Thomas Hansen, ll

The original Hansen family of four had previously lived in the East End of London until July 1807 when they arrived at Port Jackson NSW in the convict ship Duke of Portland. The parents were Captain Thomas and Mrs Hannah Hansen, along with a 22 year old son Thomas and 15 year old daughter Hannah. Thomas (II) married Elizabeth Tollis in 1815 and had 11 children.

Thomas Hansen Jnr Thomas,born 1785 was christened at Stepney in London. He arrived as crew on the boat 'Active' with his father in 1814. Young Thomas stayed with the mission in New Zealand when his parents departed on the 'Active' in February 1815. Later that year he traveled back to Sydney with his parents and sister where he met and married Elizabeth Atkinson Tollis, daughter of Corp Thomas Tollis and a convict, Betty Atkinson. In 1815, Elizabeth was 16 years old. The young couple returned to New Zealand in Feb 1816. Their first child, a daughter named Hannah King Hansen was born Jan 1817.

Thomas and Elizabeth's children were not schooled at the mission even though it was just next door, for the mission station taught the Maori and the children of the missionaries only. It is thought that some of the children received some schooling later at Paihia or Waimate North.

Butler employed Hansen who was living on 4acres next to the mission station. In 1825 only the Hanson and the King families were left at Oihi after the Kendalls and the Halls returned to Sydney. By the end of the 1820's the mission was focused at Paihia, Kerikeri and Waimate North.

Thomas later diversified to carpentering and bushwork. He helped build Kemp house in Kerikeri and milled timber for John Logan Campbell.

Thomas also worked on ships occasionally and kept up with who's who on the ships coming and going. He was always interested in finding husbands for his daughters amongst them and was known to ask for handouts like shoes for the children. Thomas and Elizabeth never left New Zealand after arriving back in 1816 and Thomas helped provide an early bridge between the ship's captains and local Maori as the missionaries drew a line at common people who might like the odd drink or two.

Thomas, unlike the missionaries he worked for, did not grow rich by buying more land than he could use, but unlike the missionaries whose families seemed beset by illness and misfortune, his family flourished and grew and grew.

Elizabeth Atkinson Hansen died on March 25th, 1867 aged 69yrs. Thomas died at Russell where he had been living with one his children on March 8th 1874 aged 89yrs but was buried at Oihi according to his wishes.

The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Saturday 25 April 1874

DEATH OF THE OLDEST EUROPEAN SETTLER in New Zealand.-The New Zealand Herald chronicles the death of Mr.Thomas Hansen, who was, said to be the oldest European settler in New Zealand. He came to Auckland first in the New South Wales Government brig "Governor Phillip", of which vessel he was chief officer, and his father captain. The Governor Phillip on that occasion brought here the first missionaries, Messrs, Hall and Kendall, who in 1814 formed a mission station near Tepuna. Mr. Hansen returned in the vessel to Sydney, where he married a daughter of sergeant Tollis, of the New South Wales Regiment, and, accompanied by his wife, came back here and settled finally in 1816 at Tepuna, at which place he constantly resided till a few weeks previous to his death. Since 1815 he has never been outside the Bay of Islands Heads. He leaves numerous descendants, numbering in all 118. His remains are to be taken to the old mission burial ground at Tepuna, where they will be placed by the side of his wife, whom he survived some years. Mr. Hansen's last wish to be laid beside his wife was carried out on the 11th instant, some members of his family having, at great personal risk, taken his remains across the bay in a whaleboat in the face of a heavy gale of wind.

IN MEMORY OF THOMAS HANSEN 1785-1874 WHO ARRIVED AT OIHI DECEMBER 1814 ON THE BRIG ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND'S FIRST EUROPEAN NON MISSIONARY SETTLER ALSO ELIZABETH HANSEN (NEE TOLLIS) 1799-1867 WHO ARRIVED AT OIHI FEBRUARY 1816 ON THE BRIG ACTIVE THIS MEMORIAL WAS ERECTED BY THEIR MANY DESCENDANTS AND UNVEILED BY HER EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR GENERAL DAME CATHERINE TIZARD G.C.M.G.,D.B.E., ON 23RD FEBRUARY 1991

Thomas Hansen Jnr Thomas,born 1785 was christened at Stepney in London. He arrived as crew on the boat 'Active' with his father in 1814. Young Thomas stayed with the mission in New Zealand when his parents departed on the 'Active' in February 1815. Later that year he traveled back to Sydney with his parents and sister where he met and married Elizabeth Atkinson Tollis, daughter of Corp Thomas Tollis and a convict, Betty Atkinson. In 1815, Elizabeth was 16 years old. The young couple returned to New Zealand in Feb 1816. Their first child, a daughter named Hannah King Hansen was born Jan 1817.

Thomas and Elizabeth's children were not schooled at the mission even thought it was just next door, for the mission station taught the Maori and the children of the missionaries only. It is thought that some of the children received some schooling later at Paihia or Waimate North.

Butler employed Hansen who was living on 4 acres next to the mission station. In 1825 only the Hanson and the King families were left at Oihi after the Kendalls and the Halls returned to Sydney. By the end of the 1820's the mission was focused at Paihia, Kerikeri and Waimate North.

Thomas later diversified to carpentering and bushwork. He helped build Kemp house in Kerikeri and milled timber for John Logan Campbell.

Thomas also worked on ships occasionally and kept up with who's who on the ships coming and going. He was always interested in finding husbands for his daughters amongst them and was known to ask for handouts like shoes for the children. Thomas and Elizabeth never left New Zealand after arriving back in 1816 and Thomas helped provide an early bridge between the ship's captains and local Maori as the missionaries drew a line at common people who might like the odd drink or two.

Thomas, unlike the missionaries he worked for, did not grow rich by buying more land than he could use, but unlike the missionaries whose families seemed beset by illness and misfortune, his family flourished and grew and grew.

Elizabeth Atkinson Hansen died on March 25th, 1867 aged 69yrs. Thomas died at Russell where he had been living with one his children on March 8th 1874 aged 89yrs but was buried at Oihi according to his wishes.

In The Wake of THE ACTIVE

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RESOURCE: (c)Hansen, Kathleen Ann., (1994)., "In the Wake of The Activ." Lawton Printing, Mt Roskill, Auckland
[ISBN 0-473-02885-9]

The above book contains information on the brig Active and family history for four of the first settler families who landed at Rangihoua Bay in the Bay of Islands, 1814. The Hansen descendants are well represented in the book which includes genealogical and background information on the family in Australia and New Zealand.

