OCTOGENARIAN'S DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20797, 13 February 1931, Page 14

OCTOGENARIAN'S DEATH.

MRS. CATHERINE CASSIDY.

AUCKLAND AS BIRTHPLACE. Tho death occurred last evening of Mrs. Catherine Cassidv, in her 89th year. Site had claimed to he the oldest white person horn in Auckland.

Mrs. Cassidy was the daughter of Mr. John Nolan, one of the very first of the Auckland pioneers, and was borri in the city in 1842. Her father attended the first land sale held in Auckland, at which he purchased a section in Queen Street immediately above the present site of Smeeton's warehouse, and this property remained in the hands of his family until quite recent years. On it was erected first a trading establishment, and then a hotel, tho Orpheus, of which, after a period of farming life, Mr. Nolan became the licensee. Four brothers of the deceased, Patrick, Martin, Edward and John Nolan, were the original shareholders of Nolan's Candlelight Claim, one of the most notable mines of the back country of the Thames, in the early days of tho field. Mrs. Cassidy, who has been blind for many years, had lived for a long period with her daughter in Baildon Road, Grey Lynn. Mrs. Cassidy is survived by two sons and four daughters. The 'sons are Mr. Walter Cassidy, of Islington Street, Fonsonby, and Mr. James Cassidy, of Melbourne. The daughters are Mrs. M. Conway, of Takapuna, Mrs. K. Purcell, of Auckland, Mrs. J. Magee, of Grey Lynn, and Miss M. Cassidy. There are ninp grandchildren and two great grandchildren.