George Vesey STEWART was born in Brighton, Sussex, England ib 1831 to Captain Mervyn STEWART D.L., of Martray, County Tyrone, Ireland, and grandson of the Right Hon. Sir John Stewart, Bart., P.C., and M.P. for Tyrone & Frances "Fanny" VESEY

- He attended school in London before entering the College of Civil Engineers, Putney, to train as an estate agent. In 1852 he entered Trinity College, Dublin, graduating BA with honours in Classics in 1856

- He arrived in Auckland in September 1875 with the first party of the Katikati settlers in the ships ?Carisbrook Castle? and ?Dover Castle,? which had been specially chartered for the purpose and brought from London to Belfast for embarkation of his North of Ireland party

- He lived at ?Martray,? Katikati, where he had a freehold farm of over 500 acres

- On the 9th of May 1876 he was elected chairman of the first road board and school committee at Katikati and, excepting occasional absences from the colony, he held both positions uninterruptedly

- He was elected first Mayor of Tauranga when that town was constituted a borough. He was also for some years chairman of the Tauranga County Council and a member of that body, to which he was elected at the time of the adoption of the Counties Act.

- He was a Justice of the Peace for County Tyrone, Ireland and for the colony of New Zealand

- He married Margaret MILLER, daughter of Rowley Miller (J.P., D.L., County Derry)
- They had five sons and three daughters

- The only children I have so far are:

1861 - 1892 his second son, George Vesey Stewart
- he was drowned when fishing off the Katikati Heads in August 1892 aged 31

1863 - 1945 - son John Rowley Miller Stewart
- he married Ellen Louisa FURNISS in 1886, Ellen died in 1912
- he married Louisa Beatrice TRAVIS in 1913, Louisa died in 1965
- John died in 1945 aged 82

Do you know the names and spouses of the other children please
(visit the above link to see the tree in progress)