Death of an Otago PIONEER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 234, 5 September 1883, Page 3

Death of an Otago PIONEER.

One of the oldest New Zealand idpn- " J "lHifci-^fr William Poppelwell, breathed his last, at his residence, the Glen, Ftirfaxr on Wednesday morning, at the i t. * iof 64. Mr Poppelwell arrived at Wellington at the latter end of the year 1841, m the ship Tyn.e, of which he i^wW chief officer* He did not return by that ship, but assumed the command of a vessel trading on the. coast, which occupation he followed for about four years; In 1843 he married Miss M'Lachlfln, who arrived , m Wellington bjr'the ship which brought the second iurvfiy party. Mr Poppelwell brought the first vessel up the Dnnedin Harii:bon She was named the Governor

Hobson, and he was commissioned by her #wners to deliver her to a Native named Toby, but better known as « Bloody Jack," at Black Jack's Point. In 1845, Mr Poppelwell, accompanied by his wife and son, paid a visit Home, taking their passage m the David Maloolm. Among their fellow-passenger's were Oovernbr Fitzroy, acd suite. It was found , impossible to round Cap)e Horn, m consequence of the vast quaritfty oHce, and it was decided to shape a course through the Straits of Magellan. lh« oapCain being ignorant of the .lootHtfi handed over .the .command of -the ship to Governor Fitzroy, who iafely navigated her through. They arrived at the Old, Country just

fix months to a day from the date ot ''tniir departure. After a staj of a couple of years at Home, Mr Poppelf well und family returned to Otago, arriving here on September 23, 1848, by the ship Blundell. During the voyage out he contributed numerous articles to a. manuscript newspaper published on board, copies of which are, we believe, m the Dunedin Museum. After residing about five years m North»£ast Valley, he came to Tckomairiro, and settled upon a farm, which he named Bonwiok, after his father's place at Berwick-upon-Tweed, and resided there until six years ago. It may, be interejting to state that when Mr Poppel'well first came here, there was only one houieon the Tokomairiro plain, that he brought the first dray, into the district, which took nine aays to bring from Duriadin. It had to be got acroßs the Taierii River m sections, v 'the bullocks swimming. , ]Mr Poppelwell years ago took an active part m public matters, but for a long time past he has been confined to his • home through illnesß. He leaves a family of ten, all of whom are grown up, and of whom three daughters and two' sons are married.