FORMAT:
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last      first

name,     name 

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Adams, Henry G Allan, Jim Allman, Capt Francis Anderson, Freda nee Subritzky Andrew, Grant Andrew, Verna nee Hansen Atkinson, Betty (Elizabeth) Baker, Amy nee Hansen Baker, Arthur Baker, Catherine E nee Johnson Baker, Charles F Baker, Eleanor (Ella) nee Irving Baker, Ernest W Baker, Kathleen A nee Long Baker, Lionel A Baker, Mary A nee Phipps Baker, Mary H nee Bullen Baker, Mrs Lavenia Baker, Philip James Baker, William Baker, William jnr Barnett, Ann Bartley, Bryson Bartley, Bryson nee Poole Battley, Bob Bean , George Thomas Bedggood, Elizabeth M nee King Bedggood, James Alfred Bell, Cynthia Bell, Murray Bigge, Commisioner Bird, Lucy nee Poole Bird, Tom Biscoe, Capt John 1831 TULA Bland, Dr Bligh, Governor AUS Bock, Mr Bohlsen, Enid Bowyer, Charlotte nee French Bowyer, Clara AO nee Stewart Bowyer, Edward A Bowyer, Emily nee Hainsworth Bowyer, Emma Louisa nee Irving Bowyer, Ernest P Bowyer, Harriet nee Hansen, sketch Bowyer, Henry Sydney Bowyer, Joe Bowyer, Laura F nee Reid Bowyer, Philip Bowyer, Roseanna nee Gibson Bowyer, Samuel Bowyer, Samuel Sydney Bowyer, Samuel Sydney jnr Bowyer, Thomas Hansen Bradburn, Corpl AUS 48th Regt Bramley, Frank Bramley, Grace nee Bowyer Bramley, Mary nee Bowyer Bramley, William A Brind, Capt William Darby 1820 whlr CUMBERLAND; ASP Brind, Isabella Brind, Moewaka Brisbane, Gov Thomas AUS Brookes, Richard Brown, Capt 1825 AMITY Brown, Father Tony Brown, girl Brown, Sergeant Bullen Roy Bullen, Ann E nee Baker Bullen, Arthur Bullen, George WH Bullen, Roy Bunker, Capt Eber Bunker, Capt Ebor Butler, Rev John Byrne, Michael Cadman, Capt & Mrs John 1823 MARS; Cadman, Elizabeth Drew nee Mortimer Caesar, Joyce Cains, Isabella nee Whittle Cains, Sarah nee Dumbell Cains, William Campbell, Capt GOVERNOR MCQUARRIE Campbell, Robert Carlisle, Elizabeth nee Blackman Carlisle, James Carlisle, John Carlisle, Mary Ann (Amelia) Carlisle, Mary Ann nee Gordon Carlisle, William Carroll, James Cates, Hazel nee Fuller wrote "When The Boats Ruled The Bay" Cheers, Elizabeth nee Hickey Cheers, John Cheers, Margaret nee Fogarty Cheers, Richard Clapham, Capt George 1835 TAMAR; JANE; Clapham, Hannah nee Hansen; photo Clapham, Thomas GP Clarke, Mr Collingwood, Admrl Lord Cook, Capt James 1869 ENDEAVOUR Corbett, Annie nee Bowyer Corbett, Ernest B Corbett, William Cornish, Eliza nee Poole Cornish, Thomas H Courtney, Phyllis Crook family Crowther, John Cruise, Richard wrote: "A ten Month Residence in New Zealand." (1824) Cruller, Rachel nee Bowyer Cruller, Rufus Cruse, Mjr Cullen, Patrick Curtis, James Darling, Gov AUS Davies, John Davis, Jane Holloway nee King Davis, Richard Dillon, Capt Peter Downes, Lorraine Dunham, Rgt Hon Earl Duprez, Gladys nee Herbert Edwards, Capt John Henry USA Edwards, Harriet E nee Flowerday Ehora Evans, Rex 1989 Evagean Publishing: Hansen Family Tree Fairburn, Richard Alex Fairhall, Patricia Fergusson, Edith nee Palmer Festing, Lt Colson Fisk, Capt Arnold Fisk, Mary Ann nee Bunker (Campbell) Fitzgerald, Isabella nee Hansen Fleming, Isabella J nee Poole Fleming, James Flowerday, Albert Flowerday, Charles Flowerday, Charles T 1838 HARRIET Flowerday, George H Flowerday, Jane A nee Stewart Flowerday, Jane Elizabeth nee Hansen Flowerday, Mary A nee Nolan Flowerday, Mrs Violet Flowerday, William E Forbes, Rt Hon G Ford, Dr Foster, Janet Francis, Alice nee Bowyer; Warwick Francis, Joseph Fransen, Charles Fransen, Ella nee Hansen Fuller, Alfred E Fuller, Maud