the AGASSIZ family history
... The Agassiz Family is a family of Swiss origin, hailing from the small village of Agiez near Lake Neuchatel. The family has included a number of high profile members, such as the scientists Louis and Alexander Agassiz, as well as the founder of the Longines watch firm, Auguste Agassiz

known AGASSIZ marriages in New Zealand 1875 - 1929:
Alfred Agassiz
- born 11 January 1840 in Bradfield, Essex
- 7th son of Lewis Agassiz of Stour Lodge, Bradfield, Essex
- brother (?) of Frederic Wilholm Agassiz, godson of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Germany
- brother of Frederic Carrington Agassiz (below)
- brother of Lewis Nunn Agassiz who went on to become a pioneer in Canada. He and his family founded the town of Agassiz, British Columbia. Lewis Nunn Agassiz's daughter later wrote an account of pioneer life titled Memories of a Pioneer Life in British Columbia: A Short History of the Agassiz Family
- Alfred married Mary Ann DEVLYN 23 March 1878 St Michael's Christchurch
- Mary was the 2nd daughter of Coonel Devlyn of Devlyn Hall, Jersey, Channel Islands
- he has many descendants among the Te Whakatohea iwi which is traditionally centred in the area around the town of Opotiki, Bay of Plenty

- Maori branch of the Agassiz family, Opotiki

- a Louis Agassiz (b.1893) served in WWI as Private 20649 with the Maori Contingent 7th Reinforcements
- he left on the s.s. 'Monowai' for Auckland on 17 May 1916 to join the maoria reinforcements at Narrow Neck Camp. At that time he was a farmer in Opotiki. He embarked from Wellington for Devonport, England on 19 August 1916.
- His next of kin was his mother Mrs AROUAPAPUNI of Opotiki
______

Alfred Rowland/Roland Agassiz
- married Annie ROSS in 1893
- nothing else known
______

Frederic Carrington Agassiz
- born 10 January 1838 in Dawlish, Devon, England
- 7th of 13 children of Lewis AGASSIZ (1793-1866) & his 2nd wife Sarah Eliza NUNN (1827-1884) who married in 1927 in Mistley, Essex, England
- his paternal grandmother was Eliza Louisa Susannah Vaudine Agassiz (1830-1867) from Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland, a name he passed down to his daughters
- great, great, grandson of Reverend Jean Pierre Moise Agassiz (1705-1784) of Switzerland (Pastor of Lucens, Thierrens and Constantine)
- Frederic married Harriett Elizabeth HAMILTON on 24 November 1875 in Christchurch. They lived at 21 Stanmore Rd, Richmond
- Frederic died of Influenza on 11 November 1907 aged 69
- he is buried in Plot 32 - Block 5 at Linwood Cemetery
- Harriet Hamilton was born in Manston, Barwick-in-Elmet, West Yorkshire, England on 7 November 1853 and came to New Zealand when she was 21
- FREDERIC (aged 38) & HARRIET (aged 20) were on the same ship to New Zealand as Second Class Passengers . The WAITARA left London 19 August 1874 and arrived in Lyttelton 18 November 1874. Harriet was with her parents and siblings
- she was the 4th of 12 children of Reverend Hugh Staples HAMILTON (1920-1899) of Ireland & Annette Mary Sophia DAVIES (1828-1868) of Portsmouth who later had a sawmill in Canterbury
- her grandfather was a Reverend as were some of his brothers, her great grandfather was Hugh Hamilton, (1729-1805) Bishop of Ossory, County Dublin and some of her brothers also became Reverends in England
- Harriet died on 4 January 1929 in Christchurch aged 75. She is buried with Frederic and their 6 year old son Arthur

their children were
.. 1 ..
1877 - 1956 Annette Vaudine Agassiz
- born 26 February 1877 in Oxford, Christchurch
- married Henry Mortimer LEATHAM (1873-1911) on 3 February 1902
- Henry was born in Ireland in 1865, arriving in NZ about 1882
- they lived at Antigua St, Sydenham, Christchurch
- Henry died 11 March 1911 aged 48
- he is buried Plot 119 - Block 42 at Linwood Cemetery
- Annette next married William James LESTER (1884-1918) in 1912
- they lived at 36 Cadogan St Christchurch
- William was a Bootmaker. He died 23 November 1918 aged 34
- he is buried Plot 60 - Block 46C at Sydenham
- Annette died 2 July 1956 aged 79. She was still at 36 Cadogan St
- she is buried Plot 50 - Block 42C at Sydenham Cemetery

