History of a Pioneer Family
SHORT HISTORY OF A PIONEER FAMILY
THE FOUNDER OF THE FAMILY: LIFE AND LEGENDS
(Copyright to this article belongs to K & B Moore to whom we are indebted for being able to re-produce its contents.)
James Strange Mucklejohn was born at Leith, Scotland, on January 1st, 1807. Still in existence is his Journal of Voyages containing the logs of voyages he made between 1829 and 1831. Also in this book are copies of letters, time sheets of the Shipyard in Prince Edward Island (1831 to 1856) and other items. There are two books of the log of the Brigantine “Union” which he and his family built and in which they voyaged around the world for two years before they settled at Big Omaha, North Auckland. All entries from these sources are certainly authentic but there are also a number of other stories handed down in the family which are worth the telling but for which due allowance must be made for the possible inaccuracies due to the lapse of ninety or 100 years.
James Strange Mucklejohn was one of four siblings to a second marriage. When he was old enough he was apprenticed to the shipbuilding trade at the Leith shipbuilding yards. While working on a clipper ship, the “City of Edinburgh”, one of the workmen broke a leadlight that was being fitted on the deck just above the cabin. The Captain, who was supervising the job, was very angry. Turning to the youth (J.S.M.) he said, “The boy here could make a better job of it than that” and he ordered him to put the heavy glass in place. James put a thick layer of cloth on the glass and drove it home; a perfect fit. The Captain praised James, and said, “If ever you wish to go to sea, come with me”. When the “City of Edinburgh” sailed on her maiden voyage J.S.M. was aboard. Passing through the Straits of Malacca near Singapore, Malay prahus were sighted and the crew armed to resist a possible attack by pirates. When the skipper ordered the boatswain to pick out the twelve best men to be given guns, this lad of seventeen was given the last musket. The other members of the crew were armed with pikes and cutlasses. Luckily a strong wind blew up and the ship was soon beyond the reach of attack. On his return to Leith James was seized and made to finish his apprenticeship. Later he went to sea and worked his way up to be a Master Mariner.
On a voyage to Callao as second mate J.S.M. quarreled with his skipper who refused to discharge him or even let him go ashore. He was determined to get away and as some fishing boats were passing he held up a silver dollar in the air to one boat. He could speak no Spanish and the boat passed on, but near dusk one of the returning boats kept tacking off and on near the ship instead of going on to the landing place. Just after dusk the boat bumped against the ships bobstay and J.S .M. clambered aboard. The fisherman landed him at the wharf and he gave him his last coins. He walked about the streets or sat on the steps of the Consulate all night. In the morning his skipper came ashore to see the Consul and there was a quarrel in the Consul’s office. Calling J .S.M. “a mutinous dog” the skipper refused to pay him off. The Consul, after hearing both sides of the story, insisted that the Captain should give him his proper discharge and pay him off with Spanish gold pieces or silver dollars.
At Callao J.S.M. fell ill and spent some time in hospital. Here he was visited by a Spanish priest who spoke a little English. The priest questioned him about some religious pictures on the walls and when he recognised the Virgin Mary and some of the Saints the priest was very pleased. Every day the good Father brought fruit or called for a brief chat with the Bueno Christiano.
One day he brought with him an Irish priest who promptly told the Spaniard that his good Christian was a “damned heretic”. The Spaniard never came again. When James had quite recovered he was able to get a ship back to England. These stories, of course, are all ones that have been handed down in the family, but in the “Journal of Voyages” we have the logs of several of his journeys.
There are the tattered scraps of a voyage towards New York in the “Roger Stewart” and then comes the log of the “Highland Lad” from St. Johns towards London. James Mucklejohn, Chief Mate. August 26th, 1828. Evidently the “Highland Lad” was not very seaworthy as in a number of entries we find “Ship making a great deal of water”.
Sept. 5th 1828. Caught 190 dolphins and one shark. People employed cleaning the fish taken. Sunday, Sept. 7th. Spoke the ship “Easy” of London from London to Jamaica. Monday Sept. 8th. In company with a West Indiaman. Thursday Sept. 11th. Showed colours to a ship on our leeboard quarter. At 6 spoke the
“Friends or Glasgow” for St. John. Six sail in sight. Saturday Sept. 13th. Captain and second mate still off duty. Sunday Sept. 14th. Spoke the “Lydia” Captain Foster from Liverpool out 19 days. Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th Sept. A storm began to blow up. “Ship very laboursome and making a great deal of water.” By midnight on Thursday there were strong gales and it was very squally. Split the mainsail and stove in the starboard bulwarks. On Sunday 21st Sept. at 2 a.m. the starboard maintopsheet gave way. Tuesday 23rd Sept. Ship making an extraordinary amount of water. All possible sail set. Wednesday 24th Sept. All possible sail set. Can hardly leave the pumps to take a meal of victuals. By Saturday 27th Sept. the weather had settled but “Captain and second mate still off duty badly……” Could the blank be intoxicated I wonder? Ship making a great deal of water; about 2′ per hour. In company with an Indiaman.
Wednesday Oct. 1st. The Isle of Wight bearing North. Thursday Oct. 2nd. Received on board a pilot, Mr. Charles Greig. At noon Sunday 5th Oct. Moored ship to the Commercial Dock buoys in fine fair weather. Sent a letter home. Wednesday 8th Oct. went up to London and saw my uncle. Discharged all the people. Sent a letter home. J.S.M. seems to have lived on the ship doing small carpentry jobs and keeping the ship pumped.
Sunday Oct.12th. Pumped ship at 38″. Went up to London after dinner where I fell in with Temple McKie and a great many other acquaintances. Tuesday Oct. 14th. Pumped ship at 48”. About 4 o’clock one of the European men fell off the quarter deck and was nearly drowned. The lumpers began to load the timber today. Received 200 of 12d nails and 100 of plate ditto. Pumped ship in the evening 41″.
Saturday Oct. 18th. Employed in making a waste board coiling the cables below. Sent all the old junk ashore. The lumpers were all discharged so she was jerked. So ends the day.
Sunday Oct. 19th. Fine clear weather. Pumped the ship. Went up to London and stopped all day. Came down in the evening. So ends the day. Monday Oct. 20th. Went up to London to the WELLINGTON SMACK and got a jar of whisky which by accident was broken on the road down to the ship. Thursday Oct. 23rd. Got five niggers and five of the Nathaniels people to assist in transporting the ship. Dropped down to the gun dockways, moored, washed decks and pumped ship. At night went down to look for the leak. Saw some slight tears on the larboard side. Heard a considerable run on the other side but could not see where it came from owing to the ship listing over that way. So ends the day.
The next entry in the Journal of Voyages is a voyage on the Brig “Rachel” London Dock.
