
went with his parents to the Lyell ---- the family came to
Murchison
in 1877. ---- in 1883 when the Murchison school opened he was
one
of
the 1st pupils. In 1903 he and his brother William
had taken over
his father's sawmill, in 1903 he married Miss Florence Ann Russell,
she died after 3 years leaving their only child John 6mths
old. For
24 years he was in sawmilling and then the building
trade,
He married
Mrs Janet Winifred Gaynor in
1925 -----
FLOWER - Alfred - (Lake Rotoroa) - 84 & 84a
In 1863 Mr Flower was born in Nelson and went with his parents to
Westport in 1867. His father proceeded to Flowers Flat (now
known
as
Newton Flat) where he worked a gold claim later
operating a
store and
a hotel. ----- as a lad of 13 Alfred worked for Joseph Gibbs at
Longford. ----- in 1887 he and his father were members of a
party
of 6
men who 1st worked the Blue Duck claim. -----
Alfred
was digging in
the Maruia when his brother found Jack
Tarrant
pinned under a log in
his hut and helped carry him 30 miles to the end of the road at the
Six-Mile. In 1894 he took up a farm in the Mangles
Valley,
now owned
by Mr Rouse ---- in
1907
he married Miss Ellen Lusty,
of Richmond.
----- He built an accomodation house at Lake Rotoroa, where he
has
lived for the past 24 years with his 2 sons.------
GOODWIN - Biddy - 92 & 93 &
photo 73
A figure who for 30 years with her 2 men partners combed
the beaches
of the Buller for gold was Bridget Goodwin, commonly
known
as Biddy
of the Buller - a tiny Irishwoman, lived to 86,
worked alongside her
2 men companions shovelling, lifting and panning
-------- she first
saw gold at Bendigo in the early 50's -- she and her partners
landed
in Nelson in the 60's before making their way overland
to
the
Buller. ------- Bridget Goodwin died 19 October
1899
GOODYER - William
Henry - 85 & photo 007
William Goodyer was born at Castlemain, Victoria in 1855 and while
still a youth left for Hokitika during the gold rush.
---
he came to
Murchison, where he took up a claim in the Doughboy with his
brother-in-law Charles Downie.
----
after his marriage to Miss Sarah
Griffiths, he was cutting timber for the Lyell quartz
mines. there
were 10 children, ---- he died in 1929 and Mrs Goodyer
10
years later.
HODGKINSON - J.W. -
78 & photo - 68
A son of German Hodgkinson, of Tadmore, J.W.Hodgkinson was
born
in
1859. At 12 he accompanied the surveyor John Rochfort, who was to
survey the route from Longford to Inangahua Junction.
------ he
married Emily Sarah Jane,
a
daughter of John Oxnam in
1893, when he
owned a gold claim at Glencairn. --- Mrs Hodgkinson died
in
1929 and
Mr Hodgkinson in 1944 at age 85.
HUNTER - William - 76
Arrived in NZ in 1842 with his parents who came from Stirlingshire,
Scotland. ---- he joined a party formed by Julius Von Haast
----
Hunter discovered gold in the Mangles and other rivers. --- William
Hunter selected the Matakitaki Run --- when the diggers
arrived in large numbers he opened stores at Upper Matakitaki and at
Murchison ---- he he set up the first sawmill at
Fern
Flat in 1880. The Run was later operated by his son Graham
while
son Robert had a portion of the land at Fern Flat
JAMES - John -
85a & photo 009
Born at 88 Valley, near Wakefield in 1853, John James was engaged in
carting supplies from Nelson via the Gripps before the Hope saddle
was
completed in 1874. He was a good horseman ---- --- from
1913 to
1928 he was chairman of the Dairy Co. he left Murchison
in
1929 and
the property was taken over by his son Mr Tom James, he
died the next
year and is buried in the local cemetery.
LYNCH - Owen - 80 & 81
Owen Lynch was born in 1842 in County Cavan, Ireland -----
came
to NZ
in 1865 landing at Auckland--- went to the Thames goldfields
----moved
on to Nelson -- in 1876 bought land ---- farmed for 25 years
before
buying the Commercial Hotel. --- original member
of
the Hampden Road
Board ----- In 1875 he married Miss Sarah Hagen and had
a
family of
4 sons and 4 daughters. Mr Charles Lynch is still farming at
Six
mile
-- original holding destroyed by the earthquake. Owen died in
1911 and
buried in the local cemetery.
