Mildred Bartlett (Peterson) McMullen (abt. 1881 - 1968)

Born about 1881 in Port Albert, New Zealand

Ancestors

Wife of Francis Harvey Seward — married 24 May 1916 in Whangarei, New Zealand

Wife of William Henry McMullen — married 1925 in New Zealand

Descendants

Died 17 Apr 1968 at about age 87 in Auckland, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Wallace Cochrane [send private message]

Biography

Mildred was the youngest daughter of Charles (Karl Persson) Peterson. She was born in Wharehine, Kaipara, where her parents farmed. On her death certificate from 1968, Mildred's age is recorded as 87 years, which would put her birth year around 1881. ^[1]

Mildred's mother Esther was unwell for much of Mildred's mid-childhood. Esther passed away after five years of being unwell, sometimes looked after by local families, when Mildred was about thirteen years old.

Mildred seems to have had two children in 1900/1901. It would appear she was unable to sustain supporting them. It is known that her daughter Nita was subsequently adopted out. It is not yet known what became of her son Percy, registered birth 1901.

Mildred married for the first time in 1916, :Auckland Star 21st June 1916 page 12 [1]

MARRIAGE

SEWARD - PETERSON - on May 24th at Church of England, Whangarei, by the Rev. Harry Johnstone, Francis Harvey Seward, eldest son of S.H. Seward to Mildred Bartlett, youngest daughter of the late Charles and Sarah Peterson, late of Warehine, Kaipara.

Francis (Frank) was some twenty years older than Mildred. His occupation on his enlistment for Home Service in WWI lists his occupation as Cook. He applied to serve in Kaitaia - perhaps where he and Mildred were living.

Mildred must have been something of a musician - perhaps a singer. She is mentioned in a news article, as supplying music for a social evening at Kiripaka in 1919 [3]. Her brother Alexander and sister Eliza Wedge, lived in that area at that time. Mildred seems to have kept in touch with her wider family with correspondence [letters held within the family]. Frank Seward died in 1923 [2]

Mildred (Millie) was known as a somewhat formidable, straight-talking woman.

In 1925, Mildred married William Henery [sic] McMullen [1]. Members of the family remember visiting Mildred and William at Opua, where they lived "opposite the ferry". In the 1925 Electoral Rolls, Mildred is listed as a married woman living Moerewa, Northland [4]. In 1935, she and William are listed as living in Opua - Mildred is listed as a married woman, and William as a bridgeman [5]. Later they are listed in electoral rolls as living in Onehunga, Auckland (1957 Electoral Roll) and Pakuranga Auckland (1963 Electoral Rolls).

Mildred died in April 1968, just one year after William. Her probate was issued in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Sources

1. ↑ Civil Records, Department of Internal Affairs, New Zealand. Registration Number: 1968/29582. Accessed on https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz.

Department of Internal Affairs, New Zealand www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz

MARRIAGE - 1916/6159 - Mildred Bartlett Peterson & Francis Harvey Seward

[1] MARRIAGE - 1925/3115 - Mildred Bartlett Seward & William Henery McMullen

[3] - Northern Advocate, 22 August 1919, page 5. Accessed on https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz [2] Death of Francis Harvey Seward. Reference 1923/4438 [4] 1925 NZ Electoral Rolls, accessed on Find my past https://www.findmypast.com/transcript?id=ANZ%2FNZ_ELECT_ROLLS1925%2F469138 [5] 1935 New Zealand Electoral Rolls, Accessed on Find my Past: https://search.findmypast.com/record?id=GOULD%2FNZ0200-1935-02_NZ_ELECTORAL_ROLL_1935_V2%2F827&parentid=GOULD%2FNZ0200-1935-02_NZ_ELECTORAL_ROLL_1935_V2%2F827

DEATH - 1968/29582 - McMullen Mildred Bartlett aged 87 years

Burial

Mildred Bartlett McMullen

Purewa Cemetery, Auckland'

death 17th April 1968

cremation 19th April 1968

ashes returned

serial no : 15088

W H Tongue & Son's, P O Box 8510, Symonds Street, AUCKLAND

Book of Remembrance