A nee Baker Gage, Mr AMITY wreck Gilbert, Mr AMITY wreck Goffe family Goffe, Louis CLifford Goffe, Sarah nee Edmonds Gordan, Lt-Col Gordon family Gordon, Ann Gordon, Charles Molston Gordon, Maria nee Lees Gould, Rev Frank Graham, Captain CATHERINE 1817 Grant, Capt Greenway, Hamlyn Grose, Lt-Gov Francis AUS Hall, Dinah nee Carruthers Hall, Henry Hall, Isabella R nee Hansen Hall, John Hall, Thomas Hall, Walter Hall, William Hall, William Carruthers Hansen, Albina M nee Pierce Hansen, Bertha nee McIntosh Hansen, Capt Thomas ACTIVE; HM LADY NELSON; ISABELLA; AMITY; SALLY Hansen, Cordelia J nee Norton Hansen, Edward sketch Hansen, Edwin Charles (twin) Hansen, Elizabeth Hansen, Elizabeth Hansen, Elizabeth nee Huckstep Hansen, Elizabeth Atkinson nee Tollis Hansen, Ellen E nee Forbes Hansen, Eric Hansen, Errol Hansen, Frederick A Hansen, Frederick Stanley Hansen, George PENGUIN Hansen, Hazel nee Plaw Hansen, Henry Hansen, Henry James Hansen, Henry P Hansen, Herbert E Hansen, Ian Hansen, infant Hansen, Jack Hansen, James Tollis Hansen, Jane Frances nee Cheers Hansen, John Hansen, John Tollis sketch Hansen, Karen Hansen, Karl Topham 1940 Family Tree for Hansen family Hansen, Kath Hansen, Laura E nee Tutton Hansen, Laura SM nee Spanhake Hansen, Louisa nee Cook Hansen, Margaret nee Schabe Hansen, Maria Ann nee Lang Hansen, Marion M nee Irving Hansen, Martha (Reed, Wood, White, Subritzky?) Hansen, Mary Ann nee Cains Hansen, Mary E nee Morgan Hansen, Mary H nee Hare Hansen, May J nee Walker Hansen, Noel Hansen, Paul Hansen, Pearl nee Larsen Hansen, Philip Hansen, Phillip Hansen, Richard Charles Hansen, Roland J (twin) Hansen, Roy Hansen, Samuel John Hansen, Sue Hansen, Sydney H Hansen, Sylvia nee Plaw Hansen, Ted Hansen, Thomas jnr Hansen, Toby Hansen, Wally Hansen, Walter B Hansen, William Brind Hansen, William G Hansen, William T Hansen, William Thomas Hay, Madge nee Shepherd Hely, George Henry, Samuel Henry, William Herbert, Edith A nee Hansen Herrick, Col Hill, Benjamin W Hill, Esther nee Hansen; McCartney Hill, John Hineiturama Hinemoa Hogan, Elizabth Amy nee Poole Hogan, Godfrey John Holland, Sid Holland, William Howarth, Ellen (Ellen Howarth Mountain) Howarth, Isaac Hurr, Stan sketch of five Hansen children Jamieson, Capt 1826 ACTIVE; SNIPE Johnson, Rev Richard Jones, Ann Sophia Jones, Capt 1847 BRITISH SOVEREIGN lost Jones, Maryann nee Clapham Jones, Maryann Amelia Jones, William Kemara Kemp, Tom Kendall, Jane Kendall, Thomas King George III King, Arnold P King, Charlotte Dair nee Fisk King, Elizabeth Marsden King, Governor AUS King, Hannah King, Hannah King, James King, James King, John King, John King, John Wheeler King, Joseph King, Mary King, Mary King, Mary Eliza nee Baker King, Mary Eliza nee Baker, sketch King, Matthew J King, Phillip Hansen King, Samuel Leigh King, Sarah King, Sarah King, Susan Elizabeth nee Terry King, Thomas Holloway King, William King, William Spence King, William Spence Lang, Caroline nee Walpole Lang, Dr John Dunmore Lang, John William Lees, John Legarth, Mary Leigh, Mrs Leigh, Rev Samuel Leslie, Russell Lesslie, Capt Robert Letheridge, Hannah King nee Hansen, sketch Letheridge, Jeremiah Letheridge, Sarah (Hillier) Lockyer, Mjr Edmund AUS 59th Regt Lynch, David Lynch, Mary nee Hansen MacQuarrie, Governor AUS Maddox, Alfred J Maddox, Elizabeth nee Bowyer Maketu Marr, Capt AUS AMITY wrecked Marsden, John Marsden, Rev Samuel Martin, Ron wrote: "The First Family." Martin. Charles Harvard 1960s Family Tree for Hansen family McCartney, George McCracken, Margaret McCracken, Margaret McDonald, Effy (Ethel?) McHugo, Jonathon, Burke McLean, Amy E nee Hansen McLean, Capt Alex McLean, Emma nee Hansen McLean, John McLean, John McRae, Ensign Mexted, Murray Miller, Lt Henry AUS 40th Regt Milner, George Moran, Valmay Morgan, Elsie nee Bullen Moriarty, Capt AUS Mortimer, Charlotte Phoebe Mortimer, Elizabeth Ellen Morunga Mossman, bros Mountain family Mountain, Doris distant photo Mountain, Eva distant photo Mountain, Florence L Mountain, Hannah E nee Clapham, photo Mountain, Herbert Howeth Mountain, Thomas GP Mountain, Walter C Nelson, Myrtle Neumann, Otto Nicholson, Charles Nicholson, Ian wrote: "Log Of Logs" Nicholson, Mr Nicolas, John Liddiard Nobbs, Ken Owen, Capt William AUS AMITY Oxley, John Paskins, Jane F nee Hansen Paskins, Samuel Robert (Bob) Paterson, Lt-Gov AUS Patterson, GWS Pearn, JH Wrote: "In The Capacity of A Seaman." Penson, Capt 1824 brig AMITY; SPEEDWELL; MERMAID Peters, Mrs Clara Phillip, Governor AUS Philp, James Francis Pinn, Amelia Pinn, George (George P Mountain) Pinn, George jnr (George P Mountain jnr) Pinn, Mary Ann Pomapallier, Bishop Pomare Pool, Beth Poole, Benjamin WN Poole, Capt James G Poole, Daniel Poole, Diana (Dinah) nee Hansen Poole, Frances E nee Alexander Poole, George Thomas Poole, Lucy nee Farmer Poole, Margaret A nee Fanning Poole, Mary A nee Randall Poole, Thomas Pratt, Rev Josiah Puckey, Mr Puru Huahine chief (Tahiti) 1816 Rameka Redfern, Doctor Reed, Catharine nee Neuman Reed, Ellen M nee Walmsley Reed, George T Reed, Robert Reed, Robert Reed, William (William Hansen Reed) Rewa Ringa, Maria Roberton, Mrs Roderick, Maria nee Hansen; Keatley; Begg; Rodgers, Galbraith Rodgers, Hannah nee Hansen Rogers, Joseph Rogers, Mrs Rowley, Capt Ruatara Salisbury, Annie F nee Hansen Salisbury, James Schneider, Frederick H Schneider, Harriet nee Hansen Scott, Christopher CAN Sergeant, Henry Shand, Debra Sharland, Amy nee Bullen Shepherd, Elizabeth nee Hansen (Adams) Shepherd, Harriet Shepherd, Herbert Shepherd, James Shergold, John Shergold, Mrs Sarah nee McKenzie Sidins, Richard Sidmouth, Lord Simpson, Catherine S nee Flowerday; Carroll Simpson, Franklin Sinton, Gifford Spence, Capt JC Stallworthy, Dr Stallworthy, Hon J Stevens, Maria Stockwell, Richard Stockwell, Richard Subritzky, Alfred Subritzky, Alfred Subritzky, Ann Caroline nee Hansen Subritzky, Betsy Subritzky, Henry George Subritzky, Johannes Anton Subritzky, May I nee Hansen Tapsell, Phillip 1823 whlr ASP Te Haara, Gwen nee Hansen Te Haara, Waiohau (Ben) Te Kooti Te Pahi Tera Thompson, Capt Joseph ACTIVE Threlkeld, Mr Tizard, Dame Catherine Tollis family Tollis, Ann Tollis, Ann Tollis, Corpl Thomas Tollis, Eliza Tollis, Harriet Tollis, Mr & Mrs Bruce Tollis, Mrs Ann (Mrs Ann Waters) Tollis, Nathaniel Tollis, Samuel Tollis, Thomas jnr Turnbull, Capt Robert Usher, Thomas Waikato, Josiah Pratt Wakefield, Capt Wale, Melissa nee Craft Walker, Capt KING GEORGE Walker, Emily M nee Hansen Walker, Thomas G Wallace, Helen Warwick, Guy Webb, Ella M nee Hansen Webb, John Whalan, Charles Wharepoaka Whisker, Prvt Alexander 1845 58th Regt White, Mr Whitmore, Genrl Wiffler, Delia Wight, Noelene Wilberforce, William Wilkinson, T Willcocks, Ces Williams, Jock Williams, John Williams, Mrs Ida nee Moore Williams, Rev Henry Wilson, June Wilson, June Wilson, Rev Daniel Wood, Charles Wood, Charles Wood, Emily J nee Fox Wood, Gabriel T Woodd, Rev Basil Woolford, Frances Wools, Dinah nee Hall Wools, Emily Wools, Harriet Wools, William Worsfold, Louisa wrote: "A Social History of Russell" Wynyard, Col Yate, Rev William Yorke, Ada nee Bowyer Yorke, Albert

