Hi, I am a descendant of Captain James Joss from Banff, Scotland who arrived in NZ, ( Stewart Island) c1830-40.
IUm wondering if you are connected somehow?
Jenny Brown ( Nanagram)

Hi Jenny - My Great-Grandfather is indeed Captain James Joss, from Banff, Scotland. I am told he brought his family and a large Jewish community from Scotland to Invercargill in the late 1830's.

His daughter, my Grandmother, Irene Emma Joss, married a merchant seaman, Matatahi Wikiriwhi (known as Mat Whitecliffe), from Maketu, Bay of Plenty and they moved to Wellington and had 6 children - my father Wallace Wilson (5th born). Irene Emma Joss died of Asthma in 1946.

I do not have any other information on the Joss family and would be really excited to learn more.

Kindest regards Mereana Gell (nee Whitecliffe)

Hi Mereana, Im highly intrigued now. My James Alexander Joss was from Banff, was a whaler and lived on Stewart Island. I have a copy of his will dated 1836. He is a man of mystery. He took 2 maori woman as wives and Bishop selwyn told him he would marry one of them to him but not 2! I descend from Kurukuru and she produced only girls, the other woman gave him sons, whose descendants still live on Stewart Island. I discovered he had 2 sons with him when he disppeared presumably his ship "The Rovers Bride" was wrecked somewhere in the Pacific Islands. The sons were stated as being from Scotland in his will, the rest stated as all from NZ. I wonder how we might be connected?? I know my whakapapa is Ngatahu. James Joss has been a puzzle to all of us as to what happened to him or did he have brothers, sisters in Banff.
Kind regards, Jenny Brown, nee Thompson

Hi Mereana and Jenny.my 3x gr grandfather is James Joss.I think we corresponded years ago, Jenny. If either of you have information on our mysterious forebear I would love to share. Sue Saunderson nee Johnston

Hi Sue, Yes we did correspond many many years ago. Im just discovering the data available on the nety, Very exciting. Sad to say I havent been able to verify exactly what happened to James. Did you ever get a copy of his will?
Jenny

Hi Sue and Jenny - wowee what a can of worms lol!! I do believe there are 2 brothers involved here (one saint and one sinner) so to speak..My grandmother was definitely white and scots as were both her parents. I havent got the info as yet on who my Great Grandmother is and am on the hunt because I believe this information will confirm which brother is which.

Jenny - I would definitely be keen to see the will if you have a copy though.
Cheers Mereana

Hi Mereana, I do have a copy of the will and will send you a copy, Just tell me , do you want it photo copied or sent online.
Our James drives me bonkers, just cant seem to get back further. We know he had brothers, ALEXANDER, a coast guard, married Ann....Children, JAMES b. 1827,SCT, Emma, b.1830 Cruden ABD, and Harriet, b. 1832, Newhills KCD, JOHN, was a shipbuilder and shipowner n Hartlepoole, and died, 1877. WALTER, mariner and is said to of died, in or after the Crimean war.
I found details of his James, son David, and found a bpt.18-9-1834 in Sydney for James Bruce, born 15-11-1829. parents James Joss and Mary, Nee Robinson.
I have still to tie them all together. We know Cpt James wife possibly died and he bought 2 sons to Sydney with him. To add to the mystery, I found a mention of Mary Robinson a ex convict. James may of married her to help with his boys while he at sea.
Good story for a book.
Look forward to hearing from you,
Jenny

If anyone is about after two years: There is really quite confusing information above which I would like to clarify if anyone is still working on Capt James Joss of Banff. I do have a copy of his Will dated 15th June 1845 signed in Wellington before he left for Tahiti. I also have copies of the settling of his Will by Charles William Schultz, merchant of Wellington. I am difficulty in deciphering all the Will but am getting there. [ I am descended from his daughter Elizabeth (Betzy, Peti) who married John Willsson. My mother was a Johnston.

Hi there - thank you for seeking to clarify some of the details I havent heard from Jenny about the Will she has but am keen to hear more. cheers Mereana :)

hello Swinneyf, I'm also descended from James Joss, and Kurukuru, through Elizabeth and John, and then Mary , Millicent, and then Raymond who is my granddad.

I'm working at getting a mihi mihi for myself, and the lady that is helping me has suggested using Riverton and the likes... but I feel that Stewart Island is more correct and have been looking for information around where on Stewart Island they were. I think it is the Neck...

Do you have any information on the areas the family were from?

hi my hubby's family desend from the other wife lol, I would love a copy of James joss will, we knew he bought 2 sons out with him, didn't know he had 2 wife's, and the story we have is that when he went to the islands he got in tow with a local woman and was murdered, the bodies of him and his sons were never found

If anyone is still around after all this time, I'm a desendent from James Joss. He is my Great, great, Great Grandfather. You can view his will on Archives New Zealand Archway. It is interesting that I read he had 2 sons prior to coming to New Zealand. I did find a birth for a James Bruce Joss born 18/9/1834 in Sydney NSW, the same name mentioned in his will. The mother of this child was a Mary Robinson, not sure if this is the same child. If I can help anyone or vice versa I'm happy to chat.

Hi Sunrise63 I have some info & am happy to chat.

Hi All working on finding information about James Joss of Banff. I have been researching all I can about James Joss in books on history in Southland, New Zealand and found a few mentions of him sailing between New Zealand and Sydney when he was part of the Whaling Industry in Southland in the 1830s. I have no money so am not able to access ArchivesNZ information but thanks to the Mormons have sighted his will which was very helpful. I am working on writing a book about James Joss and what life was like when he lived for our HISTORY that we are going to teach in our schools. So if anyone has any information that would be useful to me I would be ever so grateful. Because I have no money I cannot get access to the informaiton relating to the settling of his will even though it is our taoka and I believe we should be entitled to free access to it.

Hi All working on finding information about James Joss of Banff. I have been researching all I can about James Joss in books on history in Southland, New Zealand and found a few mentions of him sailing between New Zealand and Sydney when he was part of the Whaling Industry in Southland in the 1830s. I have no money so am not able to access ArchivesNZ information but thanks to the Mormons have sighted his will which was very helpful. I am working on writing a book about James Joss and what life was like when he lived for our HISTORY that we are going to teach in our schools. So if anyone has any information that would be useful to me I would be ever so grateful. Because I have no money I cannot get access to the informaiton relating to the settling of his will even though it is our taoka and I believe we should be entitled to free access to it.

Hi Gellfamily, could you give some more information on your grandmother Irene. Was she born New Zealand? Who was her mother?
When was she born. I have been working on James for years and I have build a tree on him using my DNA to try and match with other Joss family. I need as many names as possible to try and make a connection.

Hi Gellfamily, could you give some more information on your grandmother Irene. Was she born New Zealand? Who was her mother?
When was she born. I have been working on James for years and I have build a tree on him using my DNA to try and match with other Joss family. I need as many names as possible to try and make a connection.

hi happy to share any info i have, just message me.