Janetta Kate (Nicol) Sowman (1854 - 1925)

Born 13 Feb 1854 in Nelson, Marlborough, New Zealand

Wife of Richard Sowman — married 24 May 1870 in Nelson, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 26 Dec 1925 at age 71 in Nelson, South Island, New Zealand

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Biography

On 24 May 1870, Richard married Janetta Kate Nicol, daughter of James and Elizabeth Nicol. Janetta was born in Nelson on 13 February 1854. Richard was aged 19 and Janetta 16 when they married. The wedding was at the home of Janetta’s parents in Tasman Street.

A small slightly built woman, Janetta brought 12 children into the world. The house was always spotless, and the kitchen table scrubbed white. She believed in old-fashioned cures for complaints and illnesses.

Janetta had only one eye, having lost the other as a girl through an accident with a shanghai or catapult. However, for all the tribulations in her life, she was a gentlewoman born and bred, quiet by nature, softly spoken, and a pleasure to meet and talk with.

Richard being a hard taskmaster, his wife, Janetta, or Kate, as she was sometimes known (Richard always called her Janet) had a troubled life. There was never much money in Richard and Janetta’s home, and Richard “drank a good bit”, according to granddaughter Nancy.^[1]

• Parents: James Francis Nicol and Elizabeth Trent
• Birth: Regd. 1854/3348 Nicol (Name not recorded), Mother: Elizabeth, Father: James
• Marriage; Regd. 1870/6591 Richard Sowman (19) a bachelor and Janetta Kate Nicol (16) a spinster marrried at the residence of James Nicol, Tasman Street, Nelson
• Death: Regd. 1926/11945 Janetta Kate Sowman (72) at Public Hospital Nelson.

1925 Age: 71 Nelson, New Zealand wakapuka cemetery Family Name: SOWMAN Age: 72 years Given Names: JENNET KATE (JANET) Date Deceased: 26/12/1925 Address: Interment Date: 26/12/1925 Gender: F Area: NEW PRESBYTERIAN Cemetery: WAKAPUAKA Plot 027 Block: 09 Grave/Ashes: Buried^[2]

Janet Sowman Birth Date: abt 1853 Death Age: 72 Death Date: 26 Dec 1925 Burial Place: Nelson, New Zealand Cemetery: Wakapuaka Spouse Name: Richard Sowman Spouse Death Age: 75 Spouse Death Date: 27 Sep 1929

Sources

• Sowman family history by Robert Sowman (2000 - Unpublished)
• Marriage certificate for Richard Sowman & Janetta Nicol
• Death certificate for Janetta Sowman
• B.D.M. Historical Records Online [1]
• Nelson City Council Cemeteries Database: [2]

Footnotes

1. ↑ Blue-eyed, Fair and Stocky A Sowman family history by Robert J Sowman and Peter E Sowman. First published in Oct 2008. Reprinted with corrections 2010, 2011. (ISBN 978-0-473-13932-2)
2. ↑ Entered by Phil Richardson.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Phil Richardson for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Phil and others.