hi keitha,

just so other readers of your query may catch up on the research we have so far on this family and hopefully can add to it ...


... to help Keitha and her query Looking for Coe family Pahiatua

please note this is a work in progress, call back from time to time for any updates or amendments


WILLIAM ROBERT COE (1850-1943)
- born in Lambeth, London
- 2nd of 5 children of George Thomas COE (1919-1904) & his 1st wife Harriet Caroline CONWAY. Harriet died in England before 1874. George emigrated to Wellington in August 1874 with his son James and daughter Florence. George remarried at his home in Wellington in 1880 to Mary Ann BARKER (1827-1896). Mary Ann died in Featherston aged 69. George moved up to Pongaroa and kept a boarding house. He died 20 December 1904 aged 86 in Pahiatua and is buried in Grave 24 - Plot 6 - Block 3 at Mangatainoka (it is unmarked, no headstone)
... (see at end of this journal for George's other children)

- William married 9 April 1871 in Saint Marylebone, London to:

EMMA SWADDLING (1852-1925)
- (sometimes seen as SWADLING)
- born 5 Doris Street East, Lambeth, London, England
- a daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth Swaddling
- Emma died 11 August 1925 aged 72 in Whangarei
- buried Plot 236 - Old Portion Block One at Maunu Cemetery

- in 1917 they were living in Whauwhau Valley, Whangarei

William Robert Coe died on Xmas Day 1943 in Whangarei aged 92
- buried in Plot 1594 - Old Portion Block Seven at Maunu Cemetery


they had 13 children

... (this is a seperate journal to concentrate on the direct descendants of the 1st of the 13 children, Emma Coe and her husband James Edward Lawrence)

- the list of all 13 children can be seen at this journal:
the COE family of Wairarapa
______________________________________________________________________
1/

1873 - 1922 EMMA COE
- born in Marylebone, London
- married **JAMES EDWARD LAWRENCE in 1890
- see ** below for James's family line
- Emma died 18 July 1922

- their 4 known children were:

1891 - 1909 Sidney Lawrence
- born 14 October 1891
- Sidney died on 22 August 1909 aged 17
- he was a Carpenter in Pahiatua
- he is buried in Grave 28 - Plot 7 - Block 3 at Mangatainoka with his 6 year old broter Eric William Lawrence (1905-1911)
- his HEADSTONE READS: In loving memory of Sidney Lawrence, who died Aug. 22, 1909, aged 18 (sic) years. "We loved him well, but Jesus loved him best". Also Eric Lawrence, who died Oct. 25, 1911, aged 6 years.

1893 - 1895 Holly Maud Lawrence
- born 23 August 1893
- Holly died on 12 February 1895 aged 18 months
- she is buried Grave 35 - Plot 1 - Block 3 at Mangatainoka, unmarked grave, no headstone

1900 - 1963 Leslie James Lawrence
- born 14 November 1900
- Leslie married Inez Bernardine SMITH in 1924
- Inez was born in 1903, 1 of 2 daughters of Robert Stephen SMITH & Alice Garthu(e) PEARCE. Her sister was Lorna Jean Smith
- Leslie & Inez had a daughter in 1924 they named Inez Bernadine who died aged 1 week

1905 - 1911 Eric William Lawrence
- born 18 June 1905
- Eric died 25 October 1911 aged 6
- he is buried in Grave 27 - Plot 7 - Block 3 at Mangatainoka with his 18 year old brother Sidney Lawrence


- his grandchildren tell me:

- " ... bringing our family fishing boat back from Napier, both granddad and boat lost. Only one gumboot was found. 'Jimmy' was Wairoa's Freemasonary member/businessman - Lawrence Motors/buses and taxi services and Mayor of Wairoa.
Lawrence Motors was sited in North Cyde near the Wairoa River.
Lawrence Park was to be sited in McLean Street, the Park named after him. His first wife was a chieftainess called Hariata my grandmother, both married in the forest of TaneMahuta, the old Maori way. The Lawrence family is related to the Gregories family from Scotland as Gregories uncle was Arthur Lawrence of Pahiatua"...

