William Alexander (abt.1836-1904) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

William Alexander

Born about 1836 in England, United Kingdom

Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]

[sibling(s) unknown]

Husband of Elizabeth (Oats) Alexander — married 2 Nov 1862 in Registrar's Office, Kaiapoi, Canterbury, New Zealand

Descendants

Father of William Francis Oates Alexander Jr, Thomas Oates Alexander, Mary Ann (Alexander) Burnip, Elizabeth Jane Alexander, John James Alexander, Edwin Edward Alexander, Elizabeth Ann Alexander, Henry Joseph Alexander, Elizabeth Jane (Alexander) Simmonds and Rosina (Alexander) Land

Died 26 Oct 1904 at about age 68 in Kaiapoi, Canterbury, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Linda Prole

[send private message]

Profile last modified 3 Jul 2022 | Created 30 Nov 2015

This page has been accessed 824 times.

William Alexander migrated from England to New Zealand.

1 Biography
- 1.1 Obituary
2 Burial
3 Sources

Biography

William was born in England around 1836.

According to his Obituary, he emigrated from England to New Zealand on the sailing ship Robert Small sailing from London on June 30th, 1858 and arriving into Wellington on October 13th, 1858.^[1] (Although his name is not on the passenger list - he may have been part of the crew.)

William then made his way to Canterbury where he was initially employed on the Lyttelton Tunnel works. He later established a cordial manufacturing business in High Street (now Williams Street), Kaiapoi in Canterbury in the South Island circa 1861. The business remained in the Alexander family for many years.

William married Elizabeth Oats in 1862. They went to have at least nine children, with some dying young.

In the late 1890's he was recorded as a Boarding House Keeper.

He passed away in 1904 at the age of the age of 68. Alexander Lane in Kaiapoi is named after William.

Probate Date: 1904

Event Place: Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

Residence Place: Kaiapoi^[2]

Obituary

The Press, 27 October 1904:

"Yesterday Mr William Alexander, known in North Canterbury and on the West Coast, died at Kaiapoi at the age of 68. He was a native of England, and served eight-years in the Royal Navy, and was with the fleet at the Crimean War. He arrived in Lyttelton by the Robert Small in 1858, and was for some time employed on the Lyttelton Tunnel works, and also at the Kaiapoi ferry punt, which plied across the Waimakariri at the site of the present traffic bridge up to the year and in the succeeding year, and there was a rush of miners to Westland by the Teremakau Saddle route, in 1865 Mr Alexander started a store at the Waitohi (Waitua Gorge), on the way to the head of the Hurunui.

The miners, after passing Mr J, D. Lance's Horsley Downs Station, got their last supplies at before crossing the Saddle and reaching the Greenstone Creek, which was a good week's tramp. When this route became practically closed by the opening of the Otira road by Arthur’s Pass, Mr Alexander moved to Jackson's, and was storekeeping there for some time and also had a ferry at Jackson's. Some years later he returned to Kaiapoi, and did some storekeeping and farming, till recently. He leaves a widow and four sons and three daughters."

Burial

Kaiapoi Anglican Cemetery, Kaiapoi, Waimakariri District, Canterbury, New Zealand. PLOT: 580^[3]

Sources

↑ http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~ourstuff/genealogy/RobertSmall1858.htm
↑ "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843-1998," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9V-GFRT : 15 July 2017), William Alexander, 1904; citing Christchurch, Christchurch Probate Files, 1855-2003, record number CH5127/1904, Archives New Zealand, Auckland Regional Office; FamilySearch digital folder 100801483.
↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/187335664/william-alexander), memorial page for William Alexander (unknown–26 Oct 1904), Find a Grave Memorial no. 187335664, citing Kaiapoi Anglican Cemetery, Kaiapoi, Waimakariri District, Canterbury, New Zealand ; Maintained by Kelly VW (contributor 48961972)