Mr. John Barraclough , who was one of the oldest settlers in the Oamaru district, was born at Bradford, Yorkshire, England, on the 8th of December, 1827, and brought up to business in a small way in Bradford. Mr. Barraclough settled in Oamaru in March, 1860, when he took the management of Mr. Hassell's wool store. About three years later, he went to live on land which he had purchased, and carried on farming for about two years. He then purchased a property on the Kakanui river, and established a fellmongery, which he conducted successfully for about eight years. In 1872, Mr. Barraclough retired from this business and paid a visit to England, where he remained for over twelve months. After his return to the Colony he entered into land transactions which proved lucrative, and resided at “Meadowbank,” where he had purchased a homestead in 1870. The house was one of the earliest erected in the locality. Mr. Barraclough was married in January, 1850, to a daughter of the late Mr. Samuel Scott, of Bradford, and had one daughter, nine grandchildren and six great grandchildren. He died on the 14th of June, 1899.

The late Mr. J. Barraclough.

Mr. John Borton Is an old and prominent settler in North Otago. He was born in Oxfordshire, England, in 1826, and was brought up as a surveyor and civil engineer. In the year 1849 he landed at New Plymouth by the ship “Cornwall,” and afterwards visited Nelson and Wellington before landing at Port Chalmers. In 1852 Mr. Borton went to Australia, but returned in the following year to New Zealand. He made three trips to England in 1853, and ultimately settled at Halfway Bush, Dunedin, where he built a house, which is still (1904) standing. With Mr. Julian Jeffreys he took up the Maerewhenua run of 15,000 acres, and the partners afterwards took up additional land, amounting, in all, to a quarter of a million acres. For many years Mr. Borton was interested in this property, and when the policy of the Provincial Government required that a portion of the run should be converted into freehold, about 30,000 acres were bought by the firm. Under Mr. Borton's direction this property was brought fully into cultivation; Mr. Jeffreys retired from the firm in the early stages of the estate's development. Mr. Borton was afterwards joined in partnership by the late Mr. A. McMaster, under the style of Borton and McMaster, the firm existed for many years, and was long one of the best known and most prominent pastoral partnerships in New Zealand; apart from its success as a private business, it rendered valuable service to the colony by importing and breeding stock of the best quality, especially Merino sheep. Ultimately the estate was divided, when Mr. McMaster took the Tokarahi portion, and Mr. Borton retained the Maerewhenua part. In 1895 Mr. Borton's property was acquired for closer settlement by the Government of New Zealand. A railway station on the Kurow branch line is named after Mr. Borton.

Mr. George Dalgleish was born at Craigmillar Castle, near Edinburgh, in 1826, and served his apprenticeship as a joiner in Edinburgh. In 1861 he arrived in Port Chalmers, per “Lady Egidia.” He was for some time in business as a builder in Invercargill, and was afterwards interested in sawmilling as a member of the firm of Murdoch and McCallum. He has resided in Oamaru since 1878, and retired from the firm page 553 or McCallum and Co., about 1890. Mr. Dalgleish was married, in 1847, to a daughter of the late Mr. A. Main, of Edinburgh. Mrs. Dalgleish died about 1888.

Mr. Joseph Steel Dalzell , sometime of Pukeuri, was born in Cumberland. England, in 1827, and brought up to country life. He arrived in Australia, in 1851, and seven years later came to Otago, where he took up a cattle station near Lake Manapouri. In 1863 Mr. Dalzell acquired the Hakataramea Downs station, which he worked for about fifteen years. He removed to the Oamaru district in 1878, and purchased 108 acres of freehold, now known as “Hayton.” at Pukeuri. Mr. Dalzell served as a member of the Oamaru Borough Council for some time. He was married, in 1878, to a daughter of the late Mr. John Hardy, of Oamaru, and at his death, in 1895, left four daughters. Mrs Dalzell survives her husband.

Mr. James Emslie was a member of the Oamaru Borough Council for three years, and served for five years on the Middle School committeee. He was born on the 8th of October, 1845, in Kincardineshire, Scotland, and there he was educated and taught the trade of a tailcr. For five years Mr. Emslie was in business at Stonehaven, and arrived at Port Chalmers by the ship “Invercargill” on the 1st of October, 1875. In the following month he settled in Oamaru, where he commenced business as a tailor, and conducted it till 1883. He then went into business as a fruiterer, in Thames Street, and carried on a successful trade, to which he added that of a pastry cook and confectioner, but in 1901 he sold out both businesses. While in business Mr. Emslie bought several properties in the main street, and has a convenient private residence in Reed Street. Mr. Emslie is a member of the Protestant Alliance Friendly Society. He was married, in 1872, to a daughter of Mr. James Masson, of the city of Aberdeen, and has two sons and three daughters.

Mahan and Muir, photo.
Mr. and Mrs J. Emslie.

Mr. John Hardy , who served in the early days as a member of the Otago Provincial Council, was born in Middlesex, England, in 1821, and was brought up to the profession of a civil engineer. He came out to Port Chalmers in 1856, and settled in the Tokomairiro district, where he farmed for twelve years. He then removed to Dunedin, and practised his profession for about five years, and settled in Oamaru in 1872. Mr. Hardy served as a member of the Oamaru Borough Council, and took a keen interest in public matters generally. At his death, in 1882, he left eight sons and five daughters.

