Thomas William Graham

[djamesp]

I am trying to locate the origins and later life of  ErrorSPAM REPORT THIS POST AS SPAM (Use 'Report to Moderator'). DO NOT CLICK ON ANY LINKS IN THIS POST. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS PERSON.][/color]Thomas William Graham.  What I have to go on at the moment covers the period 1901 till 1938 - during which time he was a Methodist and then Presbyterian Home Missionary in various parts of NZ (1901-1913). He was for about 10 years a commercial traveller in Auckland and then spent at least 10 years as a largely unpaid missionary in India and in Shangahi. He last appears, according to a newspaper report, about to leave Wellington for Australia in 1938.  He had married Caroline Louisa McFarlane (nee Shaw) in Dunedin in 1901, and there were three children of that marriage - Eileeen Zoe (later Mrs R E C Watson (1903-1989); James William Wesley (1905-1958), and Frank Inwood (1908-1972). All these were Auckland residents, though Caroline was buried there beside her first husband, Andrew.  I hope there might be some way of contacting a family member for more information about Thomas William.  Any ideas?

[Beg Clonrode...]

I am trying to locate the origins [...] of Thomas William Graham.

Any ideas?

Hello...

The easiest way to find the origins of Thomas William GRAHAM would be to purchase a printout of his 1902 marriage certificate to Caroline Louisa McFARLANE. It contains information he has supplied himself so is likely to be accurate. The marriage certificate will (should) mention his parents.

A marriage certificate printout costs NZ$20.40 and is available on-line from BDM NZ.

BDM NZ Search
https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/

1902/3022 - Caroline Louisa McFARLANE - Thomas William GRAHAM

The date of the marriage is 1 April 1902

-------

A second possibility is viewing the 1919 divorce file of Thomas and Caroline. Sometimes marriage certificates are included in the divorce documents. The divorce file is held at the Auckland branch of Archives NZ.

You could start a new thread asking for an Auckland Archives look-up. Hopefully an Auckland-based rootschatter will be able to visit the Archives on your behalf, take photