Emmeline Thirza Mary Rogers (1871 - 1944)

Born 1871 in Awahuri, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Wife of John William Watson — married 14 Jun 1888 in Registrar's office, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 4 Jul 1944 at about age 73 in Public Hospital, Napier, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Peter Carroll [send private message]

Biography

This biography was auto-generated by a GEDCOM import.^[1] It's a rough draft and needs to be edited.

Birth

Birth:

User ID: C6B0B0BD-6AB2-4F21-B6D2-10DBF7E6E1C1

Record ID Number: MH:IF1798

Date: 1871

Place: Awahuri, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Note: Death certificate states born in Awahuri, which is 10kms out of Feilding

Death

Death:

User ID: 72189B41-6E2F-4107-9E51-C56EDBDDEBA9

Record ID Number: MH:IF1808

Date: 4 JUL 1944

Place: Public Hospital, Napier, New Zealand

Note: NZSG burial records - aged 73 => b. 1871.

Lena Thurza Mary Clapperton

Record ID Number

Record ID Number: MH:I239

User ID

User ID: C8999822-38A6-40C2-9ABF-850BD00AB360

UPD

UPD 04 AUG 2012 18:17:07 GMT+12

Census

Census:

User ID: 3B642864-D706-4F73-8151-DE668677060F

Record ID Number: MH:IF1799

Date: 1896

Place: Wanganui, New Zealand

Note: NZ Electoral Roll 1896 - listing:

Watson, John William, Residence: Ball Street, Occupation: Baker, Residential listing. Watson, Lena, Residence: Ball Street, Wife, Residential listing.

Census:

User ID: FA7E5CAF-4A2B-4E3E-9783-5A571D5E2C3F

Record ID Number: MH:IF1800

Date: 1900

Place: Palmerston North, New Zealand

Note: NZ Electoral Roll 1900 - Palmerston North.

Name: Emmaline Thirza Mary Watson and John William Watson; Residence: Residential, Palmerston North; Occupation: domestic duties.

Census:

User ID: 8224F920-AD9F-4E62-808A-3E5CD1FDC326

Record ID Number: MH:IF1804

Date: 1919

Place: Napier, New Zealand

Note: 1919 NZ Electoral Roll

Clapperton, Lena; 226 Hastings Street; married.

Census:

User ID: A5CFFEC2-1EC0-4299-B7E3-D7000376FC14

Record ID Number: MH:IF1805

Date: 1935

Place: Wanganui, New Zealand

Note: 1935 NZ Electoral Roll

Clapperton, Lena; 17 Aotea Street; Married.

Census:

User ID: 92FDFCF7-5089-4922-A31C-D687D8879218

Record ID Number: MH:IF1806

Date: 1938

Place: Wanganui, New Zealand

Note: 1938 NZ Electoral Roll

Clapperton, Lena; Tregenna Street; married.

Burial

Burial:

User ID: 55B6BAF3-A17D-4A1A-9E4A-A87777BB7844

Record ID Number: MH:IF1809

Date: 6 JUL 1944

Place: Park Island Cemetery, Napier, New Zealand

Note: NZSG burial records & death certificate

Note

Note:

(14/01/2012 by Kim Wallace)

My grandmother, Natalie Mannex (nee Watson), told me she did not know any of her grandparents.  I was told that her father Alf's (John Alfred Watson) parents had died when he was young.  Therefore there is no first hand family information I have been able to confirm about Emmeline Thirza Mary Rogers, known as Lena through her life.   The sources of this biography have included daughter Maud's family bible (found in December 2011), newspaper articles plus birth,marriage and death certificates.   Based on the information gathered, Lena endured significant challenges from poverty to the loss of many children and she lived a colourful life through to 73 years of age.

ROGERS, EMMELINE THIRZA MARY "LENA" (1870-1944) - To date, I have been unable to obtain a record of Lena's birth to confirm the date.  From her marriages, children's birth records and death certificate we learn she was born around 1870 in the Palmerston North area.   Lena's death certificate states she was born in Awahuri, which is 10kms out of Feilding, however given these details are provided by family on her death it is an unreliable source.

Parents/Siblings:  from Lena's marriage certificates we know her father Charles Rogers is a Labourer, and one states his occupation was Boiler Maker.  To complicate research, the spelling of the surname has been both ROGERS/RODGERS and to date my research has not found more about Charles Rogers.    Her mother's name at the time of Lena's marriage in 1888 is Lily Foster, formerly Rogers, maiden name McGregor.  Mother Lily married four timesduring her life and Lena had a half sister.