Mr. John Hood has been prominently connected with the business life of Oamaru for many years. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1835, was brought up in Ayrshire, and served an apprenticeship of five years to the drapery trade. In 1881 he came to Port Chalmers, by the ship “Lady Egidia,” and after a year in Dunedin he settled in Oamaru, in 1863. There were comparatively few buildings in the township at that time, and Mr. Hood established the first draper's shop in the district in March, 1863, at the foot of Wansbeck Street. Ten years later he and his partner, Mr. John Shennan, built the large shop at the junction of Thames Street and Itchen Street, and there business was carried on till 1883, when the property was sold. For six years afterwards Mr. Hood conducted business in Waterloo House in Thames Street. He afterwards disposed of that business, and has been in the employment of Messrs R. Brown and Co. since 1894. As a Freemason Mr. Hood is attached to Lodge Waitaki, E.C. He was married, in 1860, to a daughter of the late Mr. James Flett, of Fraserborough, Scotland, and has seven sons and three daughters.

Mr. James Kay was born in 1835 in Glasgow, Scotland, where he received his education, and learned the trade of a stone mason. After working for a time as a journeyman in Manchester and in London, he left the Old Country in November, 1854, and arrived in West Australia at the beginning of the following year. After a year spent on a station, he caught the gold fever, and went to Victoria. On the outbreak of the Gabriel's Gully rush in Otago, Mr. Kay went there, and worked for a time at Weatherstones. He afterwards left for the Ccromandel rush in the Auckland district, but on arriving in Auckland he decided to stop there and work at his trade. On the outbreak of the Dunstan rush, he went there but after a short time on the field returned to Dunedin, and worked for a time at his trade. In 1865 he settled in Oamaru, where he found employment as a stone mason, but was also engaged for a short time on the West Coast as a digger. As an Oddfellow Mr. Kay has been a member for thirty-six years, and has passed all the chairs, and was a trustee of the Loyal Oamaru Lodge for a number of years. He served seven years as a volunteer in No. 1 Company, Oamaru Rifles, and received a land grant for his services. Mr. Kay was married at Oamaru, in January, 1869, to a daughter of the late Mr. James Barclay, of Gourock, Scotland, and has one son and four daughters.

Mahan and Muir, photo.
Mr. and Mrs J. Kay.

Mr. Joseph Moss , Old Colonist, who has been settled in Oamaru for over forty years, and who was for some time a member of the Borough Council, was born in 1839 in London. At an early age he was apprenticed to a tobacconist, but ran away to sea when twelve years old. For about eighteen months he served on the barque ‘Sibella,” which he left in the East Indies to join the brig “Hermione,” in which he worked his passage to Melbourne, where he commenced his colonial career at the age of fourteen. After a year in Melbourne he went off to the gold-fields, which he followed for eight years. In 1861 he was attracted to Otago, spent nine months at Gabriel's Gully and settled in Oamaru in 1862. With Mr. S. E. Shrimski, after wards a member of the Legislative Council, he founded the firm of Shrimski and Moss, and they erected the first stone business premises in Oamaru. After the senior partner of the firm entered political life, Mr. Moss conducted business on his own account. Mr. Moss has always taken a keen interest in sport, is one of the oldest directors of the Caledonian Society, and has been a member of the North Otago Jockey Club for over thirty years.

Mr. William Mchutcheson , Old Colonist, was born in Glasgow in 1810, and landed at Port Chalmers by the ship “Silistria,” on the 12th of October, 1862. He settled in Canterbury on his arrival in New Zealand, and in 1882 he removed to Oamaru, where he made his permanent residence. In 1838, Mr. McHutcheson joined the total abstinence movement, then in its infancy, and took an active part in its early struggles, which were carried on amidst great opposition.

Mr. James Mcquade , now of Deborah, near Oamaru, but who resided at Livingstone for about thirty years, was born in 1829, in Cavan, Ireland, and landed in Victoria in 1852. He was one of the diggers who landed in Otago in 1861, and was among the first to rush to the various fields as they were discovered, and had many lively experlences. About 1838 Mr. McQuade settled at Livingstone and commenced farming. He was one of the first to discover gold there, and, with others, agitated for the proclamation of the district as a goldfield. Mr. McQuade was a member and chairman of the Livingstone school committee, and a trustee of the cemetery. He was married, in 1851, to Miss White, of Cavan, who died four years later, in Victoria, leaving one son and one daughter; the son afterwards died. In 1858 Mr. McQuade married a daughter of the late Mr. P. Ellis, of Cornwall, and this lady left five sons and five daughters at her death in 1895. Mr. McQuade contracted a third marriage, in 1898, with the widow of Mr. James Matheson, some time of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Mr. Peter Orr was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1839, and was brought up by his father as a farmer. In 1862 he arrived in Port Chalmers, and, settling in the Oamaru district, he carried on farming at White Rocks till 1886. He was a member of the Oamaru Borough Council for a short time, and was connected with the Agricultural and Pastoral Association as a member of the committee almost from its inception, and occupied office as vice-president. As a judge of Ayrshire cattle, in which he had been a prize-taker, his services were frequently in request in various parts of Canterbury. Mr. Orr was also for some years connected with the North Otago Caledonian Society, of which he was at one time a director, and he was a member of the Endeavour Lodge, United Ancient Order of Druids. He was married, in 1869, to a daughter of Mr. J. Turnbull, of Lanark, and had two sons and four daughters. Mr. Orr died in June, 1901.

