Death of Descendant of Marsden

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 284, 30 November 1937, Page 11

Death of Descendant of Marsden

MISS ELIZABETH BETTS. A link with the early days of missionary activity in New Zealand has been removed by the death of Miss Elizabeth Betts, one of the three surviving grand-daughters of the Rev. Samuel Marsden, who was known as “the Apostle of New Zealand.” Miss Betts, who was 88 years of age, died at her home, Wilmington, Gladesville, New South Wales, after a short illness. Miss Betts and her sister, Mrs Blaxland, were the only surviving children of Josiah Betts and his wife, who was formerly Martha Marsden, the young est daughter of the famous missionary, the Rev. S. Marsden. Martha Marsden accompanied her father to New Zealand on his last visit in 1873, and was with him at Parramatta until his death the following year. Martha Marsden’s journal of that visit is in the Mitchell Library. The Betts family was also related to the Marsdens through the marriage of Mary Marsden, another daughter, to Mr John Betts (the brother of Josiah Betts, of Parramatta). Mr and Mrs Josiah Betts settled at Wilmington, near Windsor, on the latter’s original grant, and there several of their children were born. After the death of her husband, Mrs Betts was for many years in charge of the orphan school at Parramatta. Miss Betts was her mother’s companion until her death in 1594.

A keen Marsden enthusiast,. Miss Elizabeth Betts represented her family at the Marsden centenary celebrations at the Bay of Islands in 1914, when she was accompanied by her cousin, Miss Marion Marsden, a daugh ter of Bishop Samuel Edward Marsden, first Bishop of Bathurst, and subsequently assistant Bishop of Gloucester, England. Miss Betts assisted both Archdeacon S. M. Johnstone and Mr Eric Ramsden with their recent books on-the Rev. Samuel Marsden. As recently as last year she wrote a foreword for the latter’s “Marsden and the Missions.”

Throughout her life Miss Betts was keenly interested in the welfare of the Maoris, the race for which her grandfather did so much, and whenever any Maoris visited Sydney they invariably paid her a visit. Princess Te Puea jHerangi, one of the leaders of the race, was among her correspondents, and they had been hoping that they would meet in Sydney next year.