Person:Samuel Harris (19)

Arrived in New Zealand on board "Slaines Castle" as a member of the survey party that was to set out the new town of New Plymouth. The survey party was to work under the direction of Carrington, Chief Surveyor for the Plymouth Company. Carrington had sailed for New Zealand on 13 Aug 1840 to explore the coast in the vicinity of Cook Strait to select a favourable site for the settlement of New Plymouth. He arrived in Wellington on 12 Dec 1840 and left again on 7 Jan in the "Brougham" to look at possible sites in Taranaki, D'Urville Island, Queen Charlotte Sound, and Tasman Bay. The decision was taken to locate the settlement at the current New Plymouth site. The surveyors left Deal on 18 Sept 1840 and arrived in Port Nicholson, Wellington on 29 Jan 1841. Samuel Gregory Harris aged 24 is on the passenger list. The assistant surveyors and staff sailed to Taranaki in the "Brougham" on 8 Feb 1841 with 60 persons and a full cargo of houses, arriving off the Sugar Loaves on 12 Feb Settler, Wanganui. Born in 1816 near Plymouth, England, where he was educated, after engaging in farm work for a few years. Mr Harris came to New Zealand, landing in 1841, under engagement with the New Plymouth company. For two years he served as chainman on the survey staff in Taranaki, and was afterward sawing wood in the bush till 1858, when he settled in Wanganui, securing a dairy farm. When the Maori war broke out he saw service with the Militia, taking part in Stewart's Redoubt and other engagements. His town section in Wanganui was used for an artillery fort, which ultimately gave place to his present residence. After the Maori troubles were settled, Mr Harris conducted a boarding house for many years in Wanganui, (1866 - 1877) till failing health compelled him to retire. Mr Harris, who was married on the 26th July, 1841, has twelve children, and a large number of grandchildren and great grandchildren. He has held various offices in the Wesleyan Church and different Sunday Schools. He is a life long total abstainer and non-smoker, to which he attributes his wonderful constitution The Cyclopedia of New Zealand 1897, Vol 1, p1444 Occupation in Wanganui = Bootmaker Information from Alison Lyons About Harris, Samuel Gregory, b.1816 Death: aged 86 years. IGI Individual Record has born abt 1816 Devon, England, died 15 AUG 1902 Wanganui,Manuwatu, Wellington, New Zealand, buried Wanganui, Manuwatu, Wellington, NZ. Parents are listed as Samuel George HARRIS and Ann GREGORY. [Source: http://www.familysearch.org/] Ray Harris specifies that parents names are incorrect. It is believed that two HARRIS brothers married two GREGORY sisters. Occupation: bootmaker, boarding house keeper (Wilson Street). Arrived in New Zealand 31 March 1841 and settled in New Plymouth. After marriage in 1858 settled in Wanganui. Arrived NZ Feb 1841 on the ???Slains Castle???. Source: Ray Harris. Sailed from New Plymouth to Wanganui 3 April 1858 0n the schooner ???Jane Peata???. (S Harris, wife and seven children) Records are unclear whether they had 7 or 12 children. Only 5 children`s names are on file. Source: Wanganui Public Library letter dated 2 Feb 1971. BIOGRAPHY: Settler, Wanganui, born 1816 near Plymouth, England where he was educated, after engaging in farm work for a few years. Mr Harris came to New Zealand landing in 1841, under engagement with the New Plymouth Company. For two years he served as a chainman on the survey staff in Taranaki, and was afterwards sawing wood in the bush till 1858, when he settled in Wanganui securing a dairy farm. When the Maori war broke out he saw service with the Militia, taking part in Stewart`s Redoubt and other engagements. Its town section in Wanganui was used for an artillery fort, which ultimately gave place to his present residence. After the Maori troubles were settled, Mr Harris conducted a boarding house for many years in Wanganui, til failing health compelled him to retire. Mr Harris, who was married on the 26th July 1841, has twelve children, and a large number of grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. He has held various offices in the Weslyan Church and different Sunday Schools. He is a life-long total abstainer and non-smoker, to which he attributes his wonderful constitution. SOURCE: Mary Hughes a 3xgreatgranddaughter 28/12/2006. OBITUARY: From newspapers, 15th August 1902. By the Wanganui papers we see that this old colonist passed away in the 15th August at the good old age of 81 years. The late Mr Harris arrived in the colony - Wellington - by the ship `Slaines Castle` in December 1840. He came out with the late Mr Octavius Carrington as one of the survey chainmen for the Plymouth Company, and in company with Messrs. F.A. and O. Carrington, Rogan, and Duppa, surveyors to the Plymouth Company, landed at Moturoa, Taranaki, from the ship `Brougham` on the 11th February 1841. As Mr Harris was the last survivor of this band of pioneers we give the names of the others of the party, all of whom have proved the `metal of their pasture` in the noble work of colonising and civilising this fair country:- Harcourt Aubrey, Paines, George Duppa, James Dingle, William Lakeman and Mrs Lakeman-Levitt, Charles Nairn, William Pote and Mrs Pote, and Sam Teague. Mrs F.A. Carrington was also a member of this band of `Pilgrim Fathers`, the forerunners of the many thousands who now occupy this district. The country was at this time a veritable wilderness, and in the graphic language of one of the chainmen ...`The surveyor turned his party loose into the fern like wild pigs`. Here after a minute examination of about seven or eight hundred miles of coast, Mr Carrington fixed the site for the future town, to be called New Plymouth after the old town of that name, the headquarters of the Plymouth Company. The late Mr Harris married soon after his arrival, a daughter of the late William Edgecombe and sister of Mr Chas Edgecumbe of this town, and some years since they celebrated their golden wedding. For many years Mr Harris has been settled in Wanganui where he was a highly respected citizen, and a prominent member of the Wesleyan and other bodies. There will be on view for a few days at Messrs. Bellrigner`s shop, Devon Street, a fine old coloured picture a copy of view of `parts of the new Plymouth settlement in the district Taranaki from a drawing taken on board the ship `Brougham` by George Duppa, Esq.` This view shows the country around New Plymouth as it was in 1841. [Source: From the records of the `Taranaki Museum`.] NOTE: `I purchased the booklet of Baptisms from the Devon F H S. and lo and behold there was our Samuel.` Source; Jan McBeth. IGI Individual Record FamilySearch??? International Genealogical Index v5.0 Southwest Pacific Search Results | Download | Pedigree Samuel Gregory Harris Male Event(s): Birth: About 1816 , Devon, England Christening: Death: 15 AUG 1902 Wanganui,Manuwatu, , Wellington, New Zealand Burial: Wanganui,Manuwatu, , Wellington, New Zealand Parents: Father: Samuel George Harris Family Mother: Ann Gregory