Mr. William Stevenson was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1832, and was there educated and brought up to mercantile life. Before leaving his native land he was in business as a brush manufacturer. Mr. Stevenson landed in Port Chalmers, in 1882, from the ship “Invercargill,” and settled in Oamaru, where he succeeded his late brother, Mr Robert Stevenson, in 1888, as secretary to the Benevolent Society. Mr. Stevenson was closely identified with Columba Church, from its foundation in July, 1883, and acted as one of the managers, and as treasurer for a considerable period. He was married, in 1862, to a daughter of the late Mr. J. Paterson, of Edinburgh, compositor, and had one daughter. Mr. Stevenson died on the 21st of July, 1902.

Mr. John Sinclair , who was well known in the Oamaru district as a builder and contractor, in Dee Street, was born in Caithness Scotland, in 1889. Having learned his trade, he came out to New Zealand in the ship “Strathallan,' in 1858. For about a year he was working in Dunedin, prior to settling in the Oamaru district in 1860. He was for a short time on the Waitahuna diggings, and was afterwards at Fox's. Then he went to farm at Warepa but, a year later, removed to Levels station, near Timaru, where he continued for a year. In 1868 he settled in Oamaru, where he henceforth carried on as a builder and contractor, up to the time of his death, by drowning, in October, 1903, at the mouth of the Waitaki river. Mr. Sinclair erected a number of prominent buildings, such as the Colonial (now New Zealand) Bank, the Union Bank, St. Paul's Presbyterian church, the Oamaru Woollen Factory, Otekaike House, additions to St. Luke's Anglican church, and to the residence of Mr. John Bullied, besides a large number of shops and private residences in the district. He served for about six years as a member of the Oamaru Borough Council, and during that period the water and gas works in connection with the borough were taken in hand. For many years he took an active part in connection with the Caledonian Society. He had vivid recollections of the condititon of Oamuru in 1860, when the creek, which passes under the bridge in Thames Street, was spanned by a single plank, which, when carried away by a flood, left one part of the community cut off from the other, for fully three days. Mr. Sinclair was married, in 1888, to a daughter of the late Mr. James Bell, of Glasgow, and left three sons and three daughters.

Mahan and Muir, photo.
The late Mr. J. Sinclair.

Captain Francis Turpie , J.P., who settled in the “Retreat,” Newborough, in 1882, has had a large seafaring experience. He was born in 1833, at Ceres, Fifeshire, Scotland, and educated at Arbroath, Forfarshire; went to sea at the age of thirteen, and became mate in 1857 and master in the following year. In 1860 he married a daughter of the late Mr. James Bain, of Arbroath, and he and Mrs. Turpie went to Mauritius, where for two years he had charge of the s s. “Neptune.” Subsequently he was captain of the barque “Genevieve,” in which he made two voyages to Ceylon, and was introduced to New Zealand on the 17th of January, 1862, by being shipwrecked at the page 555 entrance to the Otago Heads, where his vessel became a total wreck. Captain Turpie was placed in charge of the barque, “Mary E. Rae,” and took returning diggers back to Victoria. Afterwards he returned to Mauritius, and after being again in charge of the s.s. “Neptune for a short time, he joined the Government Pilot Service, in which he remained for nearly twenty years, when he retired on a pension. The climate of New Zealand being to his taste, he returned to Lyttelton, by the ship “Alexia,” and arrived on the 22nd of March, 1882. Captain Turpie has been a Justice of the Peace since 1895, and is a member of the Oamaru licensing committee. He is a member of the committee of the Oamaru Bowling Club, and has taken part in interprovincial matches.

Captain F. Turpie.

Dr. John Stubbs Wait was Mayor of Oamaru for two years, and chairman of the Harbour Board for a similar period. He was born at Warrington, Lancashire, England, educated in Manchester, and studied at the Manchester Infirmary. In 1853 and 1858 he took his degrees (Member of the Royal College of Surgeons England, Licentiate of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow, and Licentiate of Midwifery, Glasgow), and became the assistant surgeon to the 7th Lancashire Militia. He arrived in Port Chalmers in November, 1863, by the ship “Persia.” Dr. Wait settled in Oamaru, and practised his profession for many years in the district. As a prominent Freemason he was the founder of Lodge Waitaki, of which he was the Master for three years. He laid the foundation stone of the first jetty in Oamaru, turned the first sod of the Waitaki-Moeraki railway, served as chairman of the Kakanui Road Board, and held other public positions. Dr. Wait was married, in 1854, to the daughter of Mr. Edward Dawson, of Bury, Lancashire, and has two sons and one daughter.