WILLIAM ABSOLUM (1822-1900) William was a sailor (especially whaling boats) and had been to New Zealand a number of times. As he married in Auckland in 1850 he settled and farmed in Otahuhu prior to that ..

William married Katherine 'Kate' Leslie (1833-1899) in Otahuhu, Auckland on 1 April 1850. Kate was born 1833 in County Sligo, Ireland, a daughter of William Leslie (1806-1892) & Ann Corrigan (1802-1882) who emigrated to NZ on the 'Ann' which left Belfast Xmas Day 1847, arriving into Auckland 16 May 1848. Kate married William Absolum 2 years after arriving, when she was 17

they had 12 known children
(can be seen in full at William's link above)
1851 - 1905 Sarah Anne Absolum (+Bell)
1852 - 1852 Robert Absolum (infant)
1855 - 1924 Annie Absolum (+Sommer)
1957 - 1924 Abraham Absolum (+Baker)
1859 - 1945 William Absolum (+Haslett)
1862 - 1940 Kate Absolum (+Hunt)
1864 - 1933 Robert Leslie Absolum (+Huxtable)
1967 - 1960 George Latimer Absolum (+Lennard)
1868 - 1869 Fanny Gertrude Absolum (9 months)
1870 - 1920 Walter Ernest Absolum (+Gillies)
1872 - 1955 Nellie Christina Absolum (+Williams)
1875 - 1963 Hubert Graham Absolum (+Benson)

Daily Southern Cross, 8 Feb 1859
IMPOUNDED at the Public Pound Otahuhu, by W. Absolum, for trespass in his Grass Paddock at Otahuhu, 1 Yellow Poley Cow, Grey Face, White Belly. Branded EL off ribbs, R (in diamond) near Rump x near Ribs. Owner unknown. No damages claimed. If not claimed within 11 days after the date of this notice, application will be made to a Justice of the Peace for an order for the Sale of the above mentioned Cow, agreeably to the provisions of the Impounding Act, 1856J. HALL, Pound Keeper

Daily Southern Cross, 27 Aug 1862
10s REWARD STRAYED, from Flat Bush, and last seen at Scotch Church, four EWES and three LAMBS - Apply to Mr ABSOLUM, Otahuhu

Daily Southern Cross, 7 March 1863
TO CARPENTERS AND BUILDERS - TENDERS will be received on SATURDAY next and until WEDNESDAY, the 11th inst., for the ERECTION of a DWELLING-HOUSE, at Otahuhu for Mr W. Absolum. Plans and specifications can be seen at Mr W. McCaul's, High-street. R.S. ANDERSON, Architect. N.B. - Not bound to receive the lowest tender

Daily Southern Cross, 1 Sep 1863
LOST, a Chestnut PONY, about 14½ hands high - marked on the near shoulder black, like an N - on the 21st August, at Papakura, the property of Sergeant MAXWELL, C.T.C.. - £1 reward will be given to any one who will leave the same with Mr WM. ABSOLUM, Otahuhu

Daily Southern Cross, 15 Sep 1863
PROVINCIAL GAZETTE. An Auckland Provincial Gazette was published yesterday. There is a proclamation setting apart land for immigrants expected to arrive. There is a notification declaring the Highways Act to be in full force in the North Tamaki district. Sailing directions for entering the port of Invercargill are published. The Supreme Court is to sit on the 29th inst. under the Debtors and Creditors' Act for the hearing of petition in the matters of William Pritchard; Sir Samuel Osborne Gibbes; and Richard Jame Hunt. The following accepted tenders are published:-
* Carting scoria ash to Otahuhu, William Absolum 3s 8d per cubic yard
* cutting bush road (six miles), Great North Road, Burns and Chaplin, 5s per chain
* erecting toll house at Newmarket, John Booth, £187 15s ($18,587 in Sept 2009)
* working and keeping repair in the Panmure punt and boat from the 1st September till 31st December, Robert Robertson, £15 10s per month

Daily Southern Cross, 15 Nov 1866
The following are the names of the ratepayers, with the assessed value of property and amount of rate
* W. Absolum £810 - £1 13s 9d . In Nov 2009 this was: property value $76,784 - annual rates of $107