Marriages: Lena married four times -

1.  John William WATSON "Jack" - 14th June 1888, Registrar's office, Palmerston North.  No divorce record found to date.

2. Charles JOHNSON - 16th March 1908, Registrar's office, Gisborne.  Divorced 17/02/1911.

3. Henry BOURNE - 22nd June 1912,  Registrar's office, Gisborne.  Widowed 17/04/1913.

4. Henry CLAPPERTON - 14th April 1915.  Registrar's office, Napier.

Children:  Lena had nine children over her lifetime, of which four survived infancy -

1. Alice Maud Mary WOOTTON (nee WATSON) "Maud" b. 04/06/1889 Feidling.  d. 21/12/1953 Wellington, 64yrs.

2. William Stanley WATSON b. 30/06/1890 Palmerston North.  d. Sep 1890, died 3mths.

3. Ethel Vida May WATSON b. 05/11/1891 Foxton.  d. 30/06/1892 Foxton, died 7mths.

4. Emmaline Lily WATSON b. 11/1892 Foxton.  d. 31/1/1893 Foxton, died 2mths.

5. John Alfred WATSON "Alf" b. 20/02/1895 Wanganui.  d. 21/10/1954 Dunedin, 59yrs.

6. William Sydney WATSON b. 06/08/1897 Palmerston North.  d. 03/1898, died 7mths.

7. Arthur Clarence WATSON b. 31/12/1898 Palmerston North.  d. 1973 Napier, 75yrs.

8. Premature child.  b.04/1910 d. 04/1910 Gisborne.

9. Charles Henry BOURNE b. 27/05/1913 Gisborne.  d. ? 

WATSON relationship: The earliest event in Lena's life I have been able to confirm is her marriage, at age 18, on June 14th 1888 in the Palmerston North Registrar's office.   Emmeline Thirza Mary Rogers marries John William Watson, who is known as Jack.   Lena is a Spinster, birthplace Palmerston North and her usual place of residence (same as John's) is Bunnythorpe.  Lena is illiterate and signs the marriage certificate with a cross as her mark, she is a minor and Jack's age is Full.   Their marriage is witnessed by Lena's mother Lily Foster, also illiterate signing with a cross, of Bunnythorpe.  The second witness's name is unfamiliar and is recorded F. Harnes, Groundkeeper of Palmerston North.

On 4th June 1889 Jack and Lena's first child, Alice Maud Mary Watson is born, at their noted place of residence Ashurst Road, near Feilding.    Lena's age when she register's Alice's birth at the Palmerston North Registrar's office on August 18th 1889 is 18 years and her husband is 26 years of age.   Lena's full name recorded is Emmeline Thirza Mary Watson (formerly Rogers).   Husband Jack is working as a Labourer.

Lena's second child, William Stanley Watson, is born on 30th June 1890 at Terrace End, Palmerston North.  Jack is now working as a Bushman.  Tragically, Lena is aged 19, William dies (cause unknown) at 3months of age in September 1890.  Jack register's William's birth after his death, on 27th September 1890 in the Palmerston North Registrar's office.

Their third child, Ethel Vida May Watson, is born 5th November 1891 in Foxton.   Husband Jack is working as a Baker in Foxton in late 1891.   Lena register's Ethel's birth in Palmerston North and her name is recorded by the Registrar this time as Lena Theresa Mary Watson, formerly Rogers.

The Manawatu Herald of 21st April 1892 confirms the tender by J. W. Watson for Foxton Borough Ranger position for 12 months is accepted.     Sadly two months later, at the age of 21 Lena and Jack lose another child when Ethel, aged 8months, (Manawatu Herald 30/06/1892, pg2) dies of diphtheria in Foxton.   The young family struggled with not only the loss of children but also finding an income as Jack Watson of Harbour Street Foxton, despite having the role of Ranger, registers as a Licenced Nightman who collects the "night soil" from residences (Manawatu Herald 03/11/1892).  In November 1892 their fourth child, daughter Emmeline Lily Watson is born in Foxton however her death is recorded on 31st January 1893, having lived just three months.

My great-grandfather, John Alfred Watson, is Lena's fifth child, born 20th February 1895 in Campbell Street, Whanganui.    Herhusband Jack's profession noted is a Baker and their normal residence is in Whanganui.  Lena, aged 23, register's the birth on 10th April 1895 in Whanganui.