McCONOCHIE - Thomas
- 86 and 86a
Born in Scotland in 1843, Thomas came to NZ with his mother in
1860 by
the"Ravenscraig" ------- was a musterer for awhile then during
the
gold rushes he went into business a s a butcher at Lyell Flat,
Addison's Flet and the Wangapeka. ----
in
1893 he acquired land at
Glenhope where he lived until he died in 1914. ----- One
son Newton
owned the Glenhope property and another son Alex, owned the Lake
Station.
McNEE - Arthur
Robert - 83 & 72 &
photo 72
Born in 1837 at Lochearnhead, Perthshire, Scotland.
Robert
McNee
learnt the drapery trade before setting up for himself at
Ballarat,
Victoria. In 1861 he came to NZ following the gold
rushes. -----
in 1877 he moved to Murchison where he worked at George
Moonlight's
store. -------- when the company went into liquidation
in
1990 Mr
McNee purchased its assets. --- he commenced the first library
in
1878 -- he was postmaster, also chairman of the school
committee he
died in Murchison in 1921.
A.R.McNee - a
son
of Robert, Arthur was born in 1876 on his fathers
death he took over the business -- in 1929 he sold this
to
W.H.Swanney. In 1909
he
married Miss Jessie Ellen Hunter
dau.
of Mr
Robinson Hunter ----- he retired to Christchurch
where he
died.
McWHA - Francis - 89
Frank McWha left his home in Ireland, came to NZ and worked on
the
threshing mills near Oamaru ------ in 1893 he set out for a
new
claim
in the mid-Maruia --- he brought his young wife who was
Miss Alice
Parsons (m. 1888) of Motueka and came to Fern Flat as
a
telephone
operator. in 1907 he bought the farm below Four River
Plain from Mr
Pat O'Hagan and lived there until his death in 1936 aged
63. Mr D.
McWha is a son and Mrs McWha died in 1943 age 72.
MAY - Tom -
79
& 80 & photo 68a
The character who for 30 years in Upper Matakitaki was Tom
May,
generally known as King Tom, he reached here in the early
70's, built
an inn and store ---- Stores were packed from
Hampden
(Murchison)
------- in 1897 Tom May met his death by drowning as he was
fording
the river near his old home. The Hotel was bought by Mr
T.O'Rourke.
MOONLIGHT - George
Fairweather - 09,
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, &
photo 57
Born in Scotland in 1829, he began his career as a
seaman,
first in
the herring fisheries and then as a sailor ---
joined
the
Californian gold rush which broke out in 1848 was not
successful and
set out for the Australian goldfields ---- news of gold
in
Otago
brought him to NZ in 1861 ----- in 1863 he left for Nelson and
Collingwood --- hearing of the Mangles, Matakitaki and Maruia
rivers
he decided to explore them. Between May and September 1863 he
set
out
for the Buller --- gold was found at the mouth of the
Matakitaki
Gorge. A flat nearby was called Moonlight Point by the early
diggers
----- lots more ------
MOREL - Gustave
-
81 and 82 & photo - 66
This early pioneer was born in Switzerland in 1834 and as a young
man
set out for Ballarat during the gold rush there.
----- next he tried Wakamarina (Marlborough) where
he
was joined by his brother. ----- he married Miss Chrisitina M. Hettler in 1869 at
Charleston (south of Westport) and had several children
--- in 1874 the family moved to Lyell where he
kept a
store for 5 years. --- the family left for Murchison to
settle on a farm "Belle Vue" here Mr Theo Morel was born. It
was
farmed 1879 to 1929 when the earthquake struck and
ruined it. Mr Charles Morel who was then in possession died as
a
result of the injuries he received. ----- Mrs Morel sen.
passed away in 1926, her husband died 23 years previously.
NORRISS
- Henry - 88
A son of early Nelson settlers Henry Norriss was born in Wakefield
about 1862, at age 14 he became pack boy in George Moonlight's team
------ with his elder brother David he was involved in
gold
digging and worked on road and bridge construction.
---- He bought land in Six Mile and lived there with his
wife, formerly Mary Ann Dyer
and 5 children, one is Mrs W.Woodcock
and
Mr W.H.Norriss Henry retired to Wakefield where
he died in 1932.
O'ROURKE - Thomas Patrick
-
84 & 84a
Born in Dublin, Ireland about 1830, Thomas left as a young man
for
Ballarat ------ went into business as a hotel-keeper until
1879
when
he came to NZ and worked in a quartz mine in
Reefton.