Daily Southern Cross, 11 Jan 1868
A PUBLIC MEETING of COUNTRY SETTLERS of the Electoral Districts of Raglan and Franklin will be held at 4 o'clock on TUESDAY, the 14th instant, at the Criterion Hotel, Otahuhu, for the purpose of taking into consideration the working of Provincial Government, so far as regards the Country Interest of the Province
. signed
John Scott
William Absolum
Mathew Fleming
H. S. Andrews
Richard McGee
J. Gordon
C. A. Bowden
W. T. Bassett
H. W. Vercoe
Charles Shepherd
William Hall
Samuel Luke
E. P. Donnelly
John Wallace

Daily Southern Cross, 28 Nov 1868
THE TRIANGLE For sale on Tuesday, December, at two o'clock, unless previously disposed of, 20 ACRES of MOWING GRASS, in one or more lots (a heavy crop), now growing on Mr J. W. Hall's Farm at Mangere. - Apply to Mr WILLIAM ABSOLUM, or to ALFRED BUCKLAND

Daily Southern Cross, 29 Dec 1869
OTAHUHU - BOXING DAY. In common with the other country villages, Otahuhu held out sport and entertainments of no mean order on Monday to all who willed to visit the charming village of the South .. the various events were duly announced and successfully carried out under the able and energetic management of Messrs. C. Goodwill, W. Absolum, H. Scurrah and T. Rogers, in the ground known as the Village Green, situated between the Star and Criterion Hotels. Seldom has Otahuhu been graced with so much beauty and fashion as on this occasion ...

Daily Southern Cross, 11 Feb 1871
AUCKLAND BOILING DOWN COMPANY, Otahuhu
The first attempt at boiling down in this province took place at the company's establishment on Tuesday last .. The mustering-yards and killing-house are so arranged and situated that there is no time lost, or unnecessary labour employed, in placing the meat in the boiling-down vat .. the building is well ventilated to allow the fat to cool as quickly as possible .. the company have entered into an agreement with Mr W. Absolum to take all the hind legs, at 2½ per lb ...

*See also Pirongia Bells posted 21 Jan 2014 by David Bell, includes photo of William

In 1886 William was the Pound Keeper at Otahuhu

1883 - 1891 Otahuhu Ratebooks Index
William Leslie (his father-in-law) was the owner of the property and William Absolum was the occupier of A10, Sec 1, 1 acre. William Leslie was the owner of other Auckland properties

Kate Absolum died 9 May 1899
Waikato Angus, 13 May 1899 - On May 9th 1899, at her late residence, Otahuhu, Catherine, the beloved wife of William Absolum and mother of Mrs H. J. Bell of Pirongia and of W. Absolum of Hamilton, in her 67th year.
* An old Otahuhu identity has passed away in the person of Mrs William Absolum, in her sixty seventh year. She arrived with her parents in the ship 'Ann' in 1848 and has lived in Otahuhu ever since. She has left behind her husband, six grown-up sons, four daughters, besides grandchildren. Mrs Absolum for a great many years was a member of Holy Trinity Church choir. Her remains were interred in the Anglican Cemetery, Otahuhu, Canon Gould was the officiating clergyman.

William Absolum died 21 Aug 1900
NZ Herald, 22 Aug 1900 - On August 21st, at his late residence, Otahuhu, William Absolum. in his 79th year. The funeral will leave for the Church of Englnad Cemetery at 3 p.m. Thursday. Friends please accept this intimation.
* Otahuhu has just lost one of its pioneer settlers in the person of Mr William Absolum, who died on Aug 21, in his 79th year. Mr Absolum arrived in Otahuhu in the early forties. Some 20 years ago the name of William Absolum was one to conjure with in relation to horses, cattle and agricultural matters. His knowledge and advice (which was always most freely given) were most reliable. The deceased took great interest in local matters. For many years he was a member of the Otahuhu Licensing Committee. He was much respected as an upright, kind-hearted man. He leaves behind him six sons and four daughters to mourn their loss.


PHOTO William Absolum
Taken from the link above, Pirongia Bells