January 16th, 1829. Joined the Brig “Rachel” lying in London Docks. Employed in discharging and taking in cargo. Monday Jan. 26th. Entered on my station as mate this day. Tuesday 27th, Jan. Took in 20 h.heads of sugar, 11 bales cinnamon and three other packages. Other cargo taken on board during the next week included 47 bags coffee, 11 bundles of whalebone, 620 bundles of iron hoops, 25 hogs h. sugar, 27 bags coffee and 1 hose, 1 bale indigo. Stores received were: 2 sacks potatoes, 5 barrels bread, 1 ditto flour, 1 bushel peas, 1 barrel pork, 4 jars oil, canvas sail needles, carpenters stores, paint, spare topsail. William Robb, and John Irvine, seamen employed. Filled the water casks. Saturday 7th Feb. Took on board the pilot and dropped down to BlackWall. Monday Feb. 9th. Dry cold weather. Got under weigh down the river. Put the Customs officer ashore at Gravesend at half past 11. This days work ends at 12 o’clock to commence the sea log. Friday 11th Feb. Calm weather. Thick fog. Broached a barrel of bread and one of pork. 2 sail in sight. Weather after this became squally and by Friday 20th Feb. Very heavy sea. Ship labouring much and shipping a great deal of water over all. Monday 23rd Feb. Strong Gale. Ship rolling. At six the trisail sheet gave way. The boom took charge of the quarter deck for some time. Upset the skylight. At 8 hove the ship to under close reefed topsail. At 9 bore away. Friday Mar. 6th. Cape St. Vincent N. distant about 4 or 5 leagues. Spoke the schooner “Surprise” from Malta towards Cardiff. Broached a cask of water. Tuesday Mar 10th. Cape de Gette N.W. Pan Pedro N.E. Broached a barrel of beef containing 31 pieces. Tuesday Mar. 17th. Came to an anchor in the Mole mouth with 60 fathoms cable. Got a pilot.
Laying in Genoa Mole.
Friday 20th March. Began to discharge cargo. Received a bullock.’ Salted him. Sunday no work was done. Went ashore to the town.
Monday 30th March. Employed discharging cargo. Repacking beef. Made a pickle for it. So ends the day. The discharging was held up for some days for lack of ballast. Friday 10th April. Fine warm weather. People employed in taking in 9 loads of ballast each 6 tons. Discharged a number of sugar hogs heads. Saturday 11th April. Received 1 load of ballast. Discharged the remainder of the cargo. Second mate off duty through intoxication and using very mutinous language. Sunday April 12th. Being Sunday no duty was done. Second mate ashore contrary to orders. During the next fortnight the crew were employed cleaning up and painting the ship with the carpenter, (J.S.M.) repairing mouldings dubbing the after peak, repairing the range knees and other necessary work.
Monday 21st April. Preparing for sea. Received on board 3 bags of bread, 1 of rice, 1 jar pump oil, 1 keg lamp oil, 1 bag potatoes. Thursday April 30th. Got underway for Cette. A boat and six hands employed. Friday 1st May. At 8 picked up a boat and four oars and broke her up for firewood.
Monday May 4th. A storm began to blow up. All sail close reefed. At 5 gale increasing hove ship to. Ship was struck with a heavy sea which shifted the ballast. Wore ship to trim her. Got all spare ropes, spare sails spars etc. and stanchioned it down. Midnight. Ditto wind and weather. By daylight it was more moderate and all necessary sail was set. At noon got a pilot for Cette where they dropped anchor at 7 next morning. Here they discharged their ballast and took on cargo. Saturday May 9th. Employed taking in cargo. Second mate off duty through intoxication. A man employed in his room for the half day. Sunday May 10th. John Irvine, seaman, denied his duty and was very insolent. Got two gendarmes and took him to prison. So ends the day. Monday May 11th. Employed taking in cargo. Viz 70 pipes of wine. A man employed in the room of John Irvine (who returned to duty next day). The next week was spent in taking in cargo also received 2 sacks potatoes and two jars oil. Saturday May 16th. George Main Prize (second mate) was off duty again through intoxication. A man was employed in his room. By Wednesday 20th May they were evidently getting ready for sea. People employed filling water casks and stowing it away. Dried sails. Received 2 barrels beef and 1 pork. So ends the day. Thursday 21st May. Employed filling water and stowing it away.
Took in the long boat. Unrigged the derr crane. Received 2 new water casks and 1 hogs head wine for the ships use. Friday 22nd May. People employed about the rigging and getting the ship ready for sea. Received 3 1/2 bags bread, 1 of flour, 1 of peas. Daylight Saturday, 23rd Mar. Unmoored the ship and got under weigh. This log contains 12 hours to commence the sea log.
Brig “Rachel” Thomas Smith Commander from Cette towards Rio.
They had good sailing weather with occasional squalls for the next two weeks. On Tuesday June 2nd spoke the “Brig Carl”, which left Cette 16 days before us. Sunday June 7th. Strong winds and squally. Standing off and on in the Bay of Gibralter. Monday June 8th. At 4 standing off and on. At 9 came to an anchor in 7 fathoms. At 4 got under weigh and stood out of the Bay. At 8 was obliged to return to the Bay. Tuesday 9th June. The wind veered round N.E. Bore away for the Gatt. On Monday June 15th. At 6 the N .E. end of the Grand Canary. N.W.W. distant 11 or 12 miles from which I take my departure. Thursday 18th June. Broached one barrel of beef and 1 of pork and 1 puncheon of water. People employed making a lead and log line. Carpenter (J.S.M.) putting diamonds on the quarter board. Nineteen days of variable sailing weather followed this. Sometimes fair and calm and sometimes squally, carrying away sails etc. Tuesday 7th July People employed repairing the two trysails etc. One sail in sight. This day the operation of shaving those that had not crossed the equator was performed. Thursday 10th July. Squally weather again. Ship labouring very much and making water. Pumped her as required. The storm lasted until Wednesday 15th when it was again moderate and clear. All possible sail set. Friday 17th July. Spoke a French Brig from Rio towards Marinesco out 14 days. Tuesday 28th July. At daylight Sugar Loaf Hill Rio Janeiro N.W.N. One sail in sight. Wednesday 29th July. At 4 passed the Sugar Loaf Hill. At 5 came to anchor in 13 fathoms water. 40 fathoms cable. Furled sails and cleared the decks.
Harbour Log lying in Rio.
Friday 31st July. Ran up to the inner harbour, moored ship and made all ready for discharging cargo. Tuesday 4th August. Still discharging cargo. Viz 70 pipes of wine. George Main Prize off duty again with intoxication. Fell overboard and was with difficulty saved, not being observed until he was sinking.
Wednesday 5th Aug. Discharged 80 pipes of wine. George Main Prize off duty as above. Thursday 6th August. Employed scraping barnacles off the bottom. Saturday August 8th. Got 2 hands off the brig “Nameless” and 4 blacks from the shore. Finished discharging cargo. (Here there is one page missing.)
