OBITUARY

Evening Star, Issue 21785, 30 July 1934, Page 8

OBITUARY

MR JOHN EDGAR An old and very-niuch-respected member of the Otago Early Settlers’ Association—Mr John Edgar, of Tapanui—died on Saturday. He was born at Langham, Ayrshire, in 1841, went to Victoria as a lad, there gained experience on bis uncle’s station, and came from Melbourne to Port Chalmers by the steamer Omeo, that trip being undertaken in 1861. His first employment in New Zealand was on the station of Mr John Anderson, at Waiwera. When the rush to Gabriel’s Gully took place Mr Edgar decided to leave his work as a shepherd and become a carrier to the. miners in the Tuapeka district. With a bullock team which be obtained from Ins employer, he carted general supplies from Port Molynoux over the rough country to Waitabuna and Gabriel’s Gully. When the excitement of the rush died down Mr Edgar returned to the station life, and for a time was employed as a shepherd on Dalyey’s station at Tapanui, of which Mr Anderson then had a grazing lease, and when that station was thrown open for close settlement he took up a block of 300 acres on the Tapanui flat, a property that under the name of Burnfoot became one of the finest farms in-the district. On it Mr Edgar raised well-known flocks of Romney sheep and a herd of Ayrshire cattle. About twenty years ago. he retired and thenceforward lived in Tapanui. Mr Edgar was a member of the local school committee and of the Tapapui A. and P. Society, at whose show he was a well-known exhibitor, and he worked consistently for the Presbyterian Church, of which he was made an elder when but twenty-three years of age. He married Miss Eliza Dickinson, who died in 1920. The five surviving sons are Messrs J. D. Edgar (Tapanui), A. D. Edgar (St. Kilda). D. D> Edgar (“Burnfoot”), G. T. Edgar (Dun, edin), and Dr R. W. Edgar (Port Chalmers). The daughters are M es dames Robert Mackie (Gore), 11. Howat (St. Kilda), and G. Howat (Tapanui). The eldest son, Mr James Edgar, died four years ago.