- ... "he was married to A HARIATA IN THE fOREST OF TANE MAHUTA and then to my grandmother May, maiden name Lewis from Nuhaka Wairoa" ...

- ... granddad never spoke of his life much, there may only been a very few times he said anything. What I know abount him is he was a Wairoa Taxi driver for many years. The day of the drowning he had brought the tug boat from Napier. On the boat was my father, Rex Lawrence and a granduncle I think. It happened comming into the Wairoa Mouth. Granddad and the granduncle drowned. They have never recovered their bodies to this day. My Father Rex was about 16/17 years old at the time, is now 63. I also hear that Granddad Leslie also went by the name Jim/Jimmy. He also had many partners and children. I have been told a story that granddad had been barred from the family because he married a Maori ...

- ... granddad's wife, my grandmother, May Lewis Lawrence, was from Mohaka or Nuhaka, Wairoa, Hawkes Bay. They had 6 children but all in total there's about 26 children that have been spoken about
and they are supposed to be of Leslie James Lawrence ...

- ... this is my grandmother, May LAWRENCE (nee LEWIS) parents:
Heni Ruihi SMITH (17 March 1885-14 March 1965) & William David LEWIS (2 Feb 1867-26 Feb 1955)
- my grandprents Leslie James LAWRENCE & May LEWIS children:
RONALD JAMES Lawrence
REX Lawrence
JEAN Lawrence
JOSEPHINE MAY Lawrence
BRIAN PAKU Lawrence (he has not made any contact since leaving home)
- My grandmother May 2nd married to a Ben Ropitine. They had 1 son ...

- none of them mention the above Inez Bernardine SMITH although the Jane Smith is interesting (last comment)
- his next 2 wives may have been common law and I hope his descendants can provide the children of these unions
- Leslie 'James, Jimmy' Lawrence died on 14 August 1963 in a boating accident in Wairoa. He was 65 (sic ??). The 'granduncle' mentioned as drowning with Leslie was Walter Henry Coe (1881-1963), 1 of 2 sons of Thomas Lewis Coe (1855-1933) & Rachael/Rachel MARSHALL (1856-1942) who married in 1878, lived in Wellington where Thomas was a Saddler and both buried in Karori
- (Walter Henry Coe married Florence Annie EDWARDS in 1907)

______________________________________________________________________

** JAMES EDWARD LAWRENCE
- was the 5th of 11 children of William LAWRENCE & Mary Ann ROBINSON who married in Wellington in 1861 and settled in Carterton
- his father William was born in London in 1836 near St Andrew, Holborn, and died in 1913. He was the first of at least 8 children to James LAWRENCE & Caroline FEASEY of London

- Mary Ann Lawrence died 4 May 1899 aged 55
- she is buried in Plot 58 at Clareille Cemetery, Carterton
- William Lawrence died on 30 December 1913
- he is buried in Plot 59 at Clareville Cemetery, Carterton

- the children of William Lawrence & Mary Ann Robinson were:

1862 - 1918 Harriet Lawrence
- she married Daniel HERCOCK (1864-1932) in 1886
- a son of William (1833-1902) & Catherine Micklejohn (1843-1918) Hercock. Daniel was a brother of Harry who married Caroline Lawrence below. The Hercock were living in Masterton in at least 1884 when a sister, Eliza, died (her brother mentioned was Thomas James )
- they had at least 3 children:
1887 - 1953 Frank Frederick Hercock
1889 - 1965 Thomas William Hercock (m Bertha Ellen WILLIS 1910)
1895 - 1956 Clarence Charles Hercock (m Marjorie Francis PINE 1914)

1864 - 1932 John Robinson Lawrence (sometimes recorded John Robert)
- he married Emily WENHAM (1867-1960) in 1887
- they had had least 2 children:
1888 - 1971 Ellen Lawrence
1890 - 1855 John William Lawrence
- John Robinson Lawrence died 1 January 1932 aged 68 in Carterton
- he is buried in Plot 49 - Block NEW SUR A at Clareville

