The Memories Of A Pioneer.

Mr. John McNeil, the first man to settle on the Balclutha Flat, the first Mayor of Balclutha, and the first Chairman of the Clutha County Council, arrived in Otago in 1849. Here is his story of the first settlers: “In the spring of 1852 I was sent by my father to the Clutha with his cattle from Blanket Bay … on arriving at that part of the Clutha River where the town of Balclutha now stands, there was no habitation of any sort in sight. There were only a few people in the Clutha district then. On the south side of the Clutha Mr. Willsher was settled … He had brought a few cattle with him, which had increased to a considerable mob… There was also a Mr. Russell settled in Molyneux Bay. The first settlers were the late Mr. William Mosley and Mr. Burrell, who took up land near the mouth of the River. The next settlers were Mr. Fuller and Mr. George Hay, who settled at what is now called Romahapa. Alexander and Nathaniel Chalmers settled in the same locality about the same time. Thomas, Andrew, and Alexander Archibald were the next to settle. They took up land close to the Awikiki Bush, in the South Clutha district. Mr. Wallace and Mr. Andrew Mercer also settled about the same time in that locality… Mr. Thomas Redpath was the first to settle on Inchclutha. Mr. John Shaw settled shortly afterwards on the south bank of the river, opposite Mr. Redpath's place…”