OBITUARY

Evening Star, Issue 18852, 29 January 1925, Page 2

OBITUARY

AN EARLY SETTLER. Air James Hunter Duckworth, who died in Wellington on January 25 whilst on a visit to the North Island, was born in Edinburgh in 1844, and came out with his parents in the ship Mary. He was five years old the clay he landed in Dimed in--April 12, 1849. Ho received some of his education under Air Hobart Montgomery M'Dowell at First Church, which was also used as a school, and stood where the Standard Insurance Building now is, and he finished up with Air Archibald AT Donald and \V. Somerville at Anderson Bay. When quite a youth he was employee! as stockman on Holmes and Campbell's Tofara Station, near Oamaru. He left there when the gold diggings started at Tuapeka, and went with his father to Waitahuna. From there ho went to the Dunstan and a few of the other rushes. After a time he came hack to Anderson Bay and took up farming. He joined the first Dunedin Naval Company of Volunteers in 1854. and was a good shot with the old Enfield rifle used at that time. He was one cf the early deacons of Anderson Bay Pres byterian Church, acting as clerk to the court for a number of years, when he was ordained as an older, being the oldest member of the session at the time of his death. In 1888 he sold his farm at Anderson Bay and bought some bush land at Highcliff, which he cleared, and went in for dairying and market, gardening. He took a. great interest- in the Public School and was chairman of (he committee for n considerable time. About three years ago his health failed him. a.nd be went to live with his daughter, Airs D. S. (Toodger, of Concord. He was married to the eldest, daughter of the late Thomas (fraimrer. of Shiel Hill Farm, Anderson Bav. IT is wife died four years ago. They had a family of eight, girls and three hoys.