OBITUARY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 16 August 1929, Page 9

OBITUARY.

AIR, RICHARD BURGON. A pioneer settler who came to Okaiawa nearly 50 years ago, Air Richard Burgon died at his home in Hawera yesterday, after a lingering illness, at the age of 86 years. He took up' a rough section of about 240 acres and by hand, and unremitting work transformed i;t into a smiling farm, and held! half this area mi til his death. Bom at Sheffield in 1843, he cam© to the Dominion fifty years ago, and after a short residence at AVellington settled at Okaiawa on thel farm that was to be his home for such a long time. The road on which the property fronts was called after him, Burgon Road. He was all his life a devoted adherent of the Alethodist Church, and was for many years a local preacher. He would; often in the early days ride- to Patea. to take; a Sunday morning service and ride back to Okaiawa, in the afternoon. He was almost solely instrumental _in securing the erection of the Union Church at Okaiawa, -having collected all the funds rebuired. All his life an ardent free-trader, he often conducted controversies on the subject in the columns of the ‘ ‘Hatwera. Star.” , Airs Burgon died last December, and there was no family. Air Burgon has a niece, Airs G. Eyre, who used to 111"© with ’ them some years ago, and she, after being married in England, is now on a. trip to the Dominion. He has two brothers, Isaac (and Chairles, living in Sheffield, but no other relations. . Air and Airs Burgon lived on their farm till a few years ago, when they settled in Nonnanhv, and about two years ago came to live at Hawera!.