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Thomas Hansen, supposedly from Parramatta, according to the marriage certificate, had actually been part of the entourage that had accompanied Samuel Marsden when he established a missionary settlement in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand, December 1814. His father, also named Thomas Hansen, had captained the brig "Active" which took the missionaries to New Zealand, and his sister Hannah was married to John King, one of the three missionaries who manned this first mission base. Marsden had been rather anxious about having an unmarried male European remain in New Zealand, he should be married. Elizabeth Tollis, probably part of Samuel Marsden's parish, may have been recommended as a very suitable choice. She was not a convict, her father was part of the Governor's Body guard, she was living independently of her family and having been born in Sydney in the early days, she was used to poineering. Almost immediatly after the marriage, the Hansens returned to New Zealand. They settled next to the mission and riase a family of eleven children without a single loss. Their first child, Hannah, was the second white girl born in New Zealand, spent most of her life there and was buried at Russell in the Bay of Islands in 1907, in her ninetieth year. The family of Thomas Hansen and Elizabeth Tollis is regarded as the first European, non-missionary family to settle and remain in New Zealand. Their descendants celebrated their 175th Anniversary in NZ in 1990, when the rest of that country was celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Treaty of Waitangi. A memorial plaque has been erected on the land where they lived at Oihi, Bay of Islands it reads; IN MEMORY OF THOMAS HANSEN 1785-1874 WHO ARRIVED AT OIHI DECEMBER 1844 ON THE BRIG ACTIVE, NEW ZEALAND'S FIRST EUROPEAN NON MISSIONARY SETTLER ALSO ELIZABETH HANSEN (NEE TOLLIS) 1799-1867 WHO ARRIVED AT OIHI FEBRUARY 1816 ON THE BRIG ACTIVE THIS MEMORIAL WAS ERECTED BY THEIR MANY DESCENDANTS AND UNVEILED BY HER EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR GENERAL DAME CATHEINE TIZARD G.C.M.G.,D.B.E., ON 23RD FEBRUARY 1991