In 1880 he
arrived in Murchison and bought "Pleasant farm" in the
Matiri Valley
from Ned Welsh ----- Thomas married a Miss Broughton, of Ayeshire and
had a family of 5 sons and 6 daughters, Thomas died age
58 Mr
Ambrose O'Rourke died in 1946 ----- a daughter Mrs
J.Badcock and
Messrs R. and W. O'Rourke lived in the district.
OXNAM - John - 74 and
75 & photo - 66a
John Oxnam, was born in Cornwall in 1839 came to NZ in
1856, he
arrived in the Buller district in 1863 -- and was for 57
years
engaged in pioneering activities. in 1872 he took up farming
at
Fern
Flat then purchased the Owen Hotel from John
Dellow,
his
father-in-law. In 1881 he sold the hotel to George
Trower
and settled
at Longford he died aged 81. married Mary Dellow in 1872
RAIT - John
-
78 and 79
John Rait was born in Dundee, Scotland, worked as a ship's
carpenter
and sailed to NZ in that capacity. --- in 1872 he was at
Roundell
(near Lake Rotoiti) -------John purchased a section in
Murchison
village being the firat local resident to do so. he was at
that
time
married to Mary the sister
of John Oxnam.in
1867. In 1878 the
family (4 sons and 2 daughters) were at Hope Junction in
a
log
cabin. ------ Mr Stephen Rait ------ the
family
built an
accommodation house at Kawatiri
---- the children attended the
first school across the Buller at Fern Flat. in 1884 after the
death
of George Moonlight, John Rait bought the Commercial
Hotel
and store
---- also acquired a bush section of 140 acres and
while felling
trees he suffered an injury from which he did not
recover he died in
1887 at age 45, the family moved to Wellington
---- the hotel was
left under lease to Charles Downie.
In 1899 when all children were 21
David and James resumed occupation of the Hotel with Stephen taking
over the old Hampden Hotel from Mr Wm Watson
---- James Rait
bought a freehold title at the Owen and farmed there. His
widow
(formerly Mary Lynch) ------ lots more
------
SUTHERLAND - Alexander
-
76 and 77 & photo 65
Born in England in 1840, Alex Sutherland arrived in this
district
about 1866 ---- together with George Stewart and 2 others he
worked a sluicing claim near the Big Doughboy. ---
left for Nelson
where he was building until 1888 then returned to
Murchison, bought
50 acres of land --- he built the 1st Newton Creek
bridge,
dredge
fittings a 24ft water-wheel for Wm Hunter, a punt for
the
ferry
--------he returned to Nelson in 1915 and died in 1929 -------
THOMSON - Alexander
- & George - 88 &
photo 008
in 1843 Alexander Thomson was born in Perthshire, Scotland and
at
age 15 was apprenticed at sea --- came to Nelson in the
ship "Glenshee"
------ in 1867 he began a line of coaches at
Hokitika where the gold rush was --- after running
a
butchery business and then farming at Wangapeka he bought in
1897 from his brother Robert "Forest Home" a very
fine dairy farm --- son Alec ----
THOMSON -
George - 88 & 89 &
photo 008
(a brother of Alexander) with his wife and infant son
George came to NZ in the "British
Queen" in 1883 ---- Mrs
Thomas
came from the city of Perth ---- the Thomson's and
the Walker's were the only permanent settlers in the Maruia for many
years ----
TROWER - George
- 87
Another well-known family the Trowers have descended
from
Charles
who was born in Nelson in 1845 and his brother George ---
Charles
was
farming in the Matiri and left to take over a property at
Takaka
returning to Matiri in 1879 ----- grew hops
---- George Trower
owned the Owen Hotel in the 80's.
