Rev James Martin returned to Australia from New Zealand after 1883
k8mary
As a descendant of the Rev James MARTIN (born in 1821 in Magheraknock, County Down, Ireland) and his wife Elizabeth (nee MAITLAND) (born in 1834 in Ballycreen, County Down,Ireland), I am interested to find out what happened to them after they left New Zealand to return to Australia some time after 1883 along with eight of their ten children. The children were: Robert, Elizabeth, Matilda, Mary, John, Frank and Jane.
They married in Ballynahinch, County Down, Ireland on 30 October 1850 and lived for a short time in Ballynahinch where their first child was born, Charles Alexander MARTIN, in 1853. They left for Australia in 1854 and went first to Tasmania. In 1868 they arrived in Dunedin, New Zealand with seven children, started the Opotiki School in the Bay of Plenty along with looking after the religious interests of the community. James's last teaching appointment in New Zealand was to the Grafton High School as Headmaster in 1873 where he remained for ten years.
Their eldest son Charles Alexander MARTIN (1853 - 1911) and another son James MARTIN (1858 - 1932) remained in New Zealand, married and raised their families. I am descended from James MARTIN who farmed in Purua, in the Whangarei District of Northland, New Zealand. Charles Alexander MARTIN was mostly in the publican business from Opotiki and Te Puke through to Kaeo in the north followed by running a grocery in Mt Eden, Auckland until his retirement due to ill-health.
What happened to James and Elizabeth MARTIN and their other eight children back in Australia from 1883 onwards?
Comments
rosewood162 on 2011-10-22 00:21:02One of my ancestors, Mary Martin, born 1828 in County Down, was married to John Maitand, a farmer born in Ballycreen. I wonder if he was Elizabeth's brother and Mary was James' sister? The timeframe is about right. Two of John Maitland's sons came to Australia. One, William, lived in Bourke, NSW, for a long time, before moving to live with his son in WA. The other son, Richard, spent some time in Forbes, NSW. Maybe your family lived nearby to be closer to family?
rosewood162 on 2011-10-22 00:22:02One of my ancestors, Mary Martin, born 1828 in County Down, was married to John Maitand, a farmer born in Ballycreen. I wonder if he was Elizabeth's brother and Mary was James' sister? The timeframe is about right. Two of John Maitland's sons came to Australia. One, William, lived in Bourke, NSW, for a long time, before moving to live with his son in WA. The other son, Richard, spent some time in Forbes, NSW. Maybe your family lived nearby to be closer to family?
janilye on 2012-07-22 04:25:49Esslemont Martin 1902-1968 daughter of Charles Alexander Martin
janilye on 2012-07-22 04:33:18Granddaughter
MMain on 2014-09-17 18:04:07I have just unlocked this part of my family tree and am a descendant of James and Elizabeth. My great grandfather was Francis Maitland Martin (Frank), son of James and Elizabeth. Francis was married in 1901 and his marriage certificate shows his father as deceased. Elizabeth died in Sydney in 1917. Francis died in Sydney in 1913. Matilda died Sydney in 1914. That's all I have so far.
k8mary on 2014-09-17 22:05:42Great to find someone from the James and Elizabeth family. I am presuming that you are in Australia and wish you good luck with finding the rest of the family that headed back that way. I have connections with a member of the Mailtland family back in Ireland if you want to go backwards from James and Elizabeth. I would love to stay in touch and help out whereever possible in your search. Now that I know where the family went in Aussie I may be able to get past my brick wall.
familyconnections on 2015-03-25 20:37:26I too am trying to find out what happened to James Martin and his wife Elizabeth (nee Maitland)after 1883. It's like they disappeared into thin air! They are my 4th gt grandparents. I am descended from their son Charles Alexander Martin and his wife Emily Sophia Neil in New Zealand. I came across your post online, but I'm not familiar with familytreecircles so would love to find out more about what family information you have uncovered.
This is what I have about James so far:
Rev. James Martin - born County Down, Ireland 1821
Studied at New College, Edinburgh (Religious and Theology studies)1847-1848
Married Elizabeth Maitland 30 Oct 1850 in Magheradroll, Down, Ireland
Emigrated to Tasmania, Australia about 1854 (sometime after the birth of son Charles in 1853 in Ireland and before the birth of son Robert in 1855 in Australia.
Received as a Presbyterian Minister candidate 10 Mar 1863 NSW, Australia
Licensed as a Presbyterian Minister 19 Mar 1863
Ordained as a Presbyterian Minister 26 Aug 1863 NSW, Australia
Presbyterian Minister in Queanbeyan, Bungendore and Gundaroo 1864-1867
Emigrated to NZ 1868 and worked in Southland
Headmaster of Opotiki School and Minister of the area 1872-1873
Headmaster of Grafton School in Auckland 1873-1883
Dismissed of his position - 30 June 1883 (paperspast have some interesting newspaper articles concerning a drama and consequent dismissal!)
After Grafton School, the Ministry of Education wanted to transfer James to Tararu School, but the committee of that school had read about the conflict and declined to have him. No doubt this is why he decided to up sticks and move back to Australia.
I have a photo of him in his later years and he doesn't look like someone you would want to mess with! No date or place on the back of it - guessing it was taken in NZ but he certainly looks older than 63 if it was taken in NZ! Then again, they had much harder lives back then and seemed to look much older than people of that age nowadays.
Information from his Presbyterian side of things mention he returned to NSW, Australia but no date given.
I have tried to search for ship lists but can't find anything on James and Elizabeth after 1883, no census, death or burial information so if you or anyone else can help bust this brick wall, I would be extremely happy.
Also, I would love to find out more about the Martins in Ireland (I know that his father's name was Robert, as this is listed on James and Elizabeth's marriage details, but trying to find birth records, mother's name etc is proving frustrating. I didn't realised how many with a Martin surname living in County Down named their children Robert, John and James!!!!
Aimee3000 on 2017-08-19 08:52:25Hi my name is Aimee martin I have just found info on our family and James and Elizabeth.I'll try and take a photo and post it,I HV a book with dates and mnames and professions.my email aimee3000@hotmail.com
Aimee3000 on 2017-08-19 08:57:12I live in dargaville Nz ( just thought I'd let you know) it says James died 1932 aged 74& elizabeth 5 years later just short of her 76th bday. They bought land in purua whangarei.