Tuesday August 26th. William Robb not having returned considered to have made a final desertion. Thursday 27th August. George Main Prize and John taken badly. . . . . . Carpenter repairing forecastle bulkhead. Monday 31st August. Employed about the rigging, taking in ballast and other necessary work. G.M. Prize off duty from intoxication. Thursday 3rd September. Received 12 bags bread, 1 barrel flour.
Saturday 5th Sept. Employed taking in ballast. Received 1 tarce of beef and 1 barrel of pork, 2 coils rope, 1 bolt canvas, some duck, 2 bags salt, 4 hampers smelt…………. 2 kegs paint, 3 jars oil, ½ hide pump leather, 1 keg coal…… Mr. James Davis seaman employed. Monday Sept. 7th. At 1 p.m. Got under weigh and rought down the harbour. Came to in 15 fathoms water. Received some junk and other small stores. Tuesday 8th Sept. Fresh winds and heavy squalls. Preparing the ship for sea service. Thursday 10th Sept.
At daylight got under weigh and made sail for Parengua. A week of varied weather. On Thursday 17th Sept. At 8 shortened sail for daylight. Noon got within the entrance. At 2 hove to at the Fort. Got off soldier running off. Got a pilot 6:30. Got aground and could not get off owing to falling tide. Tuesday 22nd Sept. Discharging ballast. Monday 28th Sept. Took in cargo. 30 screens matic. (Webster’s Dictionary describes matic as “Peruvian”, a drug from a South American plant of the pepper family having styptic properties.) Loading this cargo took until Friday 23rd Oct. People employed wooding and watering etc. Saturday 24th Oct. Received 6 bags bread, pitch etc. Employed securing the water long boat and making ready for sea… Received 44 Ibs. of fresh beef and cabin stores. So ends the day. Monday 26th Oct. Got under weigh came off Discoperra Island at 5 came to inside of the bar in 7 fathoms. Furled sails etc.
Brig “Rachel” Thomas Smith Commander.
From Parengua towards Val Paraiso.
The ship struck varied weather for some time and on Friday 13th Nov. spoke the Brig “Emelia” 75 days from New York towards Val Paraiso. Monday 23rd Nov. Gale increasing, handed the main topsail. Hove her to. Shipping water over all. Tuesday 24th Nov. Light winds and heavy sea. Broached one tarce of beef 42 pieces. At 8 out all reefs. Employed repairing the third topsail etc. Thursday 3rd Dec. Bore ship to the Eastward. Saw the land off Tera del Fuego to the Southward. Friday 4th Dec. Ran through the “Straits of Le Maire. Saturday 5th Dec. Noon Cape Horn N.W. Monday 7th Dec. Spoke transport N22 from Val Paraiso to Rio de Janeiro. A storm was encountered from Wednesday16th to Tuesday, 22nd December, but had calmed down by Sunday 27th December. (Here a number of pages are missing from the journal of voyages and the next entry occupies a full page in copperplate writing.)
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE FROM LEITH TOWARDS PICTOU AND QUEBEC
IN THE BARQUE “INDUSTRY OF DUNDEE”
KEPT BY JAMES MUCKLEJOHN CARPENTER AND SECOND MATE, 1831.
Friday June. 24th 1831. Employed in getting the ships stores on board. At 11 p.m. cast off from the quay and hove out of the harbour. At came to in Leith Roads. Saturday June 25th. Turned up the firth. Moored aboard the quay at St. Davids. Sunday 26th June. Got on board the ships beef and 15 fathoms chain cable. Tuesday 28th June. Ran down the firth. Thursday 30th June. Employed turning in shore at 8 came off to Arbroath. Got off the ships canvas and some other stores. (Here there is a long gap until Wednesday 27th July.) Saturday 30th July. Broached 1 barrel beef 53 pieces. Carpenter caulking decks. A week of good weather with light breezes. Child died which buried next day at noon. August 1st. Sail in sight standing to the Eastward. Sunday 15th Aug. One sail in sight standing Westward. Saturday. Aug. 20th. At 8 light airs and cloudy. People employed in sundries. Carpenter making a rail for the f.p. At 8 broke the studding sails. At 7 squalls. In T.G. sail and stowed jib. The winds veered round to the Westward with a tremendous squall. Stowed f. topsail foresail and mainsail. Close reefed top sail and mizzen. 6 sails in sight. Noon heavy squalls. Tuesday 23rd August. Spoke the “Good Agreement” Nth Shields for Rusibuctoo. Wednesday 24th Aug. 1 sail in sight. Tuesday 30th August. Spoke the “Tallant” of Boston bound for Cowes. Wednesday 31 August. At six passed schooner on the Great Bank of Newfoundland. 1 sail in sight. Sunday 4th Sept. Spoke the “True Briton” Irvine for Quebec. Out 27 days. All well. Fog. Tuesday 6th Sept. Saw the land bearing from N.N.W. to N.E. by N. 3 sails in sight. Wednesday 7th Sept. 7 sails in sight. Noon saw Briton Island N.W. Saturday 10th Sept. At 8 East Point Prince Edward Island W.N.W. distant about 20 miles.
Here the log breaks off but the story goes that the ship was carrying Scottish immigrants to Nova Scotia and James Mucklejohn fell in love with Catherine Mustard, an immigrant girl of mixed Huguenot and Highland blood. The Captain of the ship drank so heavily that he became incapable of performing his duties and J.S.M. took charge and navigated his ship into the nearest harbour. Both officers sent their stories to the owners but as the Captain was a relation and an owners pet, J.S.M. was dismissed. Another version of the story is that J.S.M. deserted his ship, but whichever version is the correct one, Catherine certainly went with him as the following entry in the family bible shows.
Marriage. James Strange Mucklejohn, born at Leith, Scotland, on January 1st 1807, to Catherine Mustard, born at Nigg, Scotland, November 5th, 1805. At Pictou, Nova Scotia on 27th September, 1831.
It is said that after he had paid the parson, he had only 1/6 in his pocket and he took a position in a general store. The queerest order he had to fulfill was for goose yokes. He had no idea what to look for but, on inquiry found them to be small wooden frames to fit over the neck of a goose to prevent it from forcing its way into a garden.
The issue of this marriage was seven sons.
James Garfield Meiklejohn, 1832 to 1898.
John Meiklejohn, 1834 to 1902.
Alexander Meiklejohn, 1836 to 1868.
William Meiklejohn, 1837 to 1898.
Robert Meiklejohn, 1838 to 1861.
Lemuel Meiklejohn, 1845 to 1864.
Septimus Meiklejohn, 1847 to 1911.
the name changed from Mucklejohn to Meiklejohn in the early 1860’s.
After a while J.S.M. thought he would like to get work at his own trade of shipbuilding, so he went to Prince Edward Island where he obtained work at the shipyard of Lemuel Owens at Charlottetown. Later he was foreman for Lemuel Owen at Cardigan. When he decided to set up on his own account he went to Georgetown but the other builders put every obstacle in his way and he had difficulty in obtaining supplies. Not to be beaten, he wrote to Andrew Wilson of Liverpool, a ship owner he had previously worked for, stating his case and this man backed him, giving him an order for a ship and guaranteeing him supplies. Following is a copy of an old letter drafted into the journal, which from this time on seems to have been used for various things from time sheets in the shipyard, to household accounts.
