OBITUARY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8163, 24 July 1906, Page 2

OBITUARY.

MRS. TIIOS. JENKINS, OF ELTHAM By tho death, which occurred at Wcstown yesterday, of Mercy, wife of Mr Thomas Jenkins, of liithaui, Taranaki aud the colony loses another loses another from the rapidly thinning rank* of our true pioneers. The deceased lady, although only 03 years of age at the tunc of her death, was preeminently entitled to be honored as a, i old co onist, being cobn'al bo.m. Sixty-six years ago there arrived at Wellmgtm, amongst the curliest 0 the New Zealand Company's settle s Mr John Drake, father of the subject of this notice. Mrs Jenkins was born in Wellington in 1813, and consequently, with her brothers, had seen and experienced all the ups and downs of pioneering life. Coming to Taranaki some thirty-live years ago, she lived for some time in the Patea district, where her brothers were engaged in farming pursuits. She married, in Wellington, 22 years ago, Mr Thos. Jenkins (also colonial born), second son of the liev (?) William Jenkins, a .Methodist Maori missionary, who came out to Nelson m the 10's. Mr and Mrs Jenkins came up to Normauby to reside 21) years ago, engaging ir farming pursuits. During the A.C. days, Mr T. Jenkins was attached to the commissariat dept., his elder brother Mr W. Jotikins, also ofEltham, seeing service as a trooper. • Sibaequcntly Air and Airs Jenkins took up land in the Eltham district, and were the first settlers to settle in that locality. Tlioir names are, naturally, indissalubly asso.dated with, the settlement and progress of that district, where they have been numbered amongst the most successful pioneers and farmers. Kind, hospitable, and God-fearing, the oider settlers especially have ever held the name of Jenkins in high esteem. When the Silvation Army un'urled its banner in Eltham. somo years ag) Mr and Mrs Jenkins were the iir s i' soldiers enrolled, and their support h as ever since been the principal pillar ;„ that organisation in Eltham. So mo ume months ago Mrs Jenkins, who U p till that time had led a most healthy lire, began to oil, and some six month's ago came to reside at Wcstown for medical treatment, but complications supervened and she gradaally sank, without complaint. Site is survived b}' her husband and six of a family, live boys and a girl. All the famiiy are engaged in farming pursers in the Eltham district, with the exception of one son, Lieut. Jenkins, of the staff of the New Plymouth .Salvation Army corps, A sister, Mrs W. Jenkins, of Eltham, is also surviving. Mrs Jenkins was a relative of Mrs B tinbridge, a victim of the Tarawcra eruption. In the lives of all the old pioneers there have been stirring times, many of them long sm<;c historically established, and it is interesting here to recall portion of the life h.story of the early Methodist missionary, William Jenkins, mentioned above, lie saved his life on .1 ho occasion of the W.iirau ii'.issactvby the fortunate (I'or him) jciivuistaicc of bavin;' missed his boat. On that historicil, ill-omened d iv, he was to have need a< intcrp•titer, an I but for his unintentional iibsenoe would certainly have met the fate of hiii compatriots. A few vears later Mr Jenkins went with the" lirst Maori Chiefs who visited England, and accompanied his dusky brethren when they visited Queen Victoria. Haviu-r lived his allotted span, he died at Wangunui, where he was buried. The surving members of his family ' are Messrs William, Thomas and Harry Jenkins (all of Eltham) and a daughter resident m England. The funeral of the lata .Mrs Jenkins takes place at Eltham on Tkursdty afternoon.