A PIONEER SETTLER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 806, 2 May 1910, Page 7

A PIONEER SETTLER.

DEATH OF MR. T. KEMPTON.

AN INTERESTING CAREER,

. Another pioneer sottlor has passed away in the person of Mr. Thomas 'Kempton, of Elm Grove,- Greytowrij who died on Friday night.' The deceased came to this Dominion in ! the ship Adelaide, with his parents, in 1840. This is the, same boat as Mr. T. W. M'Konzie, of , Wellington; came out in. Mr. Ivempton lived in Wellington from that date till 1854, when he travelled to the Wairarapa district, which was but. little known in those days. He arrived there on March 23, 1854, and one of his first, actions was to get a spade and turn what he claims to be the first sod in tho- Wairarapa. Recently, in going over his experiences, he said the road at-that time was, formed to the summit of the old Rimutakri. Road, and from thence it - was only a bridle track " to l'eatherston, from whence k. was a poor traok to Greytown. The communication between the Wairarapa and Wellington was abruptly ended for some time ,by the heavyearthquakes of 1855, which brought down the hillsides and blocked the road. Ho drove the first four-bullock dray over tho road on July 7, 1856 with one ton of merchandise onboard! and three weeks later fee second load was driven over. Regarding the old Queen s Wharf, ho claimed ratting the nrst pile for that contract in 1862, but owing to the difficulty of haulage the piles had to be obtained nearer to Weihngton. Among his other experiences he owned for a time the old "Rising Sun at the. south «end of Greytown but in 1860 he left that and took up the'homestead now'owned by him, the ''Elm Grove." and practically, lived there over smoe. . In the . early days he took part in' county work, and later 'in borouch management. His father was the first Mayor of Greytown, and-the deceased was one of the first councillors. As a horticulturalist ■he .was for many years a leading light in the Wairarapa, and kept tho association going by his large number of exhibits. .He wa s ft 6ffirst^ rst traverse the Tarahias, and th©< Natives said he would never oome back again. He used to toll of his experience with the Maoris, ami lio'iv lio gained their confidence,- and oould go out and work where no other pakeha dared go. When Dr. Foatherston came up to the Wairarapa to form a -defence corps, he first consulted the deceased, and there was great, excitement when the first lot of rifles and ammunition reached Greytown. Mr. Kempton was called on to store and protect them till proper arrangements were made. .

, Ho married the eldest daughter of Mr. W. Hodder, who had the Golden I'leece Hotel at the Baiaratahj in the -riy He woe married in Jnne, 1859, and to© i6suo of the marriage sight boys, and eight girls, twelve ?L W • m are sfc ! ll living. There are fifty-six grandchildren, and five greatgrandchildren. At the time of his death h© was 74 years of age, and his wife had predeceased him some three years. •

The deceased had been in bad health for some time, and passed away as statodat n nursing home at Carterton, but will be buried from "Elm Grove," Groytown. in the local oemetery.