Lot 52,
Prince Edward Island
October 20th 1837
To Mr James Malcomb,
Merchant St. Johns,
Nova Scotia.
Sir,
As you proposed I waited on Messrs. Mackay of Georgetown. They would be well satisfied to make the advances required to build the vessel as they have a deal of debts out in the river I intend to build upon which could be turned into labour on the vessel. They have wrote more fully themselves on the subject. As it will be mostly goods or as stated above it would be out of my power to do justice to you at any, sum less than 4 pounds Nova Scotian currency, per ton and being my first, I would not make an inferior article as upon my first depends my future success. The place I have selected is on Grand River on Cornell Stewart. Land deed is good and my purchase will be registered so that everything may be on a sure foundation. As there has been no vessel built on this place, it would be a place of importance to any man of capital, there being timber in abundance. The toptimber, water, topsides, knee and stern part. The floors and knavells hardwood. You may depend on her being of the best in the Island. There follows a list of the ironware required and then – out and ins of the boats are to be coppered. Send the nails any week. I begin to cut the timber, so I hope you will be satisfied. Please to write by return of post and you will oblige.
Your obedient servant,
J.S.M.
Georgetown, 25th Oct. 1837.
To Mr. Peter Stewart,
I have went over the land you have for sale on the Grand River. The lower hundred will not answer my purpose. The upper hundred will answer for a shipyard but it is cut in three by the inlet of a river, which, and the want of fine wood, it being covered with nothing but spruce longers render it unfit for a farm of quality. I will give you, £40 for the whole of it or £25 for the 50 acres on the North side of the MacDonalds or £5 for the lease of two acres 10 or 5 years to be paid in advance all the buildings to be left standing. The want of two acres will not hurt the sale of it as a farm, on the contrary, the buildings will enhance the value of it as I must begin somewhere the season being in advance. Your answer by return of post will oblige.
Your obedient servant, J.S.M.
October 4th.
Direct to Mrs. McKay and Co.
Contracted with Peter MacKinnon to make sawpit. He to get 120 shares in consideration of 50/- to find himself while doing same.
The first vessel built in Prince Edward Island was the “Success” and the journal contains a number of time sheets and also store accounts. By the accounts in different names it would seem as if they had a store of their own attached to the shipyard. Evidently J.S.M. was engaged in farming as a sideline to the shipbuilding as a store order for 175 Ibs. of grass seed shows. To bear out this theory there is a copy of an agreement made in June 1848,
Agreement made and entered into this 20th day of June 1848 between James S. Mucklejohn and Alexander Johnstone, the said A. Johnstone agrees to serve the said J. Mucklejohn till his crop is safely harvested and in the consideration of the sum of 40/- per month 17/- in cash and the remaining 23/- in store goods.
Time sheets commencing in 1853 show that his sons James John, Alex, William and Robert were working in the shipyard. In the family bible there is an inscription. “To Mrs Mucklejohn with Sir Alexander Bannerman’s best respects. Govt. House, June 3rd, 1854.” Sir Alexander Bannerman was Governor until 1854 so he must have made the presentation just before he left the Island – but there is no record of why the presentation took place. The time sheets of the shipyard for that date show that J.S.M. did not work on that day but James and John each worked all day, Alex ¼ day and Robert ½ of a day.
Stories Handed Down.
After launching the brig “Success”, local jealousy prevented him from getting a cargo for Liverpool, but he succeeded in getting one for Belfast in Ireland. On arrival there he paid off his crew and sent word to Mr Wilson of Liverpool, he staying on board himself as caretaker. After some weeks he saw a shore boat coming off which rowed round the ship. Presently a man came on board and made a number of enquiries. He asked J.S.M. who owned the ship and he told him that Mr. Wilson of Liverpool did. The man then revealed that he was Mr. Wilson and was so pleased with the ship that he promised that he would continue to back the builder.
One night when J.S.M. was returning from Georgetown by river as the ice was strong enough to bear a horse and sledge he was trying to take a short cut from point to point, when he always declared that he saw his mother (long since dead) catch the horses bridle and lead it towards the shore. He arrived home safely and in the morning he saw that all the centre ice had been broken away and if he had gone straight up the river he would have certainly been drowned.
J.S.M. continued to build ships and sail them to be sold and after 24 years on the Island, when his sons were mostly grown men, he made up his mind to build a brigantine called the “Union” and voyage around the world picking up a cargo in one port, and carrying it to where it was needed.
The “Union” was launched at Prince Edward. Island on 22nd May 1856 and sailed on June 24th for Belfast with a cargo of deals. All the family were on the ship except John who was engaged to a P.E.I. girl named Cordelia Alley. When J.S.M. decided to sail to sea, John refused to accompany him so his father inveigled him on board by asking his help in sailing the ship down the harbour. On arriving at the mouth of the harbour John asked to be taken ashore but James refused to do so. John immediately jumped overboard and swam a mile through bitterly cold water covered with broken ice to reach the shore.
Charlotte Alley was a descendant of the ancient Douglas Clan so prominent in Scottish history. She was one of twelve children and could remember huge tablecloths woven with the insignia of Douglass Hall, folded in four to make them small enough to fit a table set for the family of fourteen.
They were married on July 3rd 1856 at Cardigan, P.E.I. and later came to New Zealand in the ship “Sevilla” in 1861, settling near the rest of the family near Big Omaha. The issue of this marriage was ten children, five boys and five girls, namely, Bertha 1857, Vida 1859, Heber 1861, Eva 1863, Milton 1865, Isabel and Alexandrina, twins, 1867, Alex 1870, William 1873, Edgar 1875.
Following are some extracts from the log of the brigantine “Union”, James Mucklejohn, Master. Cardiff to Alicante, Sept. 4th to Sept. 24th, 1856. The ship had fine weather all the way and at Alicante was ordered to remain in quarantine for three days. Monday 29th Sept. Got pilot on board and made sail for the Mole. Got all ready for discharging coal. Eight days later on Tuesday 8th Oct. Finished discharging coal. Employed washing the hold and getting ready for taking on a cargo of wine. Wednesday Oct. 9th. Commenced taking in a cargo of wine for Rio de Janeiro. (At Alicante the boys saw a bullfight and later some very tough meat was taken aboard the “Union” and the family decided it must have come from the bull they had seen killed. J.S.M. asked the wine merchant at Alicante for a cask of wine for the use of the crew as a guarantee against the cargo being broached. The merchant told him that he did not mind giving him the wine but that it was no guarantee that the cargo would not be broached. J.S.M. however, knowing the crew, assured him that it would be. When the ship reached Rio the casks were found to be bulging so much that they decided that it would be unsafe to handle them, so Jim, the carpenter of the family, bored holes in the worst ones and drew off enough wine for the voyage home, using the coopers trick of driving a square peg into a round hole, he disguised the fact that the casks had been broached so well that the South American consignee gave them a receipt for the cargo with a report to the effect that it was the only cargo he had received in perfect order and unbroached.)
