William James Harpur (1819 - 1879)

Born 3 Dec 1819 in Windsor, New South Wales, Australia

Husband of Mere Titope Kaikanui Pakinui — married 30 Dec 1845 in Moeraki, Waitaki, Otago, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 1879 at about age 59 in Waimate, Canterbury, New Zealand

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Biography

William James Harpur was son of Joseph Harpur and Sarah Chidley. He was born on 3 December 1819, 7 years after Charles Harpur the poet ^[1]. On 7 October 1843 he boarded the schooner Challenger, bound for New Zealand, having been given license to depart^[2]. His family in NSW heard nothing of him thereafter. His brother Charles remarked in a note to The Night Bird:

Of our youngest living brother, William,—if he be living,—who went to sea, a boy, we have heard little for years

William settled in Waimate on the South Island, and married Mere Titope Kaikanui Pakinui, a Maori woman, on 3 December 1845^[3]. She already had two children by two other men: Joseph by a Mr Martin and Thomas by Mr Brown^[4] William and Mary had 9 children:

1. Edwin, born c.1840.
2. Sarah, Jun 11 1845 - Jun 4 1875. Married names McIntosh, Loper.
3. Mary / Meri, Dec 26 1846 - Feb 19 1920. Married names Wixon^[5], Vincent.
4. Charles, Feb 19 1850 - Mar 1 1924^[6].
5. William Henry, Feb 19 1852 - Jul 9 1948^[7].
6. Henry, Feb 19 1854 - Nov 3 1916^[8].
7. John, Dec 18 1855 - Mar 25 1939^[9].
8. Elizabeth Ruby, Mar 10 1856 - Jul 22 1888. Married names McDonald, Harding.
9. Jane, Jun 28 1862 - Nov 19 1926. Married names Gibbs, McIntosh^[10].

William died in 1879^[11]. After his death his son William applied for probate of his will. The application was granted. The judge seemed rather amused at the wording of part of the declaration in his case, which ran: "I William Harpur, do hereby declare that I knew my father William Harpur," etc. The judge humourously remarked: "He is a wise child who knows his own father."^[12].

Sources

1. ↑ NSW Birth Registry 5157/1819
2. ↑ Sydney Morning Herald 9 October 1843, p.3f
3. ↑ Australian Royalty
4. ↑ My Heritage Meri (Mary) Titope Kaikanui Harpur (born Pakinui), 1824-1872
5. ↑ https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz Marriage: 1863/5275 Mary Harpur to John Wixon
6. ↑ https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz Death 1924/1719 Harpur, Charles. Age: 74Y
7. ↑ https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz Death 1948/32795 Harpur, William. Age: 96Y
8. ↑ https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz Death 1916/8099 Harpur, Henry. Age: 62Y
9. ↑ https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz Death 1939/28244 Harpur, John. Age: 84Y
10. ↑ https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz Marriage: 1911/537 Jane Gibbs to John McIntosh
11. ↑ New Zealand Death Registry 1879/5444.
12. ↑ Timaru Herald 7 May 1879, p.2.