[WED]Wedmore WARDS in New Zealand

[Debra Emmett]

Hi Tim and others,

Isaac and Eve WARD settled in the Auckland region of New Zealand in 1842 and 
were some of the first settlers in the area. Isaac helped a Mr Blackburn 
survey the Turanga Creek district (around Whitford) in 1843 and he bought 
103 acres which he considered to be the best in the district. They built a 
sod cottage close to Cabbage Tree Island on a site now marked by a Norfolk 
Island Pine. The Wards are one of the founding families in the Whitford 
area.

According to a book on the History of the Howick area, they were "members of 
the British Israelite Faith, and Isaac did not cut his hair but tied it up 
with a stick." I haven't yet found any other information about this but was 
this religion common in Wedmore at the time? I'd really love to know any 
more information about it if anyone has any. This short sentence in a 
history book is all that I have heard of the issue.

It also seems interesting to me that Tim states that Wedmore had a Rev 
Kempthorn as its Vicar. Perhaps Isaac was supposed to be establishing the 
religion down here, but he obviously didn't work hard enough at it as a 
letter from Isaac's mother in 1848 says

"..your brother Charles saw Mr Kempthorne the last day in the old year. We 
asked him if he would take Charles and his wife over but he would not except 
they could pay their own fare, then we asked him for some money to buy what 
you sent for but he refused to do it because you had offended him by not 
doing as he wished you to do so I hope you will endeavour to please him for 
future, he say he like you as for your work very well."

As I've just joined this mailing list, could anyone point me to a brief 
summary of the Wedmore settlement in Iowa mentioned by Tim? Was this some 
sort of religious based community?

It certainly looks like historical Wedmore will be an interesting place in 
which to start searching for my family. I look forward to hearing more from 
the others on this list.

Best wishes,

Debra in NZ

>From: "Tim Curtin" <tcurtin@austarmetro.com.au>
>To: <wedmore@lists.tutton.org>
>Subject: Re: [WED]WARD family - Wedmore
>Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 16:01:22 +1100
>Reply-To: wedmore@lists.tutton.org
>
>Hi Debra,
>
>Where in NZ did Isaac and and Charles work on first arrival - maybe there
>was something similar to the Wedmore settlement in Dyersville in Iowa USA,
>especially as Sampson Kempthorn could well have been related to Rev
>Kempthorn Vicar of Wedmore!
>
>Tim (married to a Kiwi)

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