But, to go back to the logbook. They were unloading wine until October 17th. Took in the last of the cargo. Employed the remainder of the day getting water and the long boat on board. Casks lashed. Got potatoes, onions and other vegetables on board for sea stock. Cargo 241 pipes of wine, 25 half casks, and 33 quarter casks. Sunday 19th Oct. Made all sail for Rio. Several sails in sight. Wednesday 29th Oct. Saw the Grand Canary south 3 Miles. Made all sail. Caught a dolphin. Thursday 13th Oct. Got bread up to air it. Eight brigs in Sight. Broached second cask of water. Saturday Nov 1st. All hands taking physic. Two sails in sight. Tuesday Nov 4th. Caught a skip jack. Six flying fish. Sunday Nov 16th. Squally with heavy rain. Filled the water casks. Caught a shark. Monday November 17th. Bread on deck to air it. From here there were three weeks of good sailing weather. Most days there seem to have been sail in sight. Some of the cargo came adrift but was secured. On Tuesday December 9th. Moored ship. Captain went on shore to enter the ship at the Custom house. Delivered to Custom house officer three quarter casks of wine and a sample box. It took a week to discharge the cargo of wine. Friday December 19th. Hauled alongside the brig “Seafoam”, of New York, and made fast to receive a cargo of salt. December 24th. The last of the salt came on board Thursday December 25th. Being Christmas Day no more work was done than was considered necessary. Judging by the unevenness of the writing, which runs in all directions over the page of the log, Christmas must have been celebrated in the time honoured manner. Got all ready for transporting ship to the American barque “George” to receive balance of salt. Friday 26th December. Hauled up to the barque pointed out as the barque “George” and found there was no vessel of that name in port. (There must have been, some mistake made during the Christmas celebration.) Had to pull round the harbour and found the barque “George Warren” with salt. Sunday December 28th. Water tank came alongside and filled 3 water puncheons. Monday 29th. December. Completed cargo. Thursday January 1st. Made sail for Montevideo. Monday January 5th. Hot sultry weather. Caught a shark and two dolphin. 19 lbs. Passed ship “Rebecca”. Wednesday January 11th. Anchored in Montevideo. Was put under quarantine for two days. Got fresh beef and vegetables from the shore. Got clothes, bedding and bread up to air. Saturday January 17th. Some hands on liberty horse-back riding. (While lying in Montevideo harbour Alexander taught the two young boys, Lemuel and Septimus, to swim and the elder boys hired horses and went riding in the country. Jim, the eldest boy, went off for a gallop and was arrested by gendarmes. At the court he could speak no Spanish and the magistrate no English so he was fined and released and being given back his horse rejoined his brothers. )
Discharging the salt took until Saturday 31 st January. Employed filling empty water casks setting up rigging and other necessary jobs getting ready for sea. Tuesday February 3rd. Made sail for Pasa (up the river). The “Union” sailed up the river Plate until Monday February 9th. Anchored in Passendrew. Wednesday February 11th. Discharged two boatloads of salt and received one lighter of bones. They took in thousands of pounds of bones and tubs of bone-ash. Monday 23rdFeb. Made sail down river. Tuesday 24th Feb. Proceeded 8 miles down the river. Calm and was obliged to anchor to keep the ship from drifting inshore.
Shot an eagle, some small birds and pigeons. Friday Feb.27th. Took on more boneash and bones. Wednesday March 11th. Employed washing ship inside and out. No cargo came this day. Some hands got wood. Got bread up to air it. Sunday March 15th. Made sail down the river Plate to Eribesco to complete cargo. Anchored in the River to wait for daylight.
————————-
This entry completes one log-book and the next one commences on Tuesday March 31st, 1857. Montevideo towards Liverpool.
Made sail for Liverpool. Bad weather was encountered almost at once and on Saturday April 4th, gale most terrific. Was struck in the stern with a heavy sea. Stove in bulwarks, binnacle glasses and filled the cabin with water damaging provisions. No cooking this day. Sunday April 5th. Laying to under balance. Stove in bulwarks on the port side. Got hawser out ahead with tub attached to keep ship more to the wind. At 8 p.m. gale was tremendous and seas ditto, breaking all over. 8 a.m. gale moderating.
Noon. Strong gales with a strong cross sea running. Monday April 6th. Ship labouring awfully. Was obliged to take in the mainsail, the ship being completely buried in water. Tuesday April 7th. Weather more moderate, and by noon next day strong breezes and fine weather. Out reef in mainsail. Wednesday April 8th. Made all sail. During this storm, the boys were battened below but Catherine, who acted as ship’s cook, refused to stay below decks. When her husband remonstrated she said, “What is good enough for you is good enough for me, so J.S.M. lashed her to the mainmast and himself to the wheel and they faced the storm until the weather moderated. (At least that is the way the story goes.)
Until Thursday April 23rd the weather was variable and squally with a high sea. The people during this period were employed repairing the damage done during the storm. At five spoke the ship “Providence” from Rio de Janeiro for Plymouth 23 days out. Wednesday 29th April. Spoke “Danube” 27 days out for Liverpool from Rio Grande. A brig and a three-masted schooner in sight. After this came a few weeks of fair weather with no ships to be seen until Thursday June 4th. Saw the island of Flores bearing N.E, about 15 miles. They were in company with a brig (Danish) for two days and on Monday June 8th spoke the barque “Lord William” of Swansea, 58 days from Sierra Leone for Plymouth. From this time on they were on the tracks of the shipping again and many sails were seen. Wednesday June17th 1857. Passed the Bell Buoy. Hoisted quarantine flag. Anchors and cables ready.
This ends the second of the log-books still in existence. The last port of call in England was Liverpool where they bought for £25 the gold watch and locket and also goods suitable for setting up a home in the new world, including a mahogany table and chest still owned by members of the family.
While lying in Cape Town Harbour, J.S.M. made the acquaintance of Sir George Grey who recommended New Zealand as a country to settle in and presented him with an old revolver of the muzzle-loading type. The “Union” proceeded to Mauritius to load a cargo of sugar for Brisbane, Queensland. From Brisbane to Sydney where the “Union” was sold, thus ending a series of unique voyages. The “Union” was wrecked on the Kaipara bar on her first voyage for the new owner. The Meiklejohn family came from Sydney to Auckland in the barque “Sybil” a ship which they felt compared very unfavourably with their speedy little brigantine the “Union”.
