Samuel Johns James (1818 - 1893)

Born 1818 in Stoke Damerel, Devon, England

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Soady) James — married 9 Aug 1842 in Stoke Damerel, Devon, England

Descendants

Died 1 Jan 1893 at about age 75 in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Charlene Newport [send private message]

Samuel James migrated from England to New Zealand.

Biography

Samuel was baptised on 12 July 1818 in Stoke Damerel, Devon, England.^[1] He was the son of John James^{[1] [2] [3] [4]} and Ann Johns.^{[1] [2] [4]}

He married Sarah Soady on 9 August 1842 at Stoke Damerel, Devon, England.^[3] just under a month later the newly wed couple set sail on board the ship Essex^[5] which was the last vessel to sail to New Plymouth under charter of the Plymouth Company.

The Plymouth Company was established in Plymouth, England in 1840, and merged with the New Zealand Company in 1841. The Plymouth Company selected the site for New Plymouth, and contracted six ships to carry migrants from England.

The Essex cleared the last pilot outside Plymouth sound at half-past five pm on Saturday 3 September 1842 and entered Port Nicholson on or about 13 January 1843, completing her voyage in coming to anchor at New Plymouth roadstead, or Port Eliot on 20 January.

Samuel's elder brother John had already settled in New Plymouth. He had sailed on the William Bryan in 1841. It was the first ship to arrive at New Plymouth under charter of the Plymouth Company.

On 31 January 1846, the Police Magistrate of New Plymouth published a list of houses, cottages and whares in the settlement of New Plymouth with the names of the proprietors and occupiers. Samuel and his brother John were the proprietors of one whare each. John occupied his whare, but it is unclear where Samuel was living at that time as his whare was occupied by Simeon Howell.

In 1855 the brothers were qualified and liable to serve as Jurors. Both were recorded as labourers living on Avenue Road.

Samuel was still living on Avenue Road when he passed away on 1 January 1893. He was 76 years old.^[4]

He was buried 3 January in the Te Henui Cemetery.^[4]

Headstone Inscription

Sacred to the memory of SARAH the beloved wife of Samuel JAMES (late of St. Stephens Cornwall) who died November 30th 1884 Aged 69 years SAMUEL JAMES died January 1st 1893 Aged 77 years SARAH daughter of the above died October 21st 1854 Aged 17 months "I am the resurrection, and the life." John 11.25.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} "England, Devon Bishop's Transcripts, 1558-1887," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M3-MG2H : 16 February 2016), Samuel John James, Stoke-Damerel, Devon, England; citing Baptism, The Devon Record Office, Exeter.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQY3-HCG : 3 August 2016), Samuel James in household of John James, Stoke Damerel, Devon, England; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} James-Soady Marriage (1842), Stoke Damerel parish register, Devon, England, Digital copy from the original register in the files of Charlene Newport
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Death of Samuel Johns James, Registration Number 1893/395, New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz), Digital copy from the original register in the files of Charlene Newport
5. ↑ "New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Passenger Lists, 1839-1973," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QJDV-F1BJ : 10 August 2017), Samuel James, 1842; citing ship , Archives New Zealand, Wellington; FHL microfilm .