OBITUARY.

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 52, 25 November 1929, Page 4

OBITUARY.

MRS. E. A. HENDERSON. Mrs. Elizabeth Aune Henderson, whose death occurred recently, was one of the early pioneers. She arrived with her parents in the ship Blundell at Dunedin in 1848, and was thus one of the original party of Scottish settlers who chartered five ships and arrived in Otago in the summer of 1848 to found the new settlement. Only two of the pioneers who arrived on this vessel now’ survive. Mr. William Poppelwell, her father, made a home for himself and family in the North-East Valley at Dunedin, where the present botanical gardens are situated. Some four years later he bought land at 'l'okoinairiro, and after building a homestead, started farming in that district. The old homestead was situated on the I'okoinairiro River, two miles from the present town of Milton, and it was here that Mrs. Henderson spent her early life. Part of the bld homestead, which was called “Sunwick,” after Mr. Poppelwell’s family estate in Scotland, is still standing, and has been preserved with a small piece of land as a monument of the pioneering days. Mrs. Henderson came to Wellington in 1861 for educational purposes, and remained eight years in the Hill Street Convent. She then returned to Otago, and was married at the age of twenty-five to Mr. James Alex. Henderson, who was the youngest son of the well-known Aberdeen family of that name. Forty years later she moved to Wellington, where she resided ever since.

Before her marriage Mrs. Henderson was a noted horsewoman, and her active and vigorous constitution served her until within a few days of her death. Mrs. Henderson was a member of both the Otago and Wellington Old Identities’ Associations and her connection with Wellington dates back to 1840. Her mother, whose maiden name was McLachlan, arrived with her parents by the ship Blenheim in 1840, and her father. Mr. William Poppelwell, by an earlier vessel. Mr. Poppelwell was engaged in trading round the coast as captain of various vessels until married in 1843 at Wellington, and, with his wife, took a trip to Scotland, where Sirs. Henderson was born near Berwiek-on-Tweed. Later in 1848 they returned to New Zealand, landing in Otago. Mrs. Henderson was the eldest member of her father’s family, nnd.is survived by five brothers. Mr. William Poppelwell (Dunedin), Messrs. John, David and Sebastian Poppelwell (Hastings), and Mr. Dugald Poppelwell (Gore), and three sisters—Madame Monkman-Demp-ster (Wellington), Mrs. Mansford (Melbourne) and Miss Annie Poppelwell. She is also survived by her children, Miss K. Henderson and Messrs. G. M. Henderson, A. S. Henderson and D. 0. Henderson (Wellington). J. P. Henderson (Auckland), C. C, Henderson (Dunedin) and H. D. Henderson (Christchurch), and ten grandchildren. Her husband, Mr. J. A. Henderson, predeceased her by some thirty years. » * »