1865 - 1949 William Henry Lawrence
- married Rose Young LETT (1872-1945) in 1887
- (sister of William Lett who married her sister Laura below)
- they lived for a time in Lansdowne Masterton
- they had at least 2 children:
1892 Daisy Lawrence
1894 Edward William Henry Lawrence

1867 - ???? James Edward Lawrence
- sometimes known as Edward or as James or combinations of
- married Emma Coe 1890
- they had at least 3 children as above
1891 - 1909 Sidney Lawrence (died aged 18)
1893 - 1895 Olive 'Holly' Maud Lawrence (died aged 2)
1901 - 1963 Leslie James Lawrence (died aged 62)
1905 - 1911 Eric William Lawrence (died aged 6)

1869 - 1933 Caroline Eliza Lawrence
- she married Harry HERCOCK (1863-1931) in 1891
- a son of William & Catherine Hercock. A brother of Daniel who married Harriet Lawrence above
- they had at least 6 children:
1892 - 1980 Ethel Mary/Marion Eliza Hercock (m Frederick Ethelbert SEDCOLE 1910)
1894 - 1954 Mary Ann Hercock
1896 - 1969 Olive 'Ollie' Harriet Hercock (m William Henry NAGEL 1916)
1898 Doris Hercock (m Robert Henry HAINES 1922)
1902 Eva Kathleen/Katherine Hercock (m Jack WENHAM 1925)
1905 - 1967 Francis William Hercock (m Ada Eose CLEMENT 1927)

1870 - 1954 Charles Lawrence
- he married Mary Ethel ROBINSON (1878-1956) in 1897
- they had at least 3 children:
1898 - 1899 Douglas Charles Lawrence (died aged 14 months)
1900 - 1986 Kenneth Edward William Lawrence
1904 - ???? Norma Phyllis Mary Lawrence

1873 - 1875 Ellen Lawrence
- died aged 2

1875 - ???? Elizabeth Lawrence
- she married Frederick William ENSON (1865-1932) in 1893
- no children found

1877 - 1959 Laura Lawrence
- she married William LETT (1869-1953) in Manukau on 25 April 1894 (brother of Rose Young Lett who married her brother William above). In 1944 they were living at 58 Kamo Rd Whangarei
- they had at least 2 children:
1895 - 1962 William Harold Lett
1904 - 1974 Donald Vincent Lett
- William died 12 September 1953 aged 84
- he is buried Plot 334 - Forest Lawn at Maunu Cemetery Whangarei
- Laura died 2 May 1959 aged 66, she is buried with William
- William was a son of Charles Lett (1837-1918) & Sarah Jane WATSON (1849-1917) who had 12 sons & at least 4 known daughters in Wellington & Masterton)
- NOTE: Charles Lett died March 1918

1878 - 1933 Frederick Lawrence
- he married Jane Mary ROHDE in 1905
- they had a son
1905 - 1979 Cecil Frederick Lawrence
- Jane was born 1887 to Ferdinand & Hannah/Johanna ROHDE (Te Kuiti)
- Frederick died on 7 Aril 1933 aged 54
- he is buried in Plot 107 - Block NEW SUR A at Clareville, Carterton

1883 - 1962 Ellen Lawrence
- she married Harold HODDER (1875-1960) in 1903
- they had at least 2 children:
1904 Emily Olive May Hodder
1907 Thelma Doreen Hodder
- Harold died 28 April 1960 aged 85
- he is buried Plot 30 at Clareville Cemetery Carterton
- Ellen died 24 September 1962 aged 78
- she is buried in Plot 157 - Block 1 - Area Lawn A at Clareville

Hi again,
Yea I have tryed so hard in finding my family and paid for new sites to see if I can find them. but they seem to the most hardest lot these LEWIS.
What I know at this point is this,My gggandparents William David LEWIS 1867-1955 his Heni Ruihi Smith 1885-1965 they are from Nuhaka Wairoa thats as far as they go.Now my gggrandparents from Te Reinga Wairoa are
Manapouri (Mana)Lewis no dates I know he died in Gisborne, his wife is Maata Te Tuku Lewis no dates or any other info.
I have heard they are related and thats why I had to be born eles wheres and been spoken of . Even today I am the black sheep but hay I am here and I am looking for my links.
If you help again it would be wonderful so thank you again for your time.
Cheers
Keitha

