EARLY WELLINGTONIAN

Otaki Mail, 15 November 1922, Page 3

EARLY WELLINGTONIAN

j THE LATE MR JAMES JONES. 1 The infancy of \\ r ellington is re- ’ called by the death, recorded in our columns 'on Monday, of Mr James Jones, of Motumaoho, Morrinsville, on 1 Sunday, at the age of eighty years." He was one of the earliest of the New Zealand born, having first seen the light at Petone in the year 1842. His mother. Ann Barrow, was the first white woman to land in AVellington, and to achieve that distinction she Jumped from the ship’s side into the surf and made her way ashore. After residing in Wellington for a period

she married Mr William Jones of that settlement, and a family of ten was born to them, James being the oldest. Mr Jones was carried from Wellington to Otaki by his parents, when the only route between those places lay along the beach, there being no roads and no bridges. He knew the whole of the country between those places when it was in its virgin state of bush. He followed various occupations, including farming, butchering, goldmining, etc. Mr Jones was married to Emily Ann Taylor, who is tlie second daughter of the late James Rachel Taylor, of Tawa Flat Wellington, worthy pioneers, whos6 descendants to the fourth and fifth generation are numbered by hundreds. Mrs Jones survives her husband with a family of six daughters and four sons. The late Mr Percy Jones, of Levin, was the eleventh member of the family. The other members of the family are Mr James Jones and Mrs Len. Ingram, of Levin, Mrs J. J. Cole, Pokeno; Mrs T. Chappell, of Tniigawni; Messrs. Allan, Sidney and Eric Jones, and Mesdames H. V. Chapman, It. N. Barlow and J. Robinson, of Morrinsville. There are fifteen grandchildren. Mr and Mrs Jones celebrated their golden wedding at Motumaoho on the 29th of September, 1921. Mr Jones was a very active man and took a very keen interest in many public affairs, and up io a few weeks before his death managed his farm at Motumaoho. The interment took place in the Morrinsville eemeten