1820 British Settler

Maria/Mary wife of William Henry Hudson who died while boarding the ship, together with her son Richard by Henry, and stepson James, were members of Hayhurst's Party of 107 people on the Settler ship John.

The Party, generally originated from Lancashire, England.

Departed Liverpool, 13 January 1820. Arrival Table Bay, Cape Town - 19 April 1820. Final Port - Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth, May 1820.

Area allocated to the Party was near Trappe's Valley and was known as "Harewood".

Children :

• James Hudson 7
  
• Richard Hudson infant
  

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There seems to be confusion about the name of George Alexander Whitehead's wife. On his son Harry's death notice it gives his mothers name as Maria Elizabetha Margaretha Oertel. However, a 1820 Settler site gives the name of George Alexander Whitehead (1795-1846) wife as Mary Elizabeth Whitaker (c1788 -17 Apr 1853).

Maria E.M. Oertel was first married to Henry Hudson (c1781 -1820) and then married George Alexander Whitehead on 28 February 1822. Her last child Mary Ann, was born in 1837 (Births Cory Library and family bible). Therefore she would have been 49 at that birth if born 1788. Other children at age 46, 44, 42. She was not born that year but in 1796/7 (Memorial Stone Cradock) died aged 56.

On a number of sites there is Maria Elizabeth Whitehead (Hudson) (Oertel) is listed as Mary Elizabeth Whitaker. There is no evidence of a Henry Hudson/Whitaker relationship. The name Whitaker came from work done by Professor Cory, one of the founders of Rhodes University in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape South Africa. It is however incorrect. A Mary E Whitaker may have been the mother of stepson James.

Maria E.M.Oertel's validation comes from: 1)The descendants of the above Mary Ann, and their family birthday Book and Bible. 2) The D.N. of her son mentioned above. 3) DNA correlation with an Oertel family.

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Lower Albany Chronicles
28/2/1822 : George Whitehead of Harewood had been married. Many take this as a reference to Harewood in Yorkshire, It is probable that this reference is to separate the two George Whitehead's in the Grahamstown Journal. The other George was from Kent.

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https://www.eggsa.org/newspapers/index.php/grahamstown-journal/213-...

Grahamstown Journal 1853 - 2 - April to June Written by Sue Mackay. Posted in The Grahamstown Journal

Saturday 30 April 1853

DIED at Cradock on the afternoon of Sunday the 17th inst, Mrs. Mary WHITEHEAD, aged 65 years, relict of the late Mr. George WHITEHEAD, leaving a numerous family to mourn the loss of a most affectionate and indulgent parent. Deceased was a Settler of 1820, having arrived in this Colony as one of HURST’s Party. Requiescat in Pace.

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Gravestone : https://www.graves-at-eggsa.org/main.php?g2_itemId=4531002