DAVID WILSON.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXII, Issue 8258, 26 December 1911, Page 6

DAVID WILSON.

On Saturday evening last, at his residence in Grey Street, there passed away in the person of Mr David Wilson a resident of the County and Borough of 38 years' standing. The late Mr "Wilson arrived in the Dominion,, with Mrs Wilson, by the barque .Victory, in 1857, and they immediately entered the service of the very Rev : . Deaii Jacobs, in , Christchurch, , as a married couple, and with whom- they continued until Mr Wilson, purchased a small;farm at Yaldhurst. Subsequentlyl they removed to a' larger , farm at Brookside, where he carried on the then very laborious work of farming until 1873. The Wakanui district Avas then being opened up and attracted thither by the excellent reports of the land and district, the late Mr Wilson purchased several blocks of land, making his homestead on the farm latterly owned by Mr David Doak and now by Mr William McLean. The late Mr Wilson was a .very enterprising man and speculated largely in rural and town properties, from which he quickly amassed a considerable sum of money. Although of a retiring disposition; and seldom, if ever, appearing in public matters, the deceased gentleman was ever willing to financially assist in any public or charitable matter brought under his notice, and it is only those who shared with him the control of his affairs who knew the extent of his benefactions. During recent years Mr Wilson, when not absent from the Dominion, lived in retirement in the Borough. He never at any time enjoyed robust health, and during recent months he has been mostly confined to his house. The deceased gentleman was a loyal member of the Presbyterian Church- and at various times held offices in: connection with the church management both at Wakanui and j Ashburton. He took a warm and j practical interest in the erection both of,the old and new church and in the erection of the church at Wakanui. Beyond the limits of local affairs all the church schemes have had his warm support from time to time,: and up to the very last he was warmly interested in the welfare of the church, and in every other good cause.