Hi,
I found records for Mana LEWIS War Medical History it states that he was born 18-10-1894 and he 20-11-1969 Gisborne nz. His father was Friday Lewis,sister Ruta Lewis thats it. No marriage records to Maata Te Tuku Te Waharoa , I know now about Maata is born 06-02-1904 ,Death 09-07-1952.
i AM HOPPING THIS CORRECT info on them.
So where to from here any ideas.
Cheers
Keitha

Hi Keitha, I have just found this site, as I have also been searching for many years, and it is not easy, but I think I am making progress slowly. If you are on facebook, look me up, my name is patricia maree lewis, I go under samsung louisanna.

My grandad's name is Paraire Lewis, also known as Friday. He arrived in Rahotu, Taranaki, apparently during the De Thierry era, from Wairoa.
My mother believes he had another family in Wairoa.

In my searches I have been in contact with a Wayne Marsh from Wairoa who is trying to piece together info. He seems to think he is of the same line to. His grandmother is Ruta (ruth) Lewis from Te Reinga. Ruta's youngest sibling is Titi (Polly).

Putting pieces together, we think that my grandad paraire lewis, is possibly the Toby Lewis who they say went missing, heading to Taranaki, and that Ruth could possibly his daughter from a marriage in Wairoa.

It still has a way to go, because one has to tread lightly to get the info, back in the days, a lot of skeleton's, and family member's are not over keen to let them out of the closet, because of 'tapu'.

You can contact me at patriciamaree@hotmail.com or 0273069282.

Cheers.

Kia ora Keitha (Keita) hewre thanks for your reply,yea this whanau has alot of skeleton,s yes our whanau as well as me do know that some things may be "Tapu"
But i dont think us wanting to know our whakapapa and the truth thats theres anything wrong,only thing i see and understand is that truth can hurt and open old wounds.I am willing to do this as i need to move forward and get answers so everything on my tree is correct.With me both my grandmothers are Lewis from Te Reinga and Nuhaka Wairoa.
Paraire Lewis (Tobby) theres 3 if you have dates or a year let me know.
I will contact you on fb and txt.If you wish to contact me by phone 06 3765984,email keithariki@hotmail.com now if Wayne Marsh wishes to contact me please give him my details, hopefuly we can help each aother out three heads is better than one. I do have a book on the Te Reinga School reunion and aother stuff.
Cheers.

Awesum!! Yes I am so keen to gather much information, and then I would like to take a trip over to Wairoa.
I do not have a date for grandad Lewis's birth, but he passed 18/09/1958, because no-one really knew his age, the guess is close to maybe his 90's.
Yes apparently grandad Lewis is from Te Reinga and Mohaka and Nuhaka, have also been mentioned.

Where do you live? I live in New Plymouth.

You mentioned there were three Paraire Lewis's, well as far as I know, grandad Lewis, came to Taranaki from Wairoa. Do u know if the Paraire Lewis u r looking for came to Taranaki? if so, then it has to be the same one, maybe??

Do you have dates, photo's?

Looking forward to hearing from you again.

Cheers.

Kia Ora ,I am keen like you to learn more about the Lewis Family Whakapapa and by the sound of things we are related.Can i be rude and ask a personal question how old are you ? the reason for this is so i can see what age group you are and that way i might see if its my grandmothers grandfather Paraire Lewis? . I live in Woodville with my family , i have been back to Wairoa for the day about 5months ago.
The Lewis Whanau is large they are not small at all.With me doing this has been hard with trying to link the two Lewis family to get my answers and understanding to why i am the the black sheep and these feelings understood.
Anyway keep in contact who know i might be able to help or even get to know each aother as friends.
Cheers

I just read your 1st message to me and not been onto it,you memtion a Wayne Mash who,s grandmother is Ruta Lewis now on my great grandfathers war papers he has a Ruta(Ruth)Lewis as his sista now i am wondering if this could be her? now i have been trying to find her or her records and their parents.If i could have a contact or you could give him my contact.
Ketha Riki 60 Mclean street Woodville, 06 3765984.
Cheers

