A History Of Jane McGechie’s Family
A HISTORY OF JANE MCGECHIE’S FAMILY
THE McGECHIE FAMILY – extracts from the publication ‘The McGechie family in New Zealand’ – Philip McGechie – June 1985
The obituary below sets out much of background of John McGechie’s time in New Zealand. His parents were Archibald and Katherine McGechie. Archibald was born on the island of Islay in the Inner Hebrides. An Army Surgeon, he was accidentally drowned when on station in Northern Ireland. John married Esther (b 1821) on October 25th 1832 at Paisley Scotland six days before leaving for New Zealand.
OBITUARY
The late Mr John McGechie
The above-named gentleman whose death took place at his residence, Otara, on January 10th 1890, can truly be classed amongst the oldest residents of the colony now rapidly passing away, who admist troubles and privations unknown to the present generations, securely laid the foundations upon which all our colonial institutions have been erected.
In speaking of old colonists who settled here in the ‘forties’ it is almost invidious to draw comparisons – it is nevertheless safe to declare that no single settler of those days did better service to the young colony than that rendered by Mr. McGechie. Though he was never a member of either the provincial or colonial legislatures, he took a warm interest in all public matters and was in the fullest sense patriotic in word and in deed.
Possessing rare regard for the country of his adoption, he frequently deplored the effect of reckless speculation and wasteful administration, and always endeavoured to impart in the rising generation the absolute need for national and individual thrift and true economy. Indeed it would be difficult to one whose life and example could be copied to greater advantage by all the classes of the community (especially for our young men), than that of the late Mr. McGechie.
Possessing a sound practical knowledge of local affairs, he was fifteen times elected a member of the East Tamaki Road Board and was for nearly always chairman of the Board; and admist the conflicting interests which existed there was a marvellous harmony largely attributed to Mr. McGechie’s courtesy, tact and firmness. Indeed he never sacrificed principle and yet the proverb ‘blessed are the peacemakers’ applied to him in exalted degree. Mr McGechie took a keen interest in the education of the country and was twice chairman of the Otara School Committee (later to be Papatoetoe School). As far back as 1855 his interests in education were practically demonstrated, for, being unable to send his children to school at Mahurangi he converted his barn into a schoolhouse which was also available for the children of his scattered neighbours, Mr. Peter Greenhill, the teacher collecting the children and taking them back by boat.
Mr. McGechie was born at Drumquin, County Tyrone, Ireland on the 31st October 1820, but left his native place for Scotland in 1832. In 1839 he resolved to try his fortune and sailed from Greenock N.B. on October 31st 1839 for this colony in the ship ‘Bengal Merchant’, landing in Wellington on March 9th 1840. On 21st February 1841 he left for Auckland in this provincial district up to the time of his death.
In the early days of Auckland Mr. McGechie was engaged in the timber trade but in May 1855 began farming at Mahurangi where he resided until he left for Otara, Papatoetoe in January 1867.
Mr. McGechie was twice married, the issue being thirteen children three of whom are dead. His second wife and four sons and six daughters, most of which married, survive him to mourn his loss.
Mr. McGechie was a member of the Church of England but was for years Superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday School at Otara, Papatoetoe. Indeed in religion as in everything else the spirit of charity guided all his actions.
About fifteen years ago he fell from a haystack and since that time he has not been strong but his final illness was of short duration and he passed peacefully away. His remains were interred in the English Church burying grounds on January 12th, the funeral procession being the largest seen for many years in the district. The Rev. F. Gould read the funeral service and several members of the Salvation Army closed the ceremony by singing the hymn ‘Jesus, Lover of my soul’. Amongst the large assembly at the grave, there was a consensus of opinion that a better settler than the deceased had never liver in New Zealand.
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The five day journey on the coastal ship ‘Chelydra’ from Wellington to Auckland also had as accompanying passengers the Goldsworthys and a two-year old Jane Archibald who was to marry many years later a John Williams – their daughter Amy was to become Mrs Milton Meiklejohn.
The 10 years after arriving in Auckland lacks documentation – it is thought that John was in the timber trade and was a shop owner in High Street. In 1852 John bought about 216 acres for 97 pounds at the Mahurangi Heads (south of Martins Bay) – the residence was to be named ‘Rosebank’ – the house remained until dismantled in 1943. The family remained there until 1866 before selling the property to John Darrach, shipbuilder who ran his shipbuilding business there until 1880. The Darrachs continued to farm there for a many years.
The labours of John McGechie saw the building the first church constructed on the Mahurangi – a Presbyterian Church – the Rev. Robert McKinney arrived in 1856 to take up his ministry that was to last 50 years in the Warkworth/Mahurangi area.
Shortly after moving to Papatoetoe in 1867 Esther died at the early age of 45 years.
Jane McGechie (later to be wife of Septimus Meiklejohn) was the seventh child of the John/Esther marriage. Jane’s sister Sarah (b. 1845) was to marry William Goldsworthy, the brother of Anna Maria Meiklejohn (nee Goldsworthy) – Jane’s sister-in-laws brother.