.. 2 ..
1878 - 1961 Lewis Alfred Agassiz
- born 3 August 1878 in Oxford, Christchurch
- he was a Linotype Operatior
- he married Aileen May DICKSON (1883-1951) on 6 April 1904
- Aileen was born in Wanganui, the 2nd of 4 children of Peter DICKSON & Mary STIRLING. She died on 26 July 1951 in Christchurch
- they were living at 73 Stanmore Rd, Richmond Christchurch
- in June 1927 their daughter Irene Vaudine Agassiz (b.1904) sang a soprano solo "She is far from home' on 3YA Christchurch. Irene also competed in Fenruary 1922 in the New Zealand Swimming Championships. She competed in the 75yds Intermediate Girls event. In November 1928 Irene received an Award of Merit from the Royal Life Saving Society
- Aileen is buried Plot 137 - Block 11 at Bromley Cemetery
- Lewis died 23 December 1961 aged 83
- he is buried Plot 138 - Block 11 at Bromley Cemetery

.. 3 ..
1880 - 1969 Marian Eliza 'Daisy' Agassiz
- born 2 June 1880 in Oxford, Christchurch
- in December 1891 Daisy won an 'attendance prize' at the East Christchurch School
- she married James Edward Fobert BARNES (1872-1933) son of James Edward BARNES, a Shepherd & Emily Sara MASON of Hawarden, North Canterbury, on 27 Dec 1899 in St Lukes Church Christchurch. The marriage was performed by the Venerable Archdeacon Edward Atherton LINGARD who was assisted by 2 of her uncles from Manston, Yorkshire, the Reverends Hugh Henry Scrivener HAMILTON (1848-1945 who married Margaret Walker FRANCE 1876 in Yorkshire, had 6 children in NZ & died in Gisborne) & Thomas Albert HAMILTON (1849-1937 who married Lavinia Charlotte WOODFIELD, had 13 children in Canterbury NZ & died in Christchurch)

* Marion & James moved to Pahiatua in 1904
- they had at least 5 children

* James & Marian were Farmers in Konini, Pahiatua, arriving there from Canterbury in 1904 with their first 2 sons
- James died 11 December 1933 aged 61
- he is buried Grave 26 - Plot 12 - Block 2 at Mangatainoka Cemetery
- Marion died 12 April 1969 aged 88 in Pahiatua
- she had been living at 5 Mangahao Rd, Pahiatua
- she is buried with her husband James who died 36 years previously
- their HEADSTONE reads: In loving memory of James Edward Forbert Barnes, died Dec. 11 1933, aged 61 years. And his wife Marion Eliza Barnes, died April 12 1969, aged 88 years

.. 4 ..
1882 - 1959 Roland Hamilton Agassiz
- born 3 March 1882 in Oxford, Christchurch
- he was a Linotype Mechanic
- he married Elisabeth SHATFORD in March 1905 in Christchurch

they had 8 known children in Christchurch

- Elizabeth Shatford was born 24 November 1882 in Christchurch, the 4th of 4 children of Joseph SHATFORD & Eliza Jane SAVAGE
- She died 22 February 1939 aged 56
- she is buried Plot 43 - Block 36 at Bromley Cemetery

- Roland died 7 December 1959 aged 77
- they had been living at 16 Stanmore Rd Christchurch
- he is buried with wife Elizabeth, daughter Lillian Vaudine Agassiz and brother Franklyn's wife, Ruby Constance

.. 5 ..
1883 - 1890 Arthur Staples Agassiz
- born 21 December 1883 in Christchurch
- Arthur died 1 June 1890 aged 6
- he is buried with his parents in Plot 33 - Block S at Linwood

.. 6 ..
1886 - 1950 Rodolph Edward Agassiz
- born 15 July 1886 in Oxford, Christchurch
- in December 1895 he was in Standard 1 at East Christchurch Main School (in Gloucester St) and came 1st for General Imrovement
- in February 1899 he competed in the Boys Maiden Handicap and the 50yards Handicap at the East Christchurch Swimming CLub
- he served in WWI as Private 6/3978 with the NZEF 10th Reinforcements Canterbury Infantry Battalion, C Company, departed from Wellington for Suez, Egypt on 4 March 1916. His next of kin was his mother Harriet of 21 Stanmore Road, Christchurch
- in September 1916 he was Wounded and admitted to hospital
- Rodolph was a Printer
- he married Clarissa Isabel NIXON (1883-1971) in 1929
- In the NZ Census Rodolph's residences were: 1911-Avon Christchurch, 1914-Avon Christchurch, 1919-Avon Christchurch, 1928-Avon Christchurch, 1935-Christchurch East, 1938-Christchurch East, 1946-Christchurch Central
- Rodolph died 6 Aril 1950 aged 64

