AN OLD IDENTITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2318, 20 August 1921, Page 3

AN OLD IDENTITY.

One of the earliest arrivals in Wellington, Mrs Taylor, widow of the late Captain James Taylor, of Tawa Flat, celebrated her nintyfifth birthday on Tuesday. Mrs Taylor arrived with her parents, Mr and Mrs Hook, by the ship Coromandel, in 1840. She was married in 1844 to Mr James Taylor, the Rev. Watkins, of Wesley Church, Wellington, officiating. The first few years were spent at Taita, Johnsonville, and Pnhnutanui, and in 1851 they, with their young family, started the farm that has for 70 years been a home of hospitality. The family have made homes in the North Island, and the old homestead is occupied by Mrs Taylor, Mr Walter and Miss K. Taylor. Many are the exciting stories told —the clearing of the bush, the difficulties and dangers associated with the unsettled state of the country, setting out before daylight to walk through Khandallah and Kaiwnrra from Tawa Flat h.v way of the old military track to Pipitea, having to carry her baby on her back, and making the purchases and carrying them back, arriving late at night all make the man or woman of to-day marvel at the strength and endurance displayed by the early settlers. To such pioneers the Dominion owes__ more than can he measured. The children of the late Captain and Mrs Taylor, number fourteen, of whom eleven are alive —six sons and five daughters. There are 70 grandchildren, 86 great-grandchild-ren, and four great-great-grand-children. With the members of the family who journeyed to Tawa Flat on Sunday to offer their congratulations to Mrs Taylor, who is wonderfully well for her years, were a number of personal friends, including Sir John and Lady Luke, Mr and Mrs D. G. Clark, Khandallah, Mr and Mrs Hutton, and Miss Me Dormot. The late Captain Taylor, who took part in quelling the Maori trouble.- of that time, was for twelve years a member of the Provincial Council.