As reported in the Feilding Star on 7th September 1896, a John William Watson who is working as a baker in Waituna (20kms from Feilding on SH54) is arrested for the abduction of a girl, Mary Ann Louisa Robinson.   Jack's defense is that Mary is not treated well by her family and he has offerred Mary a room in the house of his wife in Wanganui.   In the newspaper reports there is commentary from a policeman who overhears a conversation between "the accused and wife" whereby she calls him a liar and says she could get him into trouble if she liked and went on to tell witnesses that she was destitute and wanted the money that had been taken from Jack at the time of his arrest.   The court granted that £5 18s 6d to be paid to the wife.   The Grand Jury sitting in Wanganui Supreme Court on 21 September 1896 sentence John William Watson to 12 months hard labour.    Despite reviewing the police gazette records I have not yet confirmed this is my ancestor John William Watson but it appears very likely as he is a baker and his wife is living in Wanganui - the same details as our family.   The police gazettes of 1896 and 1897 confirm John William Watson served ten months in Wanganui gaol from 25 September 1896 and was discharged in the two weekperiod ended 24th July 1897.

John William Watson's description from the police gazette reads: 5ft 6inches tall, complexion sallow, eyes brown, hair black, nose sharp, no police record photo, distinguishing features - birth mark on right arm and indistinct W on left wrist.

Lena's sixth child - William Sydney Watson, is born 6th August 1897 in Featherston Street Palmerston North.  Aged 26, Lena register's William's birth on 6th September 1897 in the Palmerston North registrar's office, stating John William Watson as father.  It is unlikely husband Jack is the father of this baby given William is born a couple of weeks after Jack's release from ten months in prison.  In March 1898, Lena loses her fourth child, when William Sydney Watson dies aged 7mths of age.

On 31st December 1898 at the age of 26 Lena's seventh child, Arthur Clarence Watson, is born in Grey Street, Palmerston North.   Arthur's birth is registered in Palmerston North by his father, John William Watson, who is a Labourer now aged 38 years.   Two years later in the 1900 NZ Electoral Roll John William Watson and Emmeline Thirza Mary Watson are listed living together in Palmerston North.   This is the last record of the couple living together.

Lena reverts to her maiden name Rodgers (spelt with a 'd") some time over the next eight years and it is unknown whether they legally divorce.

Daughter Maud Watson, on 10th May 1907 aged 18 in Wellington, has a son Henry Alfred Watson.  The child is born illegitimately and the father is not recorded on the birth certificate.

JOHNSON relationship: On March 16th 1908 Lena Rogers marries Charles Johnson in the Gisborne Registrar's office.   After two years Charles Johnson (petitioner) and Lena Johnson (respondent) appear in the Gisborne Supreme Court filing divorce proceedings in late September 1910.  This divorce hearing (Poverty Bay Herald Vol XXXVII 22 Sep 1910 pg5), on grounds of misconduct, paints a picture of a short unhappy relationship.   Shortly after their marriage Charles worked away as a bushman leaving Lena alone for periods of time.  Having returned from the bush, Lena asked Charles if she could visit friends in Auckland.  Ten days later Charles accused Lena of living as the wife of another man in Auckland, when she and the man denied it, Charles agreed to take her back to Gisborne if she went straight.  They lived happily for a few weeks when Lena accused Charles of talking togirls in the street, he then left and stayed in the Turanganui Hotel.  Lena asked Charles to return home but he refused saying her tongue and temper were too bad - she was too jealous.  Charles said Lena had threatened to shoot him and soon after she got an order against him for maintenance.  Later on he got three months imprisonment for disobedience of the order, going to Napier gaol on 5th May 1909 and they had not lived together since then.   At times over the next month Charles had followed Lena and in October 1909 had seen her going down the street and spending nights with a Mr James Haurathy.   At this time Lena had no means to support herself.  The bailiff gave evidence that when serving Lena the divorce proceeding papers, she said she was pleased Johnson had taken this action as it was a well known fact that she was living with Haurathy and she had had a premature birth in April 1910 and she wanted to marry him.  When Haurathy was served the papers he admitted he was the man the summons was for and he had lived with Lena for the last twelve months.  Another witness, Martha Shefford, stated she had lived with Lena in Williams Street and had noticed that when Haurathy came to town he used to live with Lena.   The Judge granted a decree nici, to be made absolute in three months time (around Jan 1911).   According to a future marriage certificate of Lena, the marriage was legally dissolved 17th Feb 1911.

This begs the question whether Lena in 1908 had her two sons Alf (13) and Clarence (10) living with her over this period.  Daughter Maud, aged 20, was living in Wellington.  My grandmother told me thatAlf was brought up by a Maori family up the Wanganui river which has never been substantiated, however across my family tree research not all family stories have been found to be accurate.   When Alf enlists in the army in 1917 his military record state his mother is unknown so it may well be that Lena was separated from her children.  We know daughter Maudis in contact with her mother as Maud's bible (found in Masterton in 2012) records Lena's ninth child born a couple of years later in 1913 and also Maud sends a photo of Alf in his military uniform taken around 1917 to her mother. 