They spent some months in Auckland, where the younger members received some schooling, and eventually they received an offer of a grant of a thousand acres of Government land at Big Omaha for the sum of £500. On inspecting the property the presence of a small salt water creek touching the boundary of the property made them decide to take it. “If we don’t like it we can always build another ship and sail away.” They built a two storey home of the Canadian type and called it “Unionville”. A ship-yard was started and a number of boats built there. After John and his family rejoined them, they built (in partnership with a George Spenser) the first flat-bottomed scows in New Zealand. Ships built by the Meiklejohns were: – “Pioneer”, “Ruby”, “Caroline”, “Victoria”, “Excelsior”, “Success”, “Rapid”, “Queen “, “Argo”, “Bluebell”, “Day Dawn” (the small model of which can be seen in the Old Colonists Museum, Auckland), “Hauturu”, “Hinemoa”, “Lake Michigan”, “Lagoon”, “Roma”, “Ruakaka”, “Twilight”, “Zior”.
Catherine disliked housework and brought an orphan girl with her from Auckland to help her. The girl afterwards became Mrs. Alex Campbell of Matakana. One day when Catherine was walking through the heavy bush on the property she came to a creek which she could not cross. Deciding to retrace her steps she struck out away from the river only to be faced with another one. Each time she walked from the river she came to another one until she began to think that the fairies must have bewitched her. After wandering about for a couple of hours, she eventually found the narrow neck of the point on to which she had wandered. This piece of land is still called the Enchanted Point.
Two shipyards were put into use at Big Omaha, the upper yard at the head of the creek by the salt water and the lower yard where the Meiklejohns first landed. Kauri trees were cut down with axes and then cross-cut into logs and rolled to the saw pits. These were dug out and side logs put in place. Cross pieces were put on these. At first all the timber was sawn by hand, but later James Junior started up a saw mill in a corner of the flat (Hill Paddock) Roseville. Two of the boys became master mariners. William who had charge of different ships in the foreign trade and Alexander who had command of a number of scows and schooners, including the “Rapid”.
Tragedy struck twice at the Meiklejohn family during these years. In 1861 the twenty-three year old Robert was struck by a falling tree and killed, and in 1864 the sixth son, Lemuel, was drowned in the wreck of the Rapid. This vessel, built by the Meiklejohns, had to be launched in a hurry at night, as the Maoris from the Waikato camping on Tamahu had threatened to burn her. Her maiden voyage was to Mercury Bay to load sawn timber for Auckland. Lemuel begged to go to sea again but was only allowed to do so in Sandy’s charge. This is Captain Alexander’s report of the tragedy.
“The schooner “Rapid” from Mercury Bay, loaded with timber, with nine souls on board was running under Cape Colville with a heavy northerly gale under close reefed canvas and was taken about with a south west squall about 10 o’clock. I called all hands to save ship, the squall being so heavy that it laid the vessel on her beam ends and she filled in the forecastle cabin. Mr. Paget, who was in the cabin, did not turn out and was instantly drowned. The sea broke clean over the vessel as she….. Mr. McFadden and a Portugese by the name of Jo were swept overboard two hours later and were not again seen. All the next day the wind continued to blow from the South West. About 12 o’clock another man was washed overboard suffering from cold and wet and hunger and not being able to hold on any longer. This was within ten miles of the Little Barrier. It still continued to blow heavily on Monday night. At 8 o’clock on Tuesday, Lemuel Meiklejohn was swept overboard (the story has it that three times he was swept away and three times Sandy brought him back, but the last time he was seen no more). Towards evening the wind hauled more to the Westward and drifted us toward the Great Barrier. We attempted to make sail but failed, the wind still increasing. Towards one o’clock there were four rents in the rigging and we were drawing towards the rocks. At 2 o’clock we came to the rocks. The Captain swam ashore with a line, leaving the end on board and by so doing a passenger named William McWilliams was hauled on shore by it and saved. John Francis who attempted to swim failed but was assisted by the rope. Robert Clark was drowned in the attempt. The Captain went on and left the other two who were speechless on the rocks and got a native whaleboat and men and went down and got the other two men who were almost exhausted. We were taken up to Mr. Harding’s house and kindly entertained. The schooner “Swallow” being in harbour, her crew and a crew of natives went down and cleared the wreck and towed it into Whangaparaoa.
Alex Meiklejohn.”
In a letter written to William, who was at this time back at Prince Edward Island having a ship built to his own specifications, John, after describing how the tragedy happened, goes on to say…….. “Alex, being in charge of the vessel left everything there, the two men being unable to follow him. He crawled bare-footed nearly five miles where he had some idea there was a house, to seek assistance. He got a native boat and sent them after the two men which soon got alright. Not far from there he got a vessel close the “Rapid”, pumped her out and on Sunday night he arrived here in appearance a perfect wreck. Lost his boat, one anchor, coppers, galley and some of the running rigging. In fact everything that could go, his quadrant, spyglass, watch and charts completely spoiled. Both my parents took the event very much to heart. They would not hear of Alex going to sea again and we fitted her up here and brought her to Auckland. We had made up our minds to keep this vessel some time but after this we concluded to sell it if we could get the price. When she went up Alex was offered within £50 of the price put on her from a young man that did not like her as he said she would have a bad name after this accident. “Well,” said Alex, “I have met with a misfortune but to show it is not the vessel’s fault, I intend to make her a good name”. He came down to Omaha for a load of timber, went up and sold her next day for £800, £75 more than the price put on her. She is now lying in this harbour, the property of another man. She is 32 tons. We have one nearly double her size on the yard ready for planking.”
It is said that on his way home from the wreck, Alex called into Delia and John’s house wondering how he could break the news to his mother and father that Lemuel had been lost. When he finally reached home, his father cursed him for coming home without his brother. Sandy never went to sea again or entered the shipyard but took up farming until his death four years later.
On December 25th 1862, James, the eldest son, was married to Anna Maria Goldsworthy by the Rev. Robert McKinney. She was the third daughter of John and Elizabeth Goldsworthy of Mullet Point, Auckland, New Zealand. There were no children for thirteen years, then after they had both been in bed with measles for a fortnight they had four children in five and a half years. Issue of this marriage: Robert James Strange Meiklejohn 1876, Ernest Wilfred Meiklejohn 1877, Bernice Mabel Richards Meiklejohn (married William Buckley) 1879, Percy Vivian Garfield Meiklejohn. Anna Goldsworthy was born at Parnell, Auckland in 1841.
Her parents had arrived in the ship “Bolton” 540 tons which arrived in Wellington on April 18th, 1839.
