Romance of a Legacy.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7806, 26 April 1905, Page 3

Romance of a Legacy.

Or—— NEW ZEALANPER COMES IN FOR A FORTUNE. BETWEEN £30,000 AND £40,000. AN INTERESTING LIFE STORY On Saturday night Ohristchurch Truth published a paragraph from an American paper, stating that "after a search of 12 years, James Travis of Flushing, Long Island, has been located in Australia. Twelve vears ago a wealthy relative of the family died, and willed James 90,000 dollars. The legacy ho will receive hut almost doubled in value." It nowapp.ears that James Travis is one of the oldest colonists in New Zealand. He is 72 years of age. He lives with his wife in Olago.and goes by the name of James Alexander Wilson. He has H children (seven sons and four daughters), 25 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. One of Mr Travis' sons, who heard of the family's windfall first from the newspaper paragraph, told a repro--sentative of Truth the story of his father's life in outline. It seems thut Mr Travis' father died when he was fluite a child, and his mother married a Mr Wilson in 1852. When .18 or 19 years of age young Travis, who was of a roving disposition, a trait inherited from his father, a sea captain, ran away from his home in New York, joined the barque Maria, and arrived at the Hay of Islands in that whip. He deserted her, and was slowed away in the back blocks by jn old Krcnch settler. After the vessel had pulled out, Travis made his way to Auckland,,and nuirried there. The couple settled in the Hay of Jsh lands, and went through the'exciting and troublous times with the Maoris. "During that time." said Truth's informant, "they frequently had lo keep the candle on the floor so that the natives should not shoot at the light. My father still has marks of a wound in his knee, where he was fired at. On ifchat occasion my mother had to use the gun herself to keep the natives back. She beat off from 35 to 30 Maoris. My father used at that time to' trade between Australia and New Zealand,with cargoes of salt beef. There were then no wharves at the Hay of Islands, and on one occasion, when the cutter of which my father was flkipper broke loose, he swa.rn out to sea to catch her. If.i he had failed in his attempt he would never have reached the shore afive." After the Maori war Mr and Mrs Travis left the Hay of Islands and settled in the North-cast Valley, on ! the old Fort Road, Dumtlin. ' For fdme years Mr Travis used to saw I timber in the old pit-saw fashion in the bush. About 18 years ago he startiid business as a land agent, and six years later he retireJ, having prosixjred considerably. About six years ago he was the lioro of an incident off St. Clair, Duncrtin, when he volunteered on a yvry rough day to skipper a lifeboat and go out to look top a young girl who was missing, and was supposed (o be on the cliffs or rpeks. In thp crew that volunteered to accompany him he discoWrd a very old accpiaintancc of his whaling days on the Maria. Although over 72 Mr Travis is very active. Ho is an adept with the gun, and still joins his sons' camping parties. The family arc all very flsußica.l, and. well-known in brake * it -i , ft*<to»' -^•■Tifti I '-r.rn..,i mi ;■ -

band circles. The legacy, amounting now to between £35,000 and £40,000, has naturally caused much excitement amongst the family, all the members of which are doing well. "You see," said one son to the writ- ! er, "we knew the dad was- an -American, ,ind when he used to tell us about his early days and about his rich relations we put it down to his American tales, and took no account ; of what he said, but only laughed and winked at one another."