Daughter Maud Watson marries Thomas Edgar Clarke on 26th September 1911 in the Wellington Registrar's office.  Maud's wedding is witnessed by her father John William Watson of Wellington but it is unknown whether Lena is present.

BOURNE relationship: The following year on June 22nd 1912, Lena Johnson married Henry Bourne, a railway worker who was based at Matawai, 74 kms from Gisborne.   Henry Bourne (28) was 13 years younger than Lena (41) at the time of their marriage.  Tragically Henry died ten months later on 17 April 1913, found dead in a work latrine.   From the notice of his sudden death (Poverty Bay Herald, Vol XXXX 24th Apr 1913 pg3) his work had involved heavy pick and shovel work and despite not having complained of ill-health medical evidence determined he died of natural causes.  In the court reporting of the case, the jury urged the Public Works Department be asked to close workmen's latrines so it appears poor Henry fell in.  Just over one month later, on 27th May 1913 Lena has her ninth child, Charles Henry Bourne in Gisborne.

I have obtained several death certificates that may be for Lena's first husband John William Watson.  The certificate that could be a possible match is 24th July 1914.   A John William Watson dies in Wellington Hospital and he is a resident of the Ohiro Home (a charitable home for destitute men) in Wellington.   We know Jack had been living in Wellington in 1911 when Maud married.

CLAPPERTON relationship: On 14th Apr 1915 in the Napier Registrar's Office Lena Bourne (44) marries, for the fourth and last time, Henry John Clapperton.  In 1919 Lena Clapperton is listed in the NZ Electoral Roll at 226 Hastings Street, Napier.

During the following year, in 1916, Lena's son Alf (my great-grandfather John Alfred Watson) enlists in the army.  Prior to enlistment Alf (20) had been working as a labourer in the Dalefield rural area 2kms from Carterton township, working for "Smith".    Alf's military records state his next of kin is his sister Mrs A. Clarke of Wanganui (this is his sister Maud).  A photo of Alf in uniform, taken in 1917, in our family photo album has written the back "Dear Mother, this is Alf taken in England, Love Maud".  On March 17th 1919 son Alf, having returned from WWI, marries Pearl Gertrude King in Dunedin.   Alf and Pearl Watson return to the Carterton area and this is where they start their family with daughter Daphne Pearl Watson born on 4th Aug 1921.

Over 1922 and 1923 Lena's daughter Maud marries Niels Christensen in 1922 in Wellington then son Clarence marries Muriel Brewer in 1923 in Wanganui.

In September 1930 Lena's youngest son Charles Henry Bourne, aged 18, is up on Breaking and Entering and Stealing Goods charges in both Wanganui and Wellington, which were referred to a Supreme Court hearing.   When the Judge directed that the Probation Officer's reports be handed to Bourne, he said he had been unable to obtain employment.  Bourne admitted that he was at present serving a sentence for the unlawful conversion of a motor car at Wanganui.  The Judge imposed a sentence of reformative detention for a period not exceeding two years, the sentences to be concurrent on each charge and concurrent also with the sentence being served at present.

The 1935 and 1938 NZ Electoral rolls Lena Clapperton is listed living in Wanganui at 17 Aotea Street then in Tregenna Street.   Henry Clapperton is listed living separately in the Napier area.

In 1937 a newspaper article (Evening Post, Vol CXXIII 19 May 1937 Pg 5) records that Lena and son Charles Henry Bourne were living together in Castlecliff Wanganui.   Charles Henry Bourne was charged with attempted murder when a gun was discharged at the house during an altercation between the landlord and Bourne.   On 20th May 1937 the Wanganui Supreme Court sentenced Bourne for common assault to 12 months imprisonment.

Death: Lena Thirza Mary Clappertondied in Napier Public Hospital on 4th July 1944, aged 73 years.    The cause of her death is Myocardial Degeneration.   Lena is buried at the Park Island Cemetery, Napier.

Sources

1. ↑ Rogers-11003 was created by Peter Carroll through the import of carroll Tree(a) - 01082012 - 23122012.GED on Nov 7, 2014. This comment and citation can be deleted after the biography has been edited and primary sources are included.

• Source: S40 Record ID Number: MH:S40 User ID: 1F7EDB4E-6838-4109-A791-23186B21E204 Author: Kim Wallace Title: Wallace Web Site Text: MyHeritage.com family tree CONT Family site: Wallace Web Site CONT Family tree: Wallace Family Tree Media: 127328751-1 Type: Smart Matching Page: Emmeline Thirza Mary WATSON [ROGERS] Event: Smart Matching Role: 1000031 Data: Date: 1 AUG 2012 Text: Added by confirming a Smart Match Quality or Certainty of Data: 3