Matthias ROWE was b: 09 Oct 1852 in Stoke Damerel, Devon, England, and d: 28 Dec 1901 in Huirangi, Taranaki, NZ. 

Matthias mar; 4 Feb 1882 to Caroline Emma* AUSTIN in New Plymouth, Taranaki (dau: of William AUSTIN and Emma Parker CLINTON) Emma's mother remarried Captain John Gibson and the family left mid 1864 for New Plymouth where he took up his appointment as Harbour Master. with step-dau Emma  (b: 14 Jan 1854 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; bap: 8 Feb 1854) and brothers John 4y and infant son  William Henry.  Their other son died in Melbourne the previous year.

Their marriage certificate reads: 1882 in the District of New Plymouth on Feb 4, Matthias Rowe, 28, laborer (sic) bachelor born Plymouth, England, s/o William Rowe, farmer and Honor Daw married Caroline Emma Austin Gibson, 26 (really 28), spinster, Both resident New Plymouth and signed their names. Wit: Ellen Maria Martin and N Martin Turner (Turner likely his occupation (Emma was b. Melbourne, Victoria, dau: of parents William Austin Gibson, laborer, and Emma Clinton - her step-father was John Gibson. She was bapt: 8 Feb 1854 at Melbourne, Bourke, Victoria and is buried next to her husband Matt's parents, William and Honor Rowe at Huirangi Cemetery)

Matthias was buried in quarry accident (family knowledge). Cause: Stone fell on him. Reported in the newspapers of the time (Hawera & Normanby Star, and Auckland Star) as Matthew Rowe.
Accidents and Fatalities (per Press Association.) New Plymouth, December 28. A man named Matthew Rowe was buried through a fall of stone in a quarry near Waitara".

The Evening Star of 20th Dec reported: "Matthew" (sic) Rowe, of Huirangi, Taranaki, was buried under a large stone and the debris which fell with it, in a gravel pit, on Saturday morning. A large team had to be procured to remove the huge stone which caused the accident. The unfortunate man, who was a widower with a small family, and was the County Council's foreman for Waitara West. His wife was a daughter of Captain Gibson."

Taranaki Herald 30 Dec 1901: Inquest at Huirangi: A coronial inquiry into the circumstances surround the death of Mathew Rowe who was killed by a fall of stone while working in a gravel pit at Huirangi on.Saturday morning was held at the Huirangi Town Hall at 11 am on Sunday. Constable Beattie of Waitara conducted the enquiry.          Thomas Langman, settler in the district deposed he was was working in the gravel pit on Saturday morning, He had just called out a warning to the deceased to look' out for a big stone weighing about 5 tons's when the stone broke away and crushed deceased to the ground. The only part of the deceased visable beneath the stone and debris was one of his arms. Assistance was procured and medical aid also summoned. It was found necessary to hitch a team of bullocks on to the stone to to remove it from the body. There was no life in the body when recovered.The jury returned a verdict that the deceased Mathew Rowe, accidentally met his death under the circumstances described in the evidence.

 After Emma died d: 21 Jan 1899 in Huirangi, Taranaki followed by their father's death in 1901, Matthias and Emma's  3 children became orphans . The  children were separated to be cared for by relations - Harry went to grandparent John Gibson's farm,  Clara to her Uncle Alf Rowe, Honor to her Uncle Henry Rowe at Petone.

Children:

i Henry (Harry) Matthias Rowe b: 29 Feb 1884 Wgtn; Bapt 15 Oct 1884 in Lepperton, Waitara, Taranaki, ( he d: 29 Aug 1960 in Tauranga, BOP)  Harry mar: 1923 to Margaret Jane Phillips (b: 21 Dec 1889 in Launceston, Tasmania; she d: 10 Oct 1924 in Eltham, Taranaki)

Their son Mervyn (Harry) James Rowe (b: 07 Oct 1924 in Eltham, Taranaki; (his mother died 3 days later and he was cared for by maternal grandparents Capt John GIBSON and Emma Parker Austin nee Clinton - Mervyn  mar: Nola Austin and had a boy and girl - he d: 1985)

(*2nd Wife of Henry (Harry) Matthias Rowe: Mar: 1930 to Laura Maude Sanger (b: 09 Jun 1904; School Records School West End New Plymouth; Admission Date 6 Jul 1909, Parent / Guardian Mr E J Sanger, Address
South Rd,Last Day - 18 Jul 1913 Destination Omata - admitted there 4 Jun 1913; She d: 30 Jun 1979 in New Plymouth)

ii Honor Rowe (b: 24 Jul 1886 in Huirangi, Taranaki; School Lepperton (Manutahi) Taranaki, Her birth cert reads: 24 July 1886, Huirangi, Waitara, Honor not present. Father Matthias Rowe, labourer, age 32, born Plymouth England. Married 4Feb 1882, New Plymouth to Caroline Emma Rowe formerly Gibson age 31, born Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Informant Matthias Rowe, father, of Huirangi New Zealand. Registered Waitara 28 Aug 1886. Education: Last School Huirangi; Admission Date 28 Feb 1893, Parent / Guardian Matthew Rowe, Address Lepperton;  Last Day 10 Sep 1901; School Petone Central Admission Date 24 Mar 1902; Last School Lepperton Taranaki, Last Day 4 Sep 1902 -Destination To work; d: 26 Apr 1971 in Huirangi, Taranaki)  Honor Mar: 02 Sep 1908 in Wesleyan Church, Waitara to George Ernest Andrews (b: 12 Jun 1881 in Huirangi; d: 07 Dec 1944 in New Plymouth)

Their children:

a Veta Ellen Andrews (b: 28 Nov 1909 in New Plymouth; d: 02 Aug 1983 in Stratford) Mar: 31 Aug 1933 in Brixton, Taranaki  to Joseph McGregor Hickford (b: 07 Sep 1907 in Waveley, Taranaki; d: 22 Oct 1976 in Stratford)

b Hazel May Andrews (b: 14 Aug 1911 in New Plymouth; d: 21 Apr 1986 in Stratford) Mar: 18 Oct 1933 in Waitara to  Jeffery George Cox (b: 07 Jan 1908 in Normanby, Taranaki; d: 29 Mar 1969 in Waitara)

c Jessie Alice* Andrews (b: 20 Dec 1912 in Waitara; d: 23 Mar 2005 in Poriua, Wgtn) Mar: 30 Oct 1945 in New Plymouth to Leslie Archibald Henderson (b: 11 Mar 1913 in Dunedin; d: 16 Apr 1995 in Clyde, Otago)

d Mary Honor Andrews (b: 23 Jul 1914 in Waitara; d: 20 Nov 2004 in Nth East Valley, Dunedin)

e Grace Emma Andrews (b: 02 Mar 1916 in Waitara; d: 18 Aug 2017 in Somerset Hospital, Paraparaumu 101Y) Mar: 1946 to Bernard Benjamin Kuch (b: 20 May 1905 in Wellington; d: 02 Feb 1978 in Wellington)

f Hilda Muriel Andrews (b: 30 Dec 1917 in Waitara; d: 2010) Mar: 06 Jan 1945 in Waitara to Joseph (Joe) William Allomes (b: 1917 , Taranaki; d: 1962)

g Eva Joyce Andrews (b: 06 Jan 1922 in Waitara; d: 2002) Mar: 1944 to Newton Robert Smith (b: 1923; d: 1957)

iii Clara Elizabeth Rowe (b: 05 Apr 1892 in Huirangi, Taranaki;  Died: 12 May 1980 in Tauranga) mar: 1912 to Charlie Young (b: 1890; d: 1918)