Lieut. Roger Hill

Roger Hill came to New Zealand with his parents on the ship Cashmere in May 1853. He enlisted on 12 January 1864 as an Ensign with the 1st Regiment of the Waikato Militia and was dispatched to Tauranga, where he took part in the Battle of Gate Pā | Pukehinahina on 29 April 1864. Roger rose to the rank of Lieutenant. He was employed in a variety government / local body positions.

He married Helena Agincourt Speedy on 12 February 1867, daughter of James Speedy, Major and resident magistrate and Sarah Squire. They settled at Greerton in Tauranga. Eventually Roger and his family moved to Ōpōtiki with their children. He became the first teacher at the Native Maori school at Omaio East Coast in Ōpōtiki, and was also proprietor of the Omaio Hotel.

His second wife was Whareherehere, younger daughter of Peti te Ha and Hamata Anaru Mataki of Te Whanau-a-Apanui tribe of the East coast of Opotiki. They resided at Omaio and Ohiwa Ōpōtiki. He had six children to his first wife and ten children from his second family. Roger died on 30 September 1911 and was buried at Ōpōtiki Cemetery along with his three youngest children.

DOB Aug 25 1842 (MyHeritage)