MerilynRagg on Family Tree Circles

BENJAMIN EVANS TURNER - 1796 - 1876
The above was my Great Great Grandfather ... I am descended from one of his son James Burton TURNER (my Great Grandfather)...I have researched this family for some 35 years and was interested in reading the Journal by Allan Edmonds ....Benjamin was born in Worcester 1796 ..was convicted in 1821 and arrived in Sydney in 1822 to serve out his term of 7 years, obtaining his certificate of Freedom in 1828, then arriving on Stewart Island, where he helped build the ship "Joseph Weller"..he is said to have arrived in the Bay of Islands around 1833 with his Maori wife, who had issue of 3, and later she died of consumption..he remarried Zilda Perriman CLAYTON/BURTON IN 1840 ...They had issue of 10
between 1841 - 1861...After the sacking of Kororareka in 1845 he moved to Auckland and lived at "Retreat Cottage" Newmarket, until his death in 1876...His wife Zilda was born in Hobart Tasmania c.1823 - her father being John CLAYTON and not James BURTON...although she used "BURTON" all through her life ...she died in 1891 and was buried with Benjamin...I have also done research into the BURTON family as well....There have been many articles about Benjamin, an eccentric who put up his own tombstone before his death with inscription, at St Marks Church, Remuera (later destroyed by the Church)....I would be interested to hear from anyone who is related to Benjamin, as I find his story an exceptional one and hope one day to put all the information I have together.....Regards Merilyn Ragg