John Wade Christian (1870 - 1945)

Born 16 May 1870 in Lonan, Isle of Man

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Hannah (Fitch) Christian — married 4 Sep 1903 in St John's Wesleyan Church, Hardy Street, Nelson, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 28 Jun 1945 at age 75 in Korere, Nelson, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Michele Gregg [send private message]

Biography

Born in 1870 in Lonan, on the Isle of Man, John, known as Jack, was the son of William Christian and Jane Christian nee Wade.

Jack's birthday has always been recorded as 16 May 1869 by family but it seems more likely that he was born in 1870. (See Research Notes below).

John Wade Christian was baptised on 29 May 1870 in Lonan on the Isle of Man. ^[1] His father William, a tailor and mother, Jane nee WADE were living at "Gretch-veg".

... to be continued ...

John Wade Christian married Elizabeth Hannah (Hannah) Fitch.
They were married in Nelson, New Zealand, on the 4th of September 1903.^[2]

John Wade and Hannah had four children, who were all born in the Nelson district of New Zealand.

1. William Isaac (Bill) CHRISTIAN b. 18 Nov 1904; m Aileen SLOSS
2. John Edward CHRISTIAN b. 3 Dec 1905; m Beryl McLAREN
3. Elizabeth Bertha Jane (Bess) CHRISTIAN b. 30 Dec 1909; to John Joseph (Jack) McNEARNEY
4. Katherine Mahala (Kate) CHRISTIAN b. 3 Sep 1916; m Donald Bruce (Don) McLAREN

... further details to be included ....

John Wade Christian passed away in 1945, aged 75.
He died at Korere in the Nelson district of New Zealand, on the 28th of June 1945.

John was buried at the Mararewa Cemetery. ^[3]

Headstone image:

Research Notes

Birth Year discrepancy

Notes of Michele Gregg nee Flanagan:
Although immediate family have recorded the birth date of my Great-Grandfather, John Wade (Jack) CHRISTIAN, as 16 May 1869, it now appears that he was born in 1870, presumably closer to his baptism date of 29 May 1870.
This information has come to light after reviewing the baptism and death date of his older brother William.
William was baptised 1 Nov 1868, and was unlikely born much before this as Nov 1868 was only 8 months after his parent’s marriage on 28 Mar 1868. If Jack was born in May 1869, this calculates an impossible gap of about 6 ½ months between these two brothers. It is more likely that Jack’s birth-date was 16 May 1870, 13 days before his baptism, which calculates a more realistic gap of 18 ½ months between William and Jack.
It is also noted that the first born William was buried on 21 Dec 1869, age recorded as 13 months, further consolidating his birth to about Nov 1868. Considering this, if Jack was born in May 1869, (but not baptised at that time) he surely would have been baptised shortly after the death of his older brother William in Dec 1869, rather than six months later in May 1870.

Sources

1. ↑ "Isle of Man Parish Registers, 1598-2009," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X839-PBK : 29 July 2017), John Wade Christian, 29 May 1870, Christening; citing Lonan, Isle of Man, Manx National Heritage Library, Douglas.
2. ↑ Marriage Certificate. From the collection of Rosemary Flanagan. Copy in the files of Michele (Flanagan) Gregg.
3. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #87467977. Mararewa Cemetery, Tasman, New Zealand. Memorial created 28 Mar 2012 by Michele Gregg nee Flanagan.

• Michele Gregg nee Flanagan, Extract from “CHRISTIAN – Relative Connections,” Compiled from 1996 by Michele Gregg nee Flanagan. Unpublished. Last revised 6 Mar 2018.
• Death Printout