Henry James Abbott

GEDCOM Note

≤p>Mr Henry Abbott's Statement to Father Summers, 7 July 1950:≤/p>≤p>≤p>"I was born in Pahautanui on January 26th, 1869. My father was Henry Abbott and my mother was Mary Power of Roscommon, Ireland. I was baptised at my parent's house and at first we had a Catholic governess. Later, we had a school built. Miss Chatwin, our first teacher, also taught music after school.≤/p>≤p>≤p>The land for the church was paid for by my father, Henry Abbott, Charles Stuart, Roderick Mulhern and Patrick Murphy. Each contributed £5. The timber for the church (mostly rimu and matai) was milled by Tom Woodman and Jones about one mile south of the Abbott's house on the left hand side of the road. This mill sent timber to Wellington by road, taking two days for the transportation thereof. There was another mill - Carter's, just below Woodman's on the western side of the road - both mills were water driven.≤/p>≤p>≤p>The shingles for the original roof were made of white pine split in the valley by Mr Taylor - there was much white pine in the Valley, a little totara and a fair bit of matai. The church was opened in April 1878 and the people paid for their own seats in the church.≤/p>≤p>≤p>The priest used to teach Catechism as there were no lay teachers.≤/p>≤p>≤p>We always thought that the church's name was St. Joseph's - not St. Michael's as Father Summers tells us it is called on Father Yardin's FireInsurance Policy.≤/p>≤p>≤p>Before we had a church, Father Petitjean used to say Mass at our house and also at the residence of Mr R. Mulhern - down Mulhern Road, south of Abbott's; not many people came to these Masses. I am quite definite that Father Petitjean was the first to say Mass in this Valley. As far as I know he was stationed at Thorndon, Wellington, and said Mass here for Father Yardin.There was a church at Ohariu attended to by Fathers Petitjean and Yardin in turn. There was no other church between here and Wellington.≤/p>≤p>≤p>Archbishop Redwood came out to bless and open the church. Streamers and an archway were erected over the gate. The Alter boys for the opening of the church were John Mulhern and myself. The priest always stayed at my father's house.≤/p>≤p>≤p>After Dean Lane came to the Hutt, the Catholic population of Pahautanui increased and the Dean used to say Mass once a month.≤/p>≤p>≤p>During the Dean's time Mass was said at Tawa Flat at Ryan's house, occasionally on a Sunday.≤/p>≤p>≤p>Alice Abbott who married Mr Bourke was the first to be married in the church, while the first baby to be Christened was Benjamin Draper - now deceased - son of Edward and Mary Draper.≤/p>≤p>≤p>As a young man I worked at Carter's Mill before taking up farming.≤/p>≤p>≤p>Father Donnelly extended the church by adding a Confessional, the porch and lining the whole building. Healso took out the stained glass windows (saved from the fire at St. Mary's Cathedral). In their place he put in plain windows covered with paper prints of saints.≤/p>≤p>≤p>My mother, Mrs Mary Abbott and my Aunt, Mrs Elizabeth Mulhern, gave the bell as a gift in 1896. (My aunt's name was formerly Power.) During this time a choir sometimes came from the Hutt to sing an occasional Missa Cantata. I think Mr Donnelly was the choir master. Father Tom Walsh who often came over, used to demand that everyone would sing." [Source: The Centenary of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Pauatahanui, 1878-1978, edited by Kathleen E. Gibson, p. 18]≤/p>≤p>≤p>≤/p>≤/p>≤p>≤p>Henry James Abbott died on 26 September 1951, at Pahautanui, Wellington, New Zealand, aged 82 years. The cause of death was noted as (1) Cerebral haemorrhage, (2) Hypertension, and (3) Carcinoma of thyroid. Certified by J.G. Bryson, who last examined Abbott on the day of his death. J.N. Taylor, Undertaker, Wellington, was the informant. Henry Abbott left five children: two males, aged 36 and 44; three females, aged 38, 41 and 42. [Source: NZ BDM: Death - Abbott Henry James 32158/1951]≤/p>≤p>≤p>≤/p>≤/p>≤p>≤p>"Abbott Henry James husband of Mary (d 26 Sep 1951, aged 82 yrs) at his residence, Pahautanui; father of John (Pahautanui), Maureen "Mrs Bonisch", Kathleen "Mrs Gibson", Veronica "Mrs Coleman" and Fr. Patrick Abbott, S.M.; buried Pahautanui cemetery." [Source: Rombouts, Michael J., 2000, Death Notices in the New Zealand Tablet (Volume I, A to K) May 1873 to April 1996 (with obituary notices for Otago and Southland), Dunedin,p. 1]≤/p>≤p>≤p>≤/p>≤/p>≤p>≤p>Henry James Abbott's probate [Ref. AAOM 6031 P1384/1951] was filed in Wellington on 29 October 1951. The executors were his wife Mary Elizabeth Abbott and son John ('Jack') Anthony Henry Abbott, farmer, of Pahautanui. The estate was valued at £3675:0s:0d. The following children were also mentioned: Mary Margaret ('Maureen') Bonisch, Kathleen Elizabeth Abbott and Veronica Eleanor Abbott.≤/p>≤p>≤p>≤/p>≤/p>≤p>≤p>≤/p>≤/p>≤p>≤p>!BIRTH:NZ BDM Index microfiche, NZ BDM: Birth - Abbott Henry 409/1869, NZ BDM: Birth - Abbott Henry 409/1869≤/p>≤p>≤p>≤/p>≤/p>≤p>≤p>!DEATH CAUSE:NZ BDM Index microfiche, NZ BDM: Death - Abbott Henry James 32158/1951, NZ BDM: Death - Abbott Henry James 32158/1951≤/p>≤p>≤p>≤/p>≤/p>≤p>≤p>!DEATH:Book, New Zealand Tablet, Death Notices in the New Zealand Tablet (Volume I, A to K) May 1873 to April 1996 (with obituary notices for Otago and Southland), Rombouts, Michael J., Dunedin, 2000,≤/p>≤p>≤p>, Page 1.≤/p>≤/p>≤p>≤p>≤/p>≤/p>≤p>≤p>!DEATH:NZBDM Index microfiche, NZ BDM: Death - Abbott Henry James 32158/1951, NZ BDM: Death - Abbott Henry James 32158/1951≤/p>≤p>≤p>≤/p>≤/p>≤p>!BURIAL:NZ BDM Index microfiche, NZ BDM: Death - Abbott Henry James 32158/1951, NZ BDM: Death - Abbott Henry James 32158/1951

GEDCOM Note

(Research):Probate examined at Archives New Zealand on 14 March 2006. [Ref. AAOM 6031 P1384/1951]

GEDCOM Note

(Medical):The cause of death was noted as (1) Cerebral haemorrhage, (2) Hypertension, and (3) Carcinoma of thyroid. [Source: NZ BDM: Death - Abbott Henry James 32158/1951]