Agnes Pettigrew Hunter (1868)

Born 1868 in Charleston, West Coast, New Zealand

Ancestors

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Clare Pierson [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Hunter Name Study.

Agnes Pettigrew Hunter was born in 1868 in Charleston, West Coast, New Zealand, daughter of William John Hunter (~1826–1871) and Janet Pettigrew (1828–1918).^[1]

Agnes's father William Hunter was an Hotel Keeper in Charleston and had another Hotel in Hokitika. He died suddenly in May 1871, age 40 years, of acute glomerular nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys ), in Hokitika, Westland, New Zealand in 1871 and was buried in the Hokitika Cemetery.

Because William had not written a will, his estate worth less than £400 was taken into ownership by the Public Trust. Janet, age 43 years with four children, at the time a laundress, was left with nothing. Janet and the three older children sailed to Nelson 24 June 1872 where Agnes (4) and two of her siblings Rubina (8), and William (7) and Agnes (4) were admitted to the Wallis Family Orphanage in Motueka. It is not known what became of infant Sarah at that time.

Janet (Pettigrew, McKenzie) Hunter is next found in Ahaura where she married for a third time. It has been suggested that she may have moved to Ahaura when the minister, Rev Thomas Flavell of St Mark's Church in Charleston was appointed to St Andrew's Church, Ahaura in September 1872. It is possible that he had provided her with work as his housekeeper in both Charleston and Ahaura. The marriage certificate has Janet as a housekeeper of Ahaura.

3rd. Janet married Duncan (Frederick) McLean, born in Belfast Ireland, a carrier from Coal Creek, Greymouth, in 1874 in Ahaura, Westland, West Coast, New Zealand. [5] Frederick McLean has a small holding named 'Riverdale' at Coal Creek and Janet and Fred went to live there. He also had a few acres near St Andrew's Church in Ahaura. He became a preacher in the Brethren Church.

In May 1876, 3 years and 11 months after they were placed in the Orphanage, Agnes, Rubina and William and Agnes arrived back in Greymouth and Janet collected them from there. The family, including Sarah, settled at 'Riverdale' Coal Creek, Gremouth. Frederick Mclean is said by family to have been a wonderful stepfather and the girls became known as McLean.

Sources

1. ↑ NZ BDM Birth Reg No 1868/10534 Hunter Agnes Pettigrew Janet William