Joseph William Hodgson

Excerpt from a signed statement by a Ruby I. Shultz of Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand written on 12/08/1974 Joseph Hodgson was the third son of the Hodgson family of Lancashire, England. His family owned barques and they traded out of Sydney, Australia, bringing stores to the penal colony. Joseph Hodgson had just finished his apprenticeship as a veterinary surgeon in Lancashire. His two brothers were Captains of Barques. He begged his father to let him make a trip to Sydney before he started out on his career. This was granted. While in Sydney the immigrant ship the 'Duke of Marlborough' called in and as Joseph knew the captain it was decided he make the trip to New Zealand and be back in Sydney with in the 6 weeks. He had an invitation to visit the minister's family, the Rev. Williams, at Russell. This he did and met there Mary Prouse, who landed in New Zealand in Wellington in 1840. Mary was working as a companion-help to the minister's family at Waimate North, Bay of Islands. She was cutting ham for lunch when they met. Joseph was employed by Rev Williams as his farm manager and vet. A romance started between Joseph and Mary and later that year they got married on the 5th November 1840 by the minister Taylor in Waimate North. They came to Auckland and started the first butcher's shop at the bottom of Queen Street. Her people were Quakers, farmers from Devon. Joseph served in the Maori war. The family then acquired Rocky Bay, Waiheke Island, now called Omiha. Joseph's father was furious when he found out his son had been married in New Zealand and cut him off without a shilling. Joseph farmed beef cattle, sheep and pigs, and planted fruit trees and purchased 125 acres on Waiheke in 1868. Joseph Hodgson rescued a young boy from the shores of Motatapu Island in the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland. He and another boy jumped ship but the other boy drowned. The 13 year old Portuguese boy, Inez Parres (who later changed his surname to Innes Parris) had limited English and told how he was a ships deserter and the terrible life he had at sea. Hodgson took him to his farm at Rocky Bay, Waiheke Island. Joseph and Mary raised him up as one of the family. Innes worked on the farm and sat in on lessons with the Hodgson children taught by Mary. The police searched the Gulf islands for the boy and when the police boat came into Rocky Bay searching for the boy, Innes was carefully hidden in a hollow log. Joseph’s eldest daughter Jane took him food until the police had abandoned their search. Jane later married Innes (17 July 1861) and after farming for a short time in the Rocky Bay area they purchased Cowes Bay on the Southern end of the Island and moved over there. Joseph Hodgson died on the 23rd June 1895 through complications and shock from being run over by a horse and dray. The death certificate shows his father to be William Hodgson. Mary Prouse Mary arrived in NZ on 8th Feb 1840 on the ship "Duke of Roxborough" She came with her parents and 5 siblings. Her people were Quakers, farmers from Devon. She became a companion-help to the minister Rev. Williams' family in Waimate North, Bay of Islands. She was cutting ham for lunch when she met Joseph Hodgson, who became the Rev Williams farm manager and vet. The result, a romance started and they were married in Waimate North by the minister Taylor on 5th November 1840. They came to Auckland and started the the first butcher's shop at the bottom of Queen Street..The family then acquired Rocky Bay, Waiheke Island, now called Omiha. Joseph's father was furious when he found out his son had been married in New Zealand and cut him off without a shilling. Joseph farmed beef cattle, sheep and pigs, and planted fruit trees and purchased 125 acres on Waiheke in 1868. Lasting legacy of an act of kindness: New Zealand Herald 24 Feb 1885 A correspondent writing from Cowes, Waiheke Island, says:- “It is with much sorrow that I have to record the death of one of our oldest and most respected settlers, Mrs Parris, who died very suddenly on the night of the 19th inst. She was a most kind-hearted and amiable woman, who always had a kind word for everyone; if she could not say a good word about one, she would not say a bad one. Judging by the number of friends of deceased – and settlers – who attended both before and at the funeral, she must have been greatly respected, and Mr Parris thanks them heartily for their great kindness. The greatest sympathy is felt for Mr Parris and his large family of little ones in their great affliction. Out of respect to Mr Parris, who is one of our school committee, and has a number of children attending the school, the committee requested the teacher to close the school. The deceased was the eldest daughter of one of our oldest settlers, Mr Joseph Hodson [sic], and sister to Messrs J. and E. Hodson, of Auckland. The funeral took place on Saturday, at her residence, our lay reader (Mr Ashwin) reading the burial service, at which almost all the settlers attended, including the deceased’s relations from Auckland. Auckland Star 27 Jun 1895 Mr Joseph Hodgson, who died at the Hospital on Sunday last, through injuries received in the recent accident at the corner of Queen and Durham streets, was one of our oldest colonists. He arrived at the Bay of Islands in the year 1839. He was married in the following year, the late Archdeacon Williams conducting the ceremony. Mr Hodgson resided at Russell until 1845, when all the settlers had to take refuge on board of H.M. ship Hazard from the attacks of the Maoris of Hiki’s tribe. They were brought to Auckland by this warship, and landed here on March 22nd, 1845. In 1848, Mr Hodgson, with his family, settled on the island of Waiheke, and lived there until the time of his death. His wife died in July, 1893, after having enjoyed fifty-three years of a happy wedded life. Mr Hodgson outlived four sons and one daughter, and leaves behind him three sons, two daughters, fifty-two grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren to mourn his death. Mr Joseph Hodgson, of the well-known cutter ‘Henry’, is a son of the deceased.

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