Born in Cornwall, Samuel Hodge emigrated to New Zealand. His parents were Richard Hodge and Elizabeth Reed. It is estimated that he arrived in 1846 to work at Kawau Island copper mine.
He eventually settled in Waiuku, Auckland with his wife Eliza who he had married in 1848. They had married at the old St Paul's Church in a ceremony taken by Bishop Selwyn. Eliza Walters had also come from Cornwall, and arrived in New Zealand in 1848 with her mother and siblings on board the Elora. Samuel Hodge and Eliza Walters were married the same day as Eliza's brother William married Eliza Hodge (Samuel Hodge's sister?) on 12 February 1848. Notably Eliza Walters father - John Walters - had come to New Zealand in 1846 (with his son William Walters) to work in the Kawau Island Coppermine. It is clear that Samuel Hodge would have known the Walters family through their coppermining connection in New Zealand.
In the obituary for his wife (who survived him when he died) Samuel's history is outlined - He... "came to New Zealand in connection with the copper mining operations at Kawau and Great Barrier Islands, where they resided for a time. When work in this direction came to an end, Mr Hodge was engaged in goldmining at Bendigo. Returning to New Zealand he commenced farming at West Tamaki and Mangere, removing in 1860 to a bush section at Waiuku, where he resided until his death in 1877. The family underwent the many trials of the early settlers, living first in the slab whare which was afterwards superseded by the modest cottage of sawn timber cut on the property. During the native troubles, when the settlers were compelled to leave their homes, Mrs. Hodge and her children came to Auckland, while her husband joined the defence corps." (New Zealand Herald, 1921)
The Hodges had a daughter, Eliza Hodge who married local Waiuku farmer Charles Thomas Barriball. Samuel Hodge was a member of the Wesleyan Church in Waiuku, as was his son-in-law CT Barriball.
Samuel Hodge died on the 23 June 1877 when he was 51 years old, five years after his only daughter married Charles Thomas Barriball.
After his death it appears that Eliza, his widow, went to live with their son Samuel Hodge. Their son had farming interests at Kariotahi near Waiuku, and bred horses. (information from NZ Papers Past and Electoral rolls)
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Categories: Waiuku, Auckland