Thomas Power

https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/WT/wt_DOC_806544/Wai...

https://www.waikato.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/384900/06-Ann...

Rahapa and Thomas lived at the head of a gully called Rua Tawhiwhi.

http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Tur01Nort-t1-g1-g3-t4-...

https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/WT/wt_DOC_806544/Wai...

https://www.waikato.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/384900/06-Ann...

Rahapa and Thomas lived at the head of a gully called Rua Tawhiwhi.

http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Tur01Nort-t1-g1-g3-t4-...

The Powers of Aohanga - By Rose Griggs 1986

The Powers of Aohanga are descended from Thomas Power, of Country Waterford in Ireland. He landed in New Zealand in 1838 at Kororareka in the Bay of Islands. He was probably there at the time of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, and is next recorded as being in the Auckland area from 1844 to 1847. During this time he bought and sold several blocks of land.

Then in 1848 he was engaged by Sir George Grey to give in instructions for agriculture to the natives of Te Awamutu. The Rev. John Morgan had introduced English fruit trees, gain and vegetables to the area, and was keen to encourage the local people to become involved with farming. Grey provided two horses, a plough and a dray and the Rev. Morgan a second plough.

Under Thomas Power's guidance a flour mill was erected on Rua-o-tawhiwhi stream and a thriving farming industry established. In 1851 one hundred tons of flour from the district was sold in Auckland. With the proceeds horses , cattle and machinery were purchased, and each year a greater area developed.

Thomas Power married a local woman, Rahapa Te Hauata, of the Ngati Apakura tribe. He built a house at Rangiaowhia, a large Maori village three miles from Te Awamutu. Here they lived amidst a happy flourishing community, and raised their family of one boy and four girls, Margaret, Catherine, James, Ellen and Mary.

But the clouds of war were gathering, and this peaceful time was to be short lived. The tribes of Waikato and Maniapoto were becoming increasingly resentful of the Pakeha's insatiable quest for land, and talked openly of armed resistance.

Governor Browne responded by sending a strong armed force into the region to suppress any uprising. On 21st Feb 1864 General Cameron's troops overran the defenceless village of Rangiaowhia, and later beseiged Rewi Maniapoto and Orakau. Rewi had no counter for the General's cannon and was forced to retreat into the King Country. The Governor then promptly confiscated the Waikato lands of those tribes who had shown resistance, including that of the Ngati Apakura north of the Puniu. The tribes of the King Movement were effectively fenced off south of the confiscation line.

Thomas and his family went to live at Kihikihi nearby. He stayed there until shortly before his death, which occurred in Hamilton on 27th April 1897. He and Rahapa are buried in the Roman Catholic churchyard at Rangiaowhia on the hill called Karanga-Paihau. Their graves are not marked