They settled in Te Puna. Thomas made use of his carpentry and woodcraft experience and also worked in the surrounding Kauri forests.

Thomas married Elizabeth Atkinson TOLLIS, daughter of Cpl. Thomas TOLLIS and Elizabeth ATKINSON, on 25 Dec 1815 in Paramatta,New South Wales,Australia. (Elizabeth Atkinson TOLLIS was born on 20 Aug 1799 in Sydney,New South Wales,Australia, christened on 15 Sep 1799 in Church Of England,Sydney,New South Wales,Australia and was buried on 25 Mar 1867 in Te Puna,Bay Of Islands,Northland,New Zealand.)

(Thanks to RootsWeb)

Thomas Hansen (jnr)Thomas Hansen the younger travelled to New Zealand from Sydney on that second Church Missionary Society voyage that arrived on 19 Dec 1814 as a passenger on the brig 'Active', along with his father as Captain, and his mother and sister Hannah.Thomas was 29 years old at this time, and unmarried, a fact that the catankerous missionary Samuel Marsden felt had to be corrected, and undertook to make a match between Thomas and a Miss Elizabeth Atkinson Tollis, daughter of Corporal Thomas Tollis of the New South Wales Regiment.Samuel Marsden married them himself, then oversaw their transport back to the Bay of Islands in New Zealand, where they settled for the rest of their lives in the small settlement of Te Puna. There Thomas made use of his carpentry and woodcraft experience and also worked in the surrounding Kauri forests which were subsequently stripped from the hillsides.In spite of the fact that the Hansens were involved with the missionaries, they were not formally part of the planned missionary developments, and as such their children were not automatically accepted for education, a fact that inevitably created a gulf of illiteracy between the two societies. Elizabeth Hansen died at Te Puna on 25 March 1867, aged 69 years, and Thomas at Russell on 8 March 1874. Thomas was buried alongside Elizabeth's grave in a wooden enclosure in the first European cemetery in New Zealand, the old Church Missionary Society's burial ground at Te Puna, although all traces of these graves have long disappeared..Condensed from 'The Subritzky Legend', by Mike Subritzky. Mike particularly acknowledged the assistance given to him by Kath and Stan Hansen, Ron Martin and Staff Sergeant R.J. "Yogi" Hansen RNZCT.

(Thanks to http://www.myrasplace.net/beniston/fam02794.htm)

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Thomas Hansen

New Zealand’s First Permanent Non- Missionary Settler

Thomas Hansen, the son of Captain Thomas Hansen and wife Hannah, was born on 30th May 1785, and baptised on 19th June. Along with his parents and sister Hannah, he took passage on the Duke of Portland to start a new life in the colony of New South Wales. He was aged 22.

In 1814, he accompanied his family on the Active on its voyage to New Zealand to establish the first CMS mission station at Hohi. Arriving on 22nd December 1814, Thomas disembarked to become New Zealand’s first permanent non-missionary settler. His sister Hannah and her husband John King became New Zealand’s first permanent missionary settlers.

At first, Thomas shared an eighteen metres long by five metres wide raupo whare with the other three missionary families. The whare was divided into four rooms; one for each family. Thomas initially shared his space with his mother who had remained to assist in the birth of his sister’s second baby. When the Active departed in February 1815, taking Mrs Hannah Hansen back to Sydney, Thomas remained to assist in the development of the mission buildings.

On 11th July 1815, the Active again departed the Bay of Islands after a period of nearly two months spent in gathering spars and flax to take back to Sydney. Thomas Hansen also returned to Sydney that year to look for a bride. A possible reason for this was the requirement of Rev Marsden that all the men at the mission should be married. Marsden was also concerned about the possible consequences should Thomas have a relationship with a Māori girl. In Sydney, Thomas met Elizabeth Atkinson Tollis, daughter of Corporal Thomas Tollis and his de facto wife, Betty Atkinson, a transported convict. Thomas and Elizabeth were married on Christmas Day 1815 by Rev Samuel Marsden. Elizabeth was 16 years old and Thomas was 30. The couple returned to Hohi on the Active in February 1816 and moved back into the raupo whare where Hannah King had given birth to her son, Thomas Holloway King, on 21st February the previous year. Thomas and Elizabeth Hansen’s first child was born on 11th January 1817. Their daughter was named Hannah King Hansen after her maternal grandmother and her aunt. She was the second European girl to be born in New Zealand, having arrived 8 months after Dinah Hall. When Dinah left for Australia in 1822, Hannah became the oldest female child born in the settlement. Between 1817 and 1834, Thomas and Elizabeth were to have a total of 11 children, all of whom survived into adulthood.

Upon his return along with his new bride in 1816, Thomas Hansen set out to build his life in New Zealand. Initially he acquired a small 4 acre plot of land at Hohi, at the base of Rangihoua Pā. He later purchased a bigger acreage further west on the Te Puna side of the pā although he was only granted about half of his total claim in later years.

