JOHN EDWARD THACKER, OF GRAIN'S.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume XXIV, Issue 2062, 16 June 1896, Page 2

JOHN EDWARD THACKER, OF GRAIN'S.

It is with great regret that we record he death of Mr John Edward Thacker,

of Okain's, one of those sturdy pioneers

of Canterbury who turned her waste land

lto a great producing district

These

founders of the province, the •' Pilgrims,".'

as they have been aptly named, were men

of great intelligence and indefatigable perseverance, In their vocabulary there was no such word as defeat. They were

he ribs of the good ship Canterbury,

and thanks to their strength and sound-

neas, a noble structure Ins been raised

No matter what their previous .;vocations

had been they essayed each new task that came to hand—the journalist became a farmer or saw miller, the clerk the bullock driver or tkemerchanti Many were the vicissitudes in the early days, but these men were not easily daunted, and failure in one direction only stirred them to fresh energy in another. Of these ptlgrims, John Edward Thacker was a typical representative, and his death will be heard of with the deepest regret by tlie old companions of his struggles in the early fifties.

Ever since his return from his trip to Ireland foar years ago, Mr Thacker has been in indifferent health, and during the la3t fortnight serious symptoms showed themselves. On Thursday last a consultation was held by Dr. Thos. Guthrie of Lyttelton and Dr. Laing of Akaroa. From that time, however, lie still grew weaker, and on Saturday, at 3 a,m. he peacefully passed away in-his

sleep. Mr Thacker was born in Sligo, Ireland, on May 12th. 1825. He was therefore a little over 71 years of age. His father, of whom he was very proud, was a Quaker, and died when he was eleven years old. His mother was a Miss McKee from the middle of Ireland. He was apprenticed to the printing business, and after serving his time he started a paper on his own account, called the Sligo

Guardian In 1850, being then 25 years of age, he married a Miss Joynt, of Belford, whose father was a Custom House officer, her mother being a Miss Bodkin of Galloway. Shortly after his marriage, there being a great talk of the new settlement in Canterbury, New Zealand, he, with "the advice of his brother, determined to try his tortune in the new country, and came with a great many of the other old settlers in the Sir George

Seymour, one of the first four ships, arriving; in Lyttelton on December 16th f 1850, he and his wife being at the time of his death the only surviving couple who came out in that ship. Shortly after landing, he was put by Me Godley in charge of ihe Canterbury Association Stores, and lived at " Tha Bricks," where he built a wharf, and bought a small vessel called the Elizabeth, and put her in charge of the now-well-known Captain _ M- Clalchie,choused to ' rade with her bet een Lyttelton aud "The Bricks," He had many dealings and always got on well with the native race. He next started a paper, with Mr Wakefield as editor, called tie Christchurch Guardian, using the typeand machinery he had brought with feint from Ireland. He carried on this paper until, the gold fever starting in Australia and his men leaving, he followed their example and went to the diggings, where, not being successful, ho found a more congen'al occupation at a good salary on the staff of one of the Melbourne papers. He then returned to Christchurch, where he openpd a store In Cashel street on the section on which now stands C, W. Turner's buildiugs. Being successful,, he bought a small brig called the Sea SerpeDt, and traded between Wellington and Lyttelton. Seeiug the need of, aud the money to be made, by the introduction of a steamer, he went lo Melbourne ia the Sea Serpent with s cargo of produce, which he sold at a high price, and bought a little steamer called the Alma* she being the firßt New Zealand steamert hat ever entered Lyttelton harbour. After running her about a month, she was one wrecked on the Shag Rock, Sumner, through the Captain being intoxicated.* On account of this great loss Mr Thacker was obliged to sell the Sea Serpent and give up his store, and sought fresh fields of labour on the then denselywooded Peninsula. This was not his first connection with our home he havirg* mads several trips to the Bays in his vessels, taking down- stores which, he-sold to the settlers, from whom.

he bought cargoes of timber tr> take bask to Christchurch. In Okain's

he bought the first fifty acre section for Messrs Fluerty, Mason, Webb and Early, where, it is pleasing to say, may be seen the prosperous homesteads of' Mrs Mason and the two Messrs Ware. Messrs Webb and Early, as Peninsula people know, staitad a saw mill in Laverick's, and Mr Knight now represents Mr Webb. A little higher up the valley Mr Thacker bought his own first section, on which he built a house for himself with the assistance of the late Mr Wm. Gilbert, sen. He afterwards employed many pairs of sawyers, and made good money by fulfilling Government orders. Finding it inconvenient to carry out his work with-

out the aid of a vessel, he made a trip to Hobart where he bought that smart ketch the Alert. In Ihe meantime as he was able, he went on buying land, clearing and stocking it with cattle and sheep, which he bought off Messrs Lelievre, Borieau and Buchanan. Getting a large order for telegraph poles, and not being able to have them cut in time on the Peuiusula, he went again to Hobart, sent several ship loads from there, and brought back the final lot io another vessel the Maid of the Mil], which he had bought there- He employed this *

