N.Z.’s Firstborn

Northland Age, Volume XVIII, Issue 77, 8 July 1949, Page 3

N.Z.’s Firstborn

FAMILY TREE OF PROOF Following on an article printed in the AGE some time back by courtesy of Mr. W. J. Steed, a letter has been received from Mr. A. O. Warwick of Dunollie, Westland, which states he is surprised that in the letter printed the writer did not mention the commander of the brig “Active” as the forebear of a long line of progeny who helped settle New Zealand, and as being the forefather of the first white child bom in New Zealand. Enclosed in the letter was a copy of a family tree, which goes to show that Hannah Hansen was this child, she being born in 1816, and after marrying a man named Letheridge lived on to a ripe old age, passing away in 1907. The line goes in the following manner : Thomas Hansen, born and married in England, died in Sydney 1837. Arrived in New Zealand in command of brig “Active” in 1814. On this vessel with him were his tw 0 children, Thomas and Hannah. Thomas Hansen later married Elizabeth Atkinson Tollis, settling in the Bay of Islands, where he died on March 4th, 1872. Hannah Hansen married a missionary named Jldhn King, and also settled in the Bay of Islands. Thomas Hansen was the father of 12 children, the first born being Hannah Hansen, who was born in 1816. Of these 12 children, the best known in the North was Harriette, who was born in 1824. Marrying ,S. S. Bowyer, she was the mother of 12 children, the offspring of whom are perpetuated by the incidence of the names of Bowyer, Rose, Yorke and Maddox in the North.