OBITUARY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10196, 4 July 1911, Page 1

OBITUARY.

REUBEN WITH ELL. Mr Reuben Wit-hell, a- well known resident and pioneer in the Ellesmere district, died last Tuesday at the age of seventy-four, at his daughter's residence, Waverley, Kaiapoi. He was a native of Yorkshire, England, and came to New Zealand in the ship John Temperlcy, which reached New Zealand on .June 2-1, 1860. Shortly afterwards he settled at Brookside, where he remained until a few r years, ago, when he went to reside with his daughter at the Kaiapoi creamery. He possessed a fine constitution and was strong and active almost to the last, taking- to his bed only nine days before his death. He was intoned in the Church of England cemeterv at Brookside, where his wife was buried in May, 1899. In the early days of the history of Brookside he took an active part in church work among the Wesleyans. He was a man of retiring disposition, eminently religious, manifesting at all times a noble Christian character. Some of his special hobbies in life were fruit-grow-ing, the cultivation of farm seeds and roots and butter-making, and in these things he was often a successful prizetaker at various shows in Canterbury. Tie took a great interest in dairying and was for a great many years a director of the Addington Dairy Company. Ho leaves twenty-six grandchildren and a family of eight surviving sons aud daughters—Mrs John Boag, jun., Pitcairn's, Brookside; Mrs W. Lintott. at the creamery, Waverlev. Kaiapoi: Mrs H. Barker, of Harland, Lneston : Mrs W. Henry, of Geraldine; Mr A. (J. Withell, farmer, Brunswick, Wanganui ; Mr T. R. Withell, Brunswick, Wanganui; Mr H. "Withell, the creamery. Little River ; and Mr C. W. Withell, the schoolhouse, Maynckl.