101 YEARS OF AGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 July 1919, Page 6

101 YEARS OF AGE.

, One of Auckland's early settlers, Mrs. Damaris Brickwood Williams, celebrated ber 101st birthday at her residence, Mullet Point, off Kuwait Island, on Thursday last. Many friends and rela--1 tives attended the function, and Mrs.. ' Williams received many letters and telej grams of congratulation from all parts i. of the Dominion (says the Herald). ■ Mrs. Williams, whose maiden name j; was Millar, was born at St. Germains, k Cornwall, on July 10, 1818, and sailed ■ from England, accompanied by her uncle and aunt, in the ship Victoria in June, t 1849. The following year the party land's ed at the Cornish settlement in New ■_' South Wales. Five years later Miss t Millar was married to Mr. Zachariah i. Williams, a resident of the settlement/ ' Mr. and Mrs. Williams shortly aftcr■t wards left for New Zealand, arriving by r the ship William Denny in eFbruary, " 1855. Four months later the Williams e took up land at Mullet Point. The first night they landed at a point now known as Snell's Beach, and, having no shelter, they slept under the trees on the beach. Mrs. Williams assisted her husband with the building of. the house, and until his 0 death, about 30 years ago, was accus--3 tomed to accompany him on all his duties >' about the farm. Even at 80 years of age r she dug anil prepared n strawberry bed '• and tended the growing plants until the 1 fruit ripened. Mrs. Williams taken an intelligent ini terest in current affairs, and spends x a i great deal of her time knitting and rcad--1 ing. Although she does the finest work, 2 she rarely needs to resort to the use of • spectacles. Each morning she rises at - daybreak, and in the evening retires at • Rusk. She is very active, ana is able to ' walk from room .to room with ease. One i of her prousest boasts is that for 50 years she has not tasted tea. Mrs. Wils Hams lias one son, who resides in AusB tralia, and she is now living with her • adopted daughter, Mrs. E. Dawson. r .