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Rowe Family Research  

 
William ROWE was b: HeleBarton, Devon,  the son of  Matthias ROWE (1780-1835) occ farmer who had mar: 27 Nov 1821 his mother Elizabeth Ann* formerly KING(1788-1850). William was christened 17 OCT 1827 in the Parish of Bickleigh, Devon, England, died 25 APR 1915 aged 61Y at Lepperton, Taranaki, New Zealand. William  was bur: 27 APR 1915 in Huirangi Cemetery, near Waitara, Taranaki - in NZ 61Y???. Surviving issue: M 57, 51, 47, 42, 40 F: 53

William at age 23 mar: at Plymouth, England to Honour Dow (sic) wife, Honor DAW She was born at Newton Mill, Tavistock, Devon, England and bap: 27 JUL 1831 in Tavistock, Devon, England, the daughter of  Isaac Smith DAWE (b. 31 MAR 1797 in Lamerton, Devon, England; occupation miller; he d. 1851 in Tavistock, Devon, England) and Bettsey METTERS  (mar: 25 Aug 1818 at Bere Ferrers, Devon, England (Bettsey was b. 21 APR 1792 in Bere Ferrers, Devon, England and d. 1863 in Plymouth, Devon, England )

Honor d: 6th JUN 1897 at her residence at  Huirangi, Taranaki and was  buried at Huirangi Cemetery. She was survived by sons Matt 44, William 40, Henry 34, Alfred 30, Albert 25, John 22 and daughters Helen (Turnbull  36, Elizabeth 32 and Sarah 27.

Death notice: Rowe - On June 6th at her residence Huirangi, Honnor (sic), the wife of W Rowe. The funeral of the late Mrs Honnor Rowe will leave her late residence for the Huirangi Cemetery at 2pm on Wed Jun 9th  1897. Friends kindly accept this intimation
Plot 66 h/stone reads:  ILMO Honnour the beloved wife of William Rowe died Jun 6th 1897 aged 66 years; Also William Rowe died 25th Apr 1915 aged 88 years. Sarah Rowe died 26 Sep 1901 aged 31 yrs.

 Huirangi Cemetery: Honor was buried 9 Jun 1897, Sarah (their daughter who died in a fire) on 29 Sep 1901 and William on 27 Apr 1915)

Obit: W Rowe to New Plymouth 17 Sep 1853 on Joseph Fletcher??, thought unlikely as obit indicates came via Australia and "made his way to NP"
  
The Taranaki settlers became increasingly aware of the need for shelter from recurrent southerly gales that drove killing salt spray across their orchards, gardens, crops and pastures. From 13 to 16 April 1895 salt spray was carried ‘fully twenty miles inland’ by a great storm, longer and stronger than the oldest inhabitant had known. It left pastures looking as though swept by a tremendous fire, denuded fruit trees of all their leaves, and forced the abandonment of all flower shows on the coast. Other storms in following years forced the settlers to give serious attention to shelter belts. The comparative abilities of various trees and hedge plants to withstand the blast were widely debated. In a long editorial on ‘The Shelter Problem’ the Star (5/6/97) told how Normanby page 146 nurseryman William Rowe had scoured the world in the settlers' interests, and remarked: "So far as is known African box thorn is the best, or rather the least tender, for it does not withstand it altogether. It will, however, continue green on the lea side, and the plants thus have a chance to recuperate".Rowe's global search turned up nothing superior to this plant, which he had been stocking as a farm hedge plant since the early 1880s. The boxthorn hedge has become a ubiquitous feature of the south Taranaki landscape.

Death notice (26 April 1915 : Personal column: "The death occurred on Sunday of Mr William Rowe, of Huirangi. The deceased, who was 88 years of age, was a very old settler. He served in the Maori war, and has resided in this district ever since."

Funeral notice read: "The Funeral of the late William Rowe will leave the residence of William Rowe, jun., Kelly Road, Lepperton on Tuesday April 27 at 2 o'clock for the Huirangi Cemetery. Friends will kindly accept this intimation H Spurdle, Undertaker for Topless Bros, Waitara"

DECEASED PERSON'S estates  William Rowe, £3559

Huirangi Plot 66:  The headstone reads: In Loving Memory Of Honor - the beloved wife of William Rowe died Jun 6th 1897 aged 66 years; Also William Rowe died 25th Apr 1915 aged 88 years. Sarah Rowe died 26 Sep 1901 aged 31 yrs. 

 Their Children:

•  Matthias Rowe  (9 Oct 1852 - 28 Dec 1901)

•  William Rowe (03 Jul 1857 - 11 Aug 1923)

•  Sarah Peeke Rowe (8 Mar 1859 - 11 Mar 1863)

•  Helen Rowe (21 Jun 1861 - 4 May 1917)

•  Henry Rowe (25 Aug 1863 - 6 Dec 1947)

•  Fanny Rowe (25 Aug 1863 - bef. Jun 1897)

•  Elizabeth Rowe (26 Aug 1865 - 20 Jan 1907)

•  Alfred Rowe (21 Jan 1868 - 12 Mar 1941)

•  Sarah Rowe (9 Jul 1870 - 26 Sep 1901)

•  Albert Rowe (16 Mar 1873 - 21 Nov 1949)

•  John Trimble Rowe (22 Mar 1875 - 17 Nov 1956)

•  Hannah Rowe (21 Feb 1877 - 1 Mar 1877)

To learn more visit Lorna's Rowe Family research