They came to Auckland in a small schooner four months before the birth of Anna and her father helped to build the first Government House. Her earliest recollections were of the wonderful beaches of the Great Barrier where her father was working in a copper mine. Early one morning, the settlers there were surprised by several war canoes whose warriors made themselves a comfortable camp, taking whatever they fancied from the settlers. One of them held a tomahawk to the head of Elizabeth Goldsworthy, while his companion took the thatched roof from off her house. Another came to the clothesline and proceeded to take the clothes off, but this was too much for Anna’s mother who rushed out and pulled a man’s shirt from the native’s hand. They all thought she would be killed but he only made off with what he had and did her no harm. There were friendly Maoris at the other end of the Island and Anna became very friendly with them, learning their language and one day getting into great trouble for taking her small brother and going to spend the day with them. Later when she was living in Auckland again, she and a cousin woke up early in the morning hearing most terrifying sounds. They heard afterwards that it was the first steamship to visit New Zealand. During this period, her eldest sister was married and Alma had the thrill of being a bridesmaid. It was a very elegant wedding. The bride wore orange and blue shot silk, white satin bonnet with a feather in the side and a beautiful white silk shawl with coloured flowers and a deep fringe. The two bridesmaids wore tucked book muslin, capes to match trimmed with white watered ribbon, white stockings and low patent leather shoes laced across the ankle with black ribbons. The men wore white waistcoats, morning coats and bell toppers (presumably trousers as well!!!). They walked in couples from Parnell to Hobson Street to the old St. Matthews Church where they were married.
Soon after this Anna’s mother died and the family moved to a farm at Mullet Point. Her second sister, Mary Ann, who was engaged to be married to James Gribble, left home soon after this and Anna was left to keep house for her father and six brothers, the youngest only four years old. Hardships were many. Corn had to be ground by hand and so did all the sewing including the men’s suits. A formidable task for a fifteen year old girl. Anna stayed with the family until they were all well grown and until she met her fate at a Presbyterian soiree in the person of James Meiklejohn. He determined then and there he was going to marry her but how to get to know her was the first problem. He found another young bachelor who knew the family and they walked eighteen miles to pay the first visit. He pretended that he was looking for ships timber and made such a good impression on the father that he was invited to come again, which he did, rewarding John Goldsworthy by carrying off his daughter. At this time John and Cordelia were living at Hillside, Big Omaha, and James and Anna built themselves a two storied house of the Canadian type and called it “Roseville”.
At Big Omaha Anna saw a good deal of the Maoris. There was a pah a few miles along the coast and being able to talk the language, Annie was in great demand as an interpreter. A year or so after this marriage, the families at Big Omaha had a frightening experience. Here is an account of it taken from “The Gael Fares Forth” by Neil McKenzie.
“The Omaha settlers had a special adventure of their own with the Maoris. This incident is described in Rev. J. Butlers ‘Forty Year in N.Z.’ In the course of the Waikato Wars many prisoners were taken. Sir George Grey proposed to send the prisoners to the Island of Kawau, his own private property about thirty miles from Auckland. They had been there just six weeks when news was brought to Auckland that they had made their escape and gone no one knew whither. Left without a guard, they utilised an old canoe, paddled themselves across to the mainland and planted themselves on the top of a circular hill at Omaha “Mount
Tamahunga” in the midst of a district of small farmers. By some means they obtained a supply of arms and food. The neighbouring natives must have given them these. The Governor tried to coax them back and sent several officers to them, but they were not to be taken. To use force would have been to risk a war in the North and expose the settlers to danger. At last the Governor said they could return to the Waikato but they refused to move until they had eaten their Christmas dinner. In the end they broke up their party and went each unto his own company. This incursion struck terror into the hearts of the settlers who had no means of knowing the intentions of the Maoris. Mrs. John Meiklejohn was alone with her three little children in a cottage fronting the Big Omaha harbour when about fifty Maoris landed. Imagine the state of alarm when these warriors walked up to her house and the relief when they only asked for a drink of water and then went away.”
When the Maoris arrived at Big Omaha, James junior and Anna were puzzled to see figures moving along the skyline of the surrounding hills and felt very uneasy. Next morning war cries rang through the valley and the rebels trouped passed only a few chains from their house. James Strange Meiklejohn resolved to sell his life dearly. He armed the family with guns he had brought from P.E. I. – a fine single barreled fowling piece, a double barreled shotgun, an old cavalry carbine and sabre to go with it, his own revolver and a pair of neat pocket pistols. He secured a quantity of blasting powder and began a tunnel under “Unionville” the idea being that if attacked and outnumbered one of the sons would blow up the house as the rest of the family escaped by the tunnel. The tunnel was never finished but its trap door and yawning black mouth were of fearful delight to young grandchildren on their visits to the home. Soon the rebels began to come around asking for food. They had plenty of money and brought handfuls of gold to the settlers wanting to buy flour. Food supplies for months ahead were always kept at the shipyard and all that could be spared was sold to the Maoris who were starving. They even sold fowl food and seed potatoes and sent to the flour mill at Warkworth for supplies of food. Cattle and sheep began to disappear and gardens were robbed but the friendly local Maoris helped the settlers all they could and when told of the robberies, the rebel chief made a round of inspection valuing the damage and paying for what his men had eaten. In time the settlers began to get friendly with the rebels. On one occasion John and a botanist friend, Professor Kirk, visited the pah on top of the mountain. They got past the sentries but when they arrived at the pah itself there was great excitement. Everyone was talking. The Maoris did not like the intrusion of a stranger, taking him for an army officer, and things began to look ugly. The visitors scrambled on to a large stump not knowing when a tomahawk might be used, but the wife of the local chief came to the rescue and with a wave of her hand and one word obtained silence, and led the visitors into a whare and explained who they were and their business to the rebel chief.
On another Jim and John with Anna and Delia paid a visit to the pah one Sunday, taking their lunch with them. They were challenged at the gate by a sentry but when Anna explained in Maori who they were and that they had only come to pay a friend1y visit, they were admitted. They were received with great ceremony the chief shaking hands with them and giving a lengthy speech of welcome. Next the women, with about a dozen children, brought mats for them to sit on, and boiled hot water for them to make tea. When they had refreshed themselves they were invited to attend church. The Maoris rang a bell which James recognised as one that had been on one of his father’s bullocks which had mysteriously disappeared a few weeks earlier. They began their service by praying for everyone including their enemies and then sang a hymn. Knowing the language, Anna could follow the service perfectly. Immediately after the Maoris left Tamahu, their whares were burnt and Jim was held responsible. The Maoris danced a haka around his house and demanded “utu” but finally left, taking with them a chest of clothes which Jim and Annie had hidden by the creek for safety. However these were all eventually returned except for one dress which one old woman refused to part with. It was this incident which precipitated the launching of the “Rapid” at night.
William Meiklejohn was a very weatherwise captain and when he was about to leave port all the other captains followed his movements. He had left an Irish girl behind him in P.E.I. who had written to say that her God would be his God, but when he went back to the Island and saw her again, he changed his mind and remained a bachelor all his life. He was a good judge of a ship and refused to sail a bad one, but he thought New Zealand ships would never be as good as the Island ones. He had one built to his own specifications there called the “Lone Star”, but she seemed to be an unlucky ship and was wrecked several times. On one occasion he had to work his passage home from Cape Town. Once in Capetown he insisted on climbing the Table Mountain against everyone else’s advice and almost lost his life.
