DIAMOND WEDDING

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1927, Page 9

DIAMOND WEDDING

(MR AND MRS. F. S. SHEPHERD. EARLY TARANAKI SETTLERS. After a lifetime spent in New Zealand, Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Skevington Shepherd, of Te Atatu, celebrated their diamond wedding yesterday. Mr. fftepherd is in his eighty-second year, and Mrs. Shepherd is 80. They believe they are the first New Zealand-born couple to celebrate such a proud event, states the New Zealand Herald. Mr. Shepherd was born in New Plymouth and is the second son of the late John and Martha Shepherd, perhaps the earliest White settlers in Taranaki. Mrs Shepherd was born at Official Bay, now Mechanics’ Bay, Auckland, and is the daughter of the late William and Suzanne Rowe. When he was four Mr. Shepherd’s family removed to the Auckland province and he has lived here ever since. In 1863 Mr. Shepherd joined the militia and took part in the Maori Wars. When still quite a young man he took part in the rush to the Thames goldfield and after prospecting followed hie occupation as a painter. Mr. Shepherd painted the first hotel at Kaponga for John Henderson. He was one of the first amalgamators of the Caledonia mine, at that time one of the richest workings in the world. After six years at Thames he returned to Auckland and lived in the Mount Eden district for 35 years, later taking up his residence at Te Atatu. ATTACK ON AUCKLAND. A witness of the growth of Auckland for the past 70 years, Mr. Shepherd’s memory is rich with incidents in the early life of the city. With his brother, Mr. H. M. Shepherd, he witnessed the attempt of the Maoris to take Auckland, then a village, in 1851. They were standing on the site now occupied by St. Andrew’s Church, and saw the Maoris fired on by the garrison under the late Colonel Wynyard. When the Maoris discovered they had not surprised the garrison they drew off. Mr. ShephesJ was one of a party of young militia who went to Riverhead to apprehend the Maori murderer of Miss Thompson in--1863. The Maori was arrested and a rising prevented. Mr. Shepherd is one of the oldest Manchester Unity Oddfellows in the Dominion. He joined the order at New Plymouth in 1866, and during his residence at Thames was one of the promoters of the Loyal Waikato Lodge, of which he was the first vice-grand, afterwards passing on to higher office. On settling in Auckland he became associated with the Fountain of Friendship Lodge, in which he has held various offices.

Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd had ten children, nine of whom are alive. The sons ere Mr. W. A. Shepherd, chairman of the. Glen Eden Town Board, Mr. J. F. Shepherd, farmer, of Opunake, Mr. A. J. Shepherd, headmaster of the Thames Central School, Mr. W. V. Shepherd, painter, of Ruawai, Mr. F. M. Shepherd, school teacher, Waiuku, and four daughters.