On 22nd March 1816, he was provided with timber so as to commence building a cottage across the Hohi Stream from the mission buildings. The stream would have been a good source of fresh drinking water all year round. The cottage would have been a simple two or three roomed building, made with pit sawn timber milled down by the beach. Thomas and Elizabeth moved into their cottage on 18thMay 1816. The site of the cottage is about 30 metres from the beach. It is now a parking area on the farm track leading down to Marsden Cross Reserve. In 1827, visiting artist, Augustus Earle, painted a picture of the Hohi mission station. Earle was at the eastern end of Rangihoua Bay, looking back towards the settlement and Rangihoua Pā. The Hansen cottage can be identified in the painting, at the base of the pā. To earn his keep, Thomas worked for the missionaries, helping with building projects, bush and cattle work, and breaking in the land. Thomas later diversified to carpentering and bushwork. As a carpenter, Thomas’ labour became very much in demand within the community.The Reverend John Butler employed Thomas as a carpenter, along with other missionary carpenters and Māori sawyers, when building the Kerikeri mission station in 1821-1822.

Butler’s house was a weatherboard clad, two-storey Georgian design with a verandah and two chimneys. It was built primarily from kauri. Used by other missionaries after Butler left in 1823, the house was occupied by CMS storekeeper and blacksmith James Kemp and his wife Charlotte when the adjacent Stone Store, now the oldest stone building in New Zealand, was built from 1832. The Kemps continued to live in the house after the mission station folded in 1848, operating a kauri gum business from the Stone Store. Over time, the house became known as Kemp House. The dwelling and gardens passed down through the family until it was gifted to the New Zealand Historic Places Trust in 1974.

Life was tough for these early settlers living at the Hohi mission station. Cooking would have been done on an open fire, and all fresh water would have to be brought up daily from the stream. As the mission station was designed to be self-sufficient, almost all of the food would have had to be produced at Hohi or grown by the Māori neighbours. In winter, when food supplies did run low, the families relied on supplies brought in by ship.

The Hansen children were not allowed to be educated with the Māori or missionary children because their father was a free settler. Some of the younger children received only enough schooling to enable them to sign their own names. As his family increased, Thomas no doubt had to enlarge the cottage that he had built in 1816. Most likely, a lean-to was added to the side of the cottage to accommodate the growing number of children. Timber for the extensions would have been sawn at the sawyer’s pit down by the beach. Thomas also occasionally worked on ships, and provided a link between the ships’ captains and local Māori, as the missionaries drew a line at dealing with people who might like the odd drink or two, or those who fraternised with Māori women.

He sometimes traded with the Māori and whalers in guns and powder. Thomas was always interested in finding husbands for his six daughters and he kept up with who's who on the ships coming and going. By 1832, the remaining two missionaries, John King and James Shepherd, were given permission to relocate to land purchased by the CMS at Te Puna. One of the boundaries was stated to be adjoining Mr Hansen’s land so it seems likely that Thomas Hansen was the first one to buy land there, and the Hansen, King and Shepherd families probably shifted at the same time. Here, the land was much better suited to farming. In 1833, Shepherd departed for service at Kerikeri, leaving the two original families, Hansen and King, to reside at Te Puna for many more years.

Thomas, unlike the missionaries he worked for, did not grow rich by buying more land than he could use, but unlike the missionaries whose families seemed beset by illness and misfortune, his family flourished and grew and grew. In 1857, when Thomas applied to the Land Claims Commission, he described himself as “a poor labouring man who has brought up his children with great credit to himself and unable to pay the Commission’s fees.” At the time, he stated that he had 11 children and 32 grandchildren, 25 of whom were living with him at Te Puna. Elizabeth Hansen died at Te Puna on 23rdMarch, 1867 aged 69 years. She was buried at Hohi. Some years later, Thomas moved across to Russell, the home of his daughter Amy Baker, who nursed him through his final illness. It was there that Thomas died on 8th March 1874, aged 89 years. At the time of his death, it was reported in the New Zealand Herald that he had 118 descendants. According to his final wishes, Thomas was buried at Hohi alongside his wife and sister in the small cemetery overlooking Rangihoua Bay. It was here that brother and sister had landed 60 years earlier as part of the first European family to arrive as permanent settlers and start a new life in New Zealand.

Researched by Kath Hansen. Written by Eric Hansen.

Note: Oihi and Hohi are the same place, "Hohi" is believed to be the proper pronunciation.