Kia ora ngatizion,thanks for this info,its interesting how all these dates and David come up ,why i say this is that my greats William David Lewis 1867-1955 and his wife is Heni Ruihi Smith 1885-1965 they had about 12 kids so some of these names are their in need to have a look. Can you give me the site that you got these names.Now your looking for info about Edwards whanau we are related to them plus my sister is a Edwards so i might be able to help and ask around .
Keep in contact a we might be able to help so send me what you have.
Cheers

Hi ngatizion,I would love to see what you have found,Researching this family has been a hard one, what i have worked out i think is that both my greats thats Manapouri Lewis and William David are brothers and their father is William Friday Lewis or known as Tawa Paraire Lewis but not sure on the mother.
Get back to me on your info.

Hello,

My name is Helena Lewis, I done a goggle search for information on my Lewis whanau and came across your page. I am the great grand daughter of Manapouri (Mana Lewis) and Maata Lewis of Te Reinga (this is where I am from), my grandfather is their son Mana Lewis and my grandmother Takutai Moana Pani Duncan (Nee Hiko), she remarried a Duncan, my fathers name is Jerry(Heremaiah) Lewis.
I know limited information myself personally but know that my dad has the whakapapa pertaining to the Lewis generations.
I thought I would make myself known as I have always been interested in the Lewis line from Nuhaka, I know very little of our connection to each other, but know we are one whanau.
Look forward to hearing from you.

Kia Ora Helena, like you I am great granddaughter of Manapouri and Maata Lewis of Te Reinga, my grandmother Mary (lEWIS)Green is your grandfathers sista, I am her oldest granddaughter. As for the Lewis whanau from Nuhaka that's my great grandparents William David and Heni Lewis William is the brother to Manapouri Lewis our great grandfather. I have done a lot of our whakapapa from Wairoa whanau to Taranaki Lewis whanau who are the second whanau to our great-great grandfather Tawi (Toby)Lewis also known as George Lewis I can go on about our whakapapa so I am getting to know both sides.
You can contact me by 063765984 or email me keithariki@hotmail.com give your dad my love use my whanau name(Bunkie) as they don't know me by this name.
Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Kia Ora Keitha,
Ohhh Aunty Mary, yes, I will email you as I live in Brisbane, Australia, if I was able to I would call.
I see where my Uncle Toby got his name from our great-great grandfather, my Uncles name is Toby Tawi Lewis he is deceased now, but that is good to know, I will share this information with my cousins his children. Thank you on the insight with William David I did not realize that was our great grandfathers brother.
I don't hear from my dad often, almost zero to none, but when I make contact with him I will pass that on for you until then I will contact you via email.

Kia ora Henela, thanks for your reply, I am a wee bit like you , I have zero too none contact with my whanau even thou I know them. I have a wee bit more to do with my whanau from Nuhaka and Taranaki Lewis Whanau. As I have done quit a bit of the Lewis Whakapapa from the 1st and 2nd whanau plus my dads side from Nuhaka. I have enjoyed doing this tree as I have found out so much and meet some awesome whanau of ours. Uncle Tapa has email me a few times and so has uncle Jess its only because of they have seen my tree plus I am in contact Manapouri sista moko that they didn't know about. Hopeful it will bring our whanau close one day as we have a large family who don't know where their from or their links (Sad)
Anyway when you got time email me.
Cheers
Keita

** JAMES EDWARD LAWRENCE - your posts re search 'looking for Coe family' interest me because they have added to what I know about my father's (who was fostered in infancy before being adopted aged 10) family. My father was the illegitimate child of birth mother Mary Ann Hercock, daughter of Caroline Eliza Hercock (nee Lawrence), and Granddaughter of William and Mary Anne Lawrence (nee Robinson). Interestingly, in the genealogy research I have had done, William Lawrence's father James (who was married to Caroline Feasey in London) has the surname Larnece, and was born in 1812 in Effingham, Surrey, Scotland. In the records I have the surname is recorded as Lawrence for their son William (who married Mary Anne Robinson).