Sandy Meiklejohn was a gentle kindly man of huge stature with a long golden beard. A Viking of a man. He was very fond of children and used to toss his wee niece Eva high up into the air asking her if she could see London. After his death in 1868 the father and mother (James Strange and Catherine) went to live at Hillside while John and Cordelia with their increasing family moved to Unionville. When Jim and Anna went to the goldfields for a few years, J.S.M. and Catherine lived at Roseville, afterwards buying a house in Edinburgh Street, Auckland. After the death of James Strange and his burial under Grafton Bridge this house was sold and Catherine came, back to live at Fern Glen with William, now a retired sea captain.
James Strange Mucklejohn was a very pig headed man, and when the County Council wanted to put a road through his property, to Leigh, he refused to allow them to do so, as he would not have any man on his property whom he could not order if he so desired. Later when he had to consent to this indignity, he made them put the road where he wished it to go, right past his house, which accounts for the awkward corner in the road at the present Big Omaha Valley crossroads. His granddaughter, Eva, a daughter of John, also used to tell this story. The Meiklejohn men were all very strongminded, and I remember that father was once plowing the little corner paddock at Unionville. Grandfather, who was living at Roseville at this time, and who had ideas that this little piece of the farm, should be left in its natural state as a small park, came raging across to the Big Creek and started shouting and yelling at father at the top of his voice, half in English and half in ,Gaelic. Father was so annoyed that he just unhitched the horse and left the plow in the ground to rust. What happened the next time he wanted to do some plowing does not come into the story. John like all the other members of the family (except Sandy) had quite a reputation for contrariness, and when he died refused to be buried in the family plot with his brothers, at Matakana, but was taken to the Whangateau cemetery instead. The brothers all loved argument and would argue for hours on any subject and then turn round and argue on the other side of the question almost as long.
John was a handsome man with jet black eyes, and hair which curled almost to his shoulders. He was a great student and very interested in botany and shells. He worked hard all day and at night made boots cut of rough leather by the light of a homemade tallow dip. He always rode to church in Matakana while his wife and family walked. Delia was much too nervous to ever get on a horse. She not only did all her own sewing, but also found time to make fine silk dresses for her mother-in-law, Catherine, who loved to dress well. She taught her family to read, write and spell while she rocked the cradle with her foot and did washing at the same time. In the late sixties John equipped his workshop as a school and paid for a tutor from Auckland at his own expense. In the early seventies, a public school was established and worked half-time with Matakana.
Septimus Meiklejohn was a great lover of poetry, which he could recite for hours without repeating himself and his first gift to his fiancé after they became betrothed was a copy of Longfellows poems. The inscription reads To Miss Jane McGechie with fond love from S.M. Jane McGechie, whom he married in 1876 or 1877 was the 7th child of John McGechie and his wife Esther (nee Arnott), and they met at the Thames on his frequent visits there. John and Esther McGechie were married at the Episcopal Church, Paisley, Scotland, October 25th, 1839, and sailed immediately for New Zealand on the “Bengal Merchant” or the “Bolton” arriving in Wellington February, 1840. They came to Auckland with the Goldsworthys and lived there some years. They had a store in Auckland and later bought a farm at Mahurangi Heads. He did a lot of pit sawing and helped to pitsaw most of the timber for the old Mahurangi Church. The marks of the adzes are on the timber of the church to this day. While at Mahurangi he converted his barn into a school for his and his neighbour’s children. He took a keen interest in local affairs and living at Otara later in life was fifteen times elected to the Tamaki Road Board. When he died his brother-in-law rowed from Mahurangi to Auckland to attend his funeral.
James Meiklejohn married Annie Goldsworthy and Sarah McGechie married William Goldsworthy. This created a bond of friendship between the three families so Septimus met Jane at the Goldsworthy’s place at Thames. The issue of Septimus’s and Jane’s marriage, all born at Fern Glen, Big Omaha, was as follows: Lemuel Sydney Arnott Meiklejohn 1875, Leslie Douglas Meiklejohn 1880, Lewis William Meiklejohn 1882, Eleanor May Livingstone Meiklejohn (who married her cousin Wilfred Meiklejohn) 1884, Constance Esther Catherine Meiklejohn 1886 (married D. Gillies and lived most of her life in Australia), E. Verner Roy
Meiklejohn1889 (who died at the age of two years). Septimus was a very public spirited man and at various times was chairman of the Rodney Agricultural Society, a Director of the Matakana Dairy Company, and also of the Coastal Steamship Company.
Ship Stories.
The “Omaha” was the largest ship built at Big Omaha by the Meiklejohns. She was built at the upper yard and when she was laid down there was a dispute between John and Jim as to whether she should be laid with the bow down stream or as Jim advised, up stream. Jim was over-ruled, and she was laid with the bow upstream – the idea being that her stern could be swung into Ruxtons Creek and the vessel be turned round. When she was launched, Jim was proved to be right. It was impossible to turn the ship, and it took three weeks to work her down the river stern first. The Omaha was a very handsome ship and a very speedy one. When sailed by Captain William, she made some very quick trips, especially to the Chatham Islands where she was finally wrecked.
During the launching of one ship, Jim was not allowed to cut the rope at the launching. Sandy, who was to cut the other rope, was dubious of the man chosen and told Jim to stand by with his axe. On the order being given, Sandy chopped his rope clean and true but the other man missed his blow. Jim swung his axe and finished the cut thus averting what might have been a nasty accident.
On a voyage from the Kaipara with a load of Kauri gum, the “Twilight” was wrecked on the ninety mile beach when in the mate’s charge (a little South of Maria van Dieman). William, asleep below, dashed up on deck and took measures for the safety of his crew. As there were too many for the ships dinghy, he got a gum case and floated ashore. After seeing all his crew were safe, he walked for fifty-five miles clad only in a flannel night shirt to Ahipara to get help for his ship-wrecked crew. When Septimus and George Spenser went up to salvage the cargo of Kauri gum from the wreck they had a long job, as no vessel could reach them for three months. They employed Maoris to collect and carry the cargo to a suitable loading ground. One old Maori, to whom Septimus had been very kind, told him to dig in the sandhills near the crossing of a small creek. When he did so, he found twelve cases of Kauri gum hidden. They quietly removed them to the stack of cargo, saying nothing to anyone. Thus the old Maori repaid his obligation to his kindly friend.
Turi and the Trousers.
Old Turi, the last of the tattooed Maoris at Whangateau, who never wore anything but a shirt, had a habit of stalking into the settlers homes to roast huhu bugs in the ashes of their fires. John Meiklejohn, who had five growing daughters, met Turi in the garden one day and gave him a pair of trousers, explaining why he must wear them when he came into his house. Turi was most co-operative and put them on when he came to see John after that, but after a yarn and a smoke, when it was time to leave, as soon as he got out of the door he would take the trousers off and go off with them hung around his neck.
Sylvia Moore, 11.5.48