WATSON
- William - 77 and 78
William Watson, sen. was born in Scotland and left for
Tasmania
where
he was an engineer, here his 2 sons Robert and William
were
born --
the family arrived in new Plymouth after being shipwrecked
----
in
1869 they arrived at Wakefield ---- about
1872 ---- moved around
ending up at Tutaki and Hunter stations --- father
was drowned --
oldest son Robert worked on gold claims in the Glenroy later went
into
business as a blacksmith in nelson. --- Mr William
Watson - for 30
years from the time the Murchison County Council was
formed
Mr watson
acted as foreman and engineer retiring in 1939
--- in 1888 Mr
watson married Miss Emily Oxnam he remarried in 1899
WARNE
- Lyvian - 85b & 85c &
photo 006
born in Cornwall in 1840 L.Warne arrived here as a young
man -----
entered the postal service in 1877 --- in 1878
became
postmaster at
Longford for 30 years. married in 1878 to Martha Ann Hughes of
Spring Grove, she arrived in Longford in 1878 to
assist at the
Accommodation house owned by Mr Joseph Gibbs. ---- contained 32
rooms
--- was burnt down in 1909 --- had 13
children and died in 1912
Mrs Warne died age 80 -----
WIN - Robert - 86
The son of one of Nelson's earliest settlers Robert was born
in
Hope
in 1852----- mustering for John
Kerr at Lake Station --- in 1874 he
joined a party sub-contracting on a new road over the Hope
Saddle
----
in 1883 he bought a bush section near Glenhope and sold to George Batt
and bought Robert's Accommodation House of 32 rooms at
Kawatiri. He
married Miss Rose Eliza Elliott
of Nelson in 1881 --- burnt out in
1894 --- son Dudley --- Robert died in
1925 -----
Photo
- 55
Mr C. RANSON and Sir
Robert NOLAN
Photo - 56
Mr R.Acton-Adams, G.Fielding, and C.Christie.
Photo - 58
KERR - John
WALKER - Tasman
Photos - 59
HUNTER - William
McGREGOR - Donald
Photo - The 1st Cricket
Club 1892 - 60
Standing - A.Morrell, C.Roberts,
J.Downie, S.Rait, G.Bastin, H.Huddleston,
Seated - L.Norriss, A.McNee, W.Tear,
W.Russell, W.Watson,
photo taken on site of present McNee's shop.
Photo - 61
Murchison in 1887 showing George Moonlight's Hotel,
blacksmith's shop, bakery, hall, McNee's store and Jack Hagen's team
carting dredge material.
Photo - 62
FORD - George
Ford, of Nelson,
Photo - 63
Old Hampden Hotel
(Murchison)
Photo - 64
GAUKRODGER'S Hotel, Mr
T.Newman in sulky..
Photo - 1st County
Council - 69
Back row - G.Thomson, W.Thomson, F.Page,
J.Badcock, V.T.McNamara
Front row - A.Rogers, H.Fraser,
(County
Clerk) O.Lynch, (Chairman)
J.Rait.
Photo - School Committe and
Staff - 70
Back row - J.A.Feary (S)
F.H.Anderson (C) J.Cooper (C)
N.Lynch (C)
D.R.Conway (C)
Middle row - Miss M.Bartlett (S)
B.C.Spiers (C) J.R.Grigg (S)
Miss C.Osborne (S)
Miss M.Hill (S)
Front row - O.Hodgkinson (C)
L.Mcbride (C) C.T.Irvine (S)
Photo - 71
H.J. and E.W.Hodgson.
Photo - 72
McNEE - Robert
ROWE - Arthur
Place Names - 90 & 91
Howard River - named by Heaphy and Spooner -------
Devils Grip - stretch of Buller River between Lake Rotoiti and hope
Junction named by heaphy and Spooner -----
Mangles River and Gowan River - 2 directors of the
NZ
Land Company, names given by William Fox
Buller River - Heaphy and Spooner named it after Charles
Buller, barrister for the NZ Land Co.
Lake Howick - name given by Fox to Lake Rotoroa, it appears on
old maps
Lake Arthur - heaphy and Spooner named Lake Rotoiti, Arthur
after
Captain A.Wakefield
Mt Robert - christian name for son of Von Haast
Mt Murchison - Sir Roderick Murchison famous Scottish
geologist.
Mt Owen - Professor Richard Owen famous English palaeontologist ---
Mt Lyell - Sir Spencer Lyell noted English professor of
geology.
Mt Mantell - Mr G.A.Mantell was another noted English
geologist
Mt Franklin - named after Sir John Franklin
Mt Travers - Mr W.T.L. Travers, an early Nelson
explorer.
Lewis Pass - H.Lewis and C.Maling from Nelson
discovered this in 1860
Mt Alexander - named by James Mackay in honour of his cousin
Alexander Mackay.
Spenser Mts. - named after English poet
Glenroy - Donald McGregor gave this name after a small stream in
Scotland
Rappahannock and Shenandoah - named by George Moonlight, former a
river
in Virginia and the latter a famous old Red Indian Chief
Harley's Rock - Mr J.A.Harley was an early run-holder
--married a
dau of John Kerr.
Beverley Evans
Christchurch NZ
2 June 2010
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