Journal of the Nelson and Marlborough Historical Societies, Volume 1, Issue 2, November 1982
"Wantwood" Run 3
"Wantwood" Run 3
After the absolution of partnership between Nathaniel George Morse and Dr. James Henry Cooper about 1848. Morse took his share of the livestock and drove them down the Wairau River past George Duppa's "Birch Hill Run", and squatted on the land between the Wye River and Boundary Creek. The latter enters the Wairau Valley Plain at or about surveyed section No. 51. The southern boundary was the crest of the Rocky Hills forming the watershed between the Wairau and Waihopai Valleys.
The first Crown Grant of land to Morse on "Wantwood" was for section 63 and part of section 52. Wairau Valley District (Budge's survey) in October 1851. Section 63 was for a homestead site and 52 could have been for an outstation or yards for holding stock driven down Boundary Creek from the back of the run.
Further grants of land were made from 1854 to 1865.
In 1854 Alfred George Jenkins was also granted two sections of stony land along the Wairau River in front of Morse's freehold, however these were conveyed to Morse in 1861. From about 1860 to 1866 "Wantwood" run was leased to the Reverend Henry Edward Tuckey and Captain Francis H. Blundell. The electoral roll of 1861 lists Henry Edward Tuckey, leaseholder. James Francis Blundell, householder. Walter Long Wrey, household, all of "Wantwood", and William Morgan Harris, householder on Wantwood Dairy Station.
Nathaniel George Morse was an early Nelson settler of Lower Moutere, in residence there by 1843 in partnership with Murray and Rogers, on section 201, north bank of the Moutere River. They soon cleared their land and ordered large quantities of lime from lime burners of Suburban South. Nelson. In 1844 they brought sheep from Wellington and Taranaki and within a few months they had 600 sheep and thirty head of cattle.
By November 1846 Morse and Dr. James H. Cooper were squatting at Tophouse with a flock of sheep, and by March 1847 they had over one thousand sheep at the head of the Wairau Valley.
Morse was also a good marksman, and won the New Zealand Champion's Belt for shooting, and was keenly interested in the volunteers, becoming the senior officer in command of the district. He also owned a farm at Waimea West, where he often lived until he left Nelson to settle in Wanganui, where he died.
In 1867 Morse sold "Wantwood" to Francis Pitt of "Rockeby". South Rakaia, Canterbury and Charles Mills Cogle, also of Canterbury, who farmed in partnership on shares two-thirds to Pitt and one-third to Cogle. He agreed to pay Morse 13,822 pounds and to take over the mortgage of 1.858 pounds. The partners soon ran into financial trouble with falling prices of wool. Pitt was declared bankrupt in 1869. and handed over his interest in the property to the Union Bank of Australia. The following year Cogle disposed of his interest to the Bank for 300 pounds. Soon after, the bank conveyed the property to N. G. Morse who in turn sold the run to Edwards and Company of Nelson.
In 1880 Carter Bros. (Thomas and James) of "Hillersden" purchased the property, and from then on "Wanlwood" became a part of their large Hillersden run. The approximate area of "Wantwood" at that time was 9,094 acres freehold and 17,894 acres of leasehold.