Death of Mr and Mrs Stilling

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 84, 3 January 1888, Page 3

Death of Mr and Mrs Stilling

"Within the past 48 hours two of the few remaining pioneer settlers of this province whose arrival dates back to the '40's have passed away, namely, Mr and Mrs Henry Stilling, of the Lower Hutt. The deceased couple, who only survived each other a few hours, arrived in Wellington in 1845, and soon afterwards settled at the Lower Hutt, where they have since resided. Even more than the ordinary share of the trials and vicissitudes that usually befall early arrivals fell to the lot of Mr and Mrs Stilling. They had not long settled in their new home at the Hutt, which at that time was a rough native clearing, when one of Mrs Stilling's sons by her first husband (Mr Raynor) was drowned while crossing the Hutt river, his brother, whose tragic end many years afterwards caused such a sensation in Wellington and who was also in the canoe at the time, escaping, albeit to meet his death in a still more cruel manner. Many of the older residents in the province will remember the murder of Mr — Raynor in the Rangitikei district, aud the arrest trial, conviction, and release of the supposed murderer, for whom a reprieve was from time to time granted, en account of the doubt that existed in the minds of many persons as to his actual guilt. After spending s-jme two or three years in prison, Tricker, the supposed murderer, was finally released, and the real murderer has ever since remained undiscovered. These heavy trials, however, did not crush the indomitable couple, and for many years they retained their full energies, making their home one of the prettiest in the valley, and securing besides a tolerable competency. Mrs Raynor, the wife of Mrs Stilling's married son, her daughters, and other members of the family were present when the old lady and the old gentleman xlied ; Mr Stilling's death occurring on Sunday evening, about 8 o'clock, and Mrs Stilling last evening, at 5. Perhaps no settlers in the district had a larger circle of friends than the deceased, and the news of their demise will be received with general regret. — Post, December 20th.