Appo Hocton was born in China, the son of Fook Ting and his wife, Pae See

He left China at about nine years of age and served on various English ships as a cabin-boy and a steward

Appo is 'famous' for being the first Chinese immigrant to New Zealand, arriving in Nelson on the 26th May 1842 on the immigrant ship THOMAS HARRISON where he was a ship's boy.
When the ship berthed in Nelson he and some other crew members jumped ship.
- he said one reason was the captain's refusal to supply soap with which to wash his clothes

He settled in Nelson, married twice and had children, with his descendants numbering over 1600 at the beginning of the millenium
He was a servant, a landlord, a carter, a farmer
By 1849 was working as a carter in Nelson, where he rented a one acre section with a cottage, barn and 10 cattle. Literate, astute and hard-working, he prospered in his business and in 1852 applied for naturalisation in order to acquire and lease real property, which as an alien he was not permitted to do...

Visit his grave at DOVEDALE cemetery, NELSON and read all his stories at the links