.. 7 ..
1888 - 1975 Lilian Eleanor 'Lily' Agassiz
- born 10 May 1888 in Oxford, Christchurch
- In December 1893 Lily was in Class I Upper at the East Christchurch Main School (in Gloucester St) and won a prize for good condust. In December 1895 she came 1st for General Imrovement. In January 1907 she was in Class 2 at the Native School and got a certificate for her needlework
- Lillian married Ernest Vivian HIBBARD (1888-1960)
- they lived at 101 Woodham Rd, Christchurch
- Ernest was born in Southbridge, Canterbury Plains in 1888, the 7th of 11 children of William HIBBARD & Alice Whitick SMITH
- he was a Butcher in Christchurch
- he died 25 November 1960 aged 72
- he is buried Plot 165 - Block 7 at Memorial Park
- Lilian died 23 April 1976 aged 87
- she is buried with Ernest

.. 8 ..
1889 - Kathleen 'Katie' Agassiz
- born 6 July 1889 in Christchurch
- in December 1895 Katie came 3rd at the East Christchurch Main School (in Gloucester St) for General Improvement
- nothing else known

.. 9 ..
1892 - 1961 Frederic Carrington Agassiz
- born 29 June 1892 in Christchurch
- he was a Storeman
- he married Gladys Lilian HANCOCK (1893-1969) in 1916
- he served in WWI as Private 68651 with NZEF 33rd Reinforcements E Company, departing from Wellington for Glasgow, Scotland on 31 December 1917. His next of kin was his wife Gladys of 150 Brougham Street, Sydenham, Christchurch
- in September 1918 he was reported as being admitted to hosital wounded and 'dangerously ill'. In the October progress report he was still on the 'dangerously ill' list
- a daughter, Mavis Doreen Agassiz (1917-2005) married Peter Leslie SUDDENS (1917-1988)
- In the NZ census Frederic's residences were: 1900-Christchurch, 1905/1906-Avon Christchurch, 1914-Avon Christchurch, 1935-Christchurch South, 1938-Christchurch South, 1946-Ricarton, 1948-Riccarton, 1954-Riccarton, 1957-Sydenham
- Frederic died 1961 aged 68

.. 10 ..
1895 - 1972 Franklyn Agassiz
- born 26 May 1895 in Christchurch
- married Ruby Constance GUNDY (1896-1954) in 1917
- they had 2 sons in Christchurch:
1919 - 1992 Franklyn Rodolph Agassiz
- born 17 January 1919
1922 - 1978 Geoffrey Roland Agassiz
- born 27 December 1922
- Ruby Gundy was born in Christchurch in 1895 to Emily Gundy (1877-1912), a daughter of John & Sarah GUNDY. Emily later married in 1899 to George FOSTER (1876-1931) & lived in Falsgrove St Christchurch. Emily died in 1912 and George remarried in 1914 to Phoebe BRADWELL (1874-1957) & lived at 65 Bowhill Rd, New Brighton. In 1957 Phoebe was living at 3 Arnold St Christchurch. They are buried together in Plot 315 - Block 12 at Bromley Cemetery
- Franklyn & Ruby lived at 53 Norwich St Christchurch
- Ruby died 14 April 1954 aged 58
- she is buried Plot 33 - Block S at Linwood with Roland, his wife Elizabeth and Lillian Vaudine Agassiz
- Franklyn died 1972 aged 77


NOTES
the New Zealand CENSUS for Frederic Carrington Agassiz
(father or son?):
1914 - Avon Christchurch
1935 - Christchurch South
1938 - Christchurch South
1946 - Riccarton Christchurch
1954 - Riccarton Christchurch

TIMELINE
August 1872 an Alfred Agassiz was made a J.P. of Mercury Bay

30 March 1881 the Opotiki Athletic CLub held their first meeting. Besides holding meetings several times a year it was intended to organise a gymnasium. The sports commenced at 2pm and a large number of spectators were on the ground. Entrance fee was 6d (3d for children) and ?4 was take at the gate (about $600 in 2010).
In the Hurdle Race for boys under 16 it was a hard struggle over 200yards and 7 flights of hurdles with a tie for 1st place between SAVAGE & AGASSIZ

26 July 1892 Mr F. C. Agassiz, proprietor of the Barbadoes Street boat-sheds (opposite Star and Garter) wrote to the Christchurch Drainage Board stating that the current of the river on the south side had seriously affected his property by undermining the fence and it was now threatening his house

December 1899 Louis (Lewis?) Agassiz was living close to the river near the Barbadoes St Bridge

In January 1918 a LOUIS AGASSIZ KELLY was Baptised at Opotiki

20 February 1936 Mrs F. Agassiz (Frederic or Franklyn) was staying at the EMire Hotel in Wellington

December 1941 In a report of the Wounded at War, Private 62688, Rua PURU from Opotiki was serving with the 28th Maori battalion. His enlistment address was c/o W. OAKES of Opotiki and his Next of Kin was listed as his aunty, Miss L. Agassiz c/o Dairy Factory, Waioeka Rd Opotiki


SUMMARY of AGASSIZ burials in Christchurch