OBITUARY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 284, 30 November 1931, Page 11

OBITUARY.

JOHN ADAMS. Mr John Adams, sen., who died at the residence of his son, Mr William Adams, Dunsandel, at the age of ninety, eight, was probably the oldest man in the Ellesmere district. He had lived in the Killinchy-Dunsandel district continuously for sixty-five years, and was a fine example of the pioneer settlers. Born in Riffesban, County Down, Ireland, from which district Ellesmere received many of its early settlers, he and his wife decided to strike out for themselves in a new land, when Mr Adams was about thirty-two years of

age. They made the voyage to New Zealand, which occupied 106 days, in the ship Eastern Empire, landing at Lyttelton on January 5, 1865. After spending about a year in Christchurch they removed to Killinchy, where Mr ' Adams took up a section of land from 1 the Crown. In those days, there were • few properly formed roads, but the 1 land which Mr Adams first occupied ‘ now has a frontage to the SouthbridgeDunsandel road, and is situated on the J Dunsandel side of what is still known as M’Kee’s farm. Some years later Mr ■ Adams acquired the farm now held by • the Bilbrough family, near Dunsandel. In course of time he disposed of that • property, and acquired another near ' the Hesterton run, where he remained up to the time of his death, his son

? having taken over the farm a number i of years ago. For some time the late t Mr Adams combined with his fanning r operations road contracting work for 1 the old Ellesmere Road Board, during the time the late Mr W. G. Lunn was 5 clerk and surveyor to that body. Apart » from serving on school committees, Mr I Adams did not manifest a liking for . public life. 5 Mrs Adams died on July 6, 1906, and i of a family of seven, four sons survive, r They are/Messrs John Adams (Hawera), r Samuel Adams (Killinchy), William . Adams (Dunsandel), and Alex. Adams b (Lowcliffe). There are twenty-nine r grandchildren, twenty-seven greatl grandchildren, and one great-great* t grandchild.