vessel carrying produce to the new diggings on Ihe West Const, and it was while on trips to Hokitika three of his sons died, the eldest through an accident. Shortly afterwards the Maid ol of the Mill Was lost while being towed •over the lifokitiki bar by the tug Lioness, Captain Whitford. she and her Fall cargo i 'being uninsured. Coming'home, he sold ■the Alert, and it waa during this stage of his life he obtained a grant from the Government and made the road to Akaroa through Robinson's Bay, known ■-as the Old Akaroa r >ad, on which -ssvernl oL-tlie Gilbert family worked for him. He afterwards made tho second road, for which ha got land in payment. Staying at home for a few years improving his property, he received another extensive timber contract from the Government. He went again to Hobart, from which place he supplied it. He bought another yessel, the Jeannette, in 'which he brought back blue gum timber for himselfi He also brought in her thirty purebred Leicester ewes, in lamb, from a well known flock at Launceston, and landed them in Okain's without inspection., for which he was fined £100. From these sheep has been bred his well-known flock, the wool from which always commands a high price. Buying other vessels local'y, he went extensively into the firewood trade, when the reserve being taken off a nice block of timbered land in the valley, he bought it and built a saw-mill, which he carried on for about four years, giving employment to a large number of bands. Over this speculation he lost a considerable sum of money frunning into four figures), the only payable contract he had being the building of the first wharf in Okain's, "for which the mill supplied tho timber. Previous to this he had sold out his large dairy of cattle, and paid more attention to sheep, in which line he has continued 4, "with increasing success. Of la'e years "he has had a considerable portion of his land ploughed, growing turnips and rape, -on which he has fattened large numbers — of sheep and cattle, many of them finding their way to the Home markets. Dur« ing his busy life he has found time to serve the public, being for many years 'Chairman of the Road Board and member of tho County Council, School Com- ♦ mit'tee and Harbour Board, only retiring from the latter within the last two years through failing health. He also assisted -materially at the building of St. John's m- Church at Okain's. He also built the first school and master's house, and the old residents still remember the many thanks they gave him for getting the 'first mail service to the _y. , Mr Thacr. ; feer always took great interest in fruit growing, which he Ims carried on largely **for many years, pticking his first trees over from Akaroa on a bullock, and experiencing great difficulty in doing so, there being no road at that time. **While on the Lyttelton Harbour Board he took great interest in the prosperity of ■the Peninsula dairy farmers, and it is in a great measure due to his unwearied advocacy that the existing cool stores at the Port for the safe storage of cheese -and butler were erected, ihe object of ***this memoir also took a deep interest in politics, and was once a candidate fo; the Akaroa seat in tbe General Assembly. Though unsuccessful, he gained many """friends during the election by his broad views and obvious wish to promote the interests of the electorate. The writer many others will never forget a certain day, now a good many years since, ■when John Edward Thacker rode in to Akaroa ot the head of seventy stalwart horsemen, who came to record their votes Jor the Hon. W. Montgomeryi Many •of these sturdy sons of the soil had not "been in Akaroa for years, but had been occupied in clearing their sections from _c dense bush, maintaining themselves in the meantime on tho proceeds of their herds- His was the first horse erer brought to the bay. It was a mare costing 75 guineas, and her progeny have ■"proved of great merit. On one of these, before the West Coast road was made, and only a rough track existed, Mr Thacker rode to Greymouth from Okain's *in four days ! Ho was also an exceptional walker, and thought nothing of travelling from Okain's to Christchurch -on foot. Mr lhac_tr was a prominent Free Mason, and held an evalted posi" tion in the Order, He was once asked "to succeed the late Dr. Donald as head *«f the Order in Canterbury, but wrs obliged to decline owing to his residence being so far from Christchurch ana _ Lyttelton. Gifted by nature with a big heart and wide views, be was ever known as most hospitable to all classes. Food ■and shelter were refused to none, and his farm was largely improved by the employment of a great number of bands. Seldom indeed did ho refuse any swagger * a job, and many of the men he employed ■were in his service for years, notably Ned White and Charles Holstien, who have now worked, under him for no loss than • & period of twenty-eight yean?. Mr Thacker leaves a widow and grown up v family of four sons and one daughter. His daughter, Miss Agnes Thacker was the first of the pilgrim's children born •after the arrival ef the first four ships. There are also two little grand children * left to mourn his loss. Some four years ago he made a trip to the Old Country to place bis son Henry at the Edinburgh University, where he is now studying _ medicine with considerable distinction. Full of years, he has been gathered to his rest after a long life's work, leaving behind him numerous evidences .of his -energy and intelligence. The.funeral takes place at half past ■*; twelve to-day, and no doubt many friends from all parts of the Peninsula and from! ' Christchurch will be present. The early hour has,been fixed on to enable those ll» who have come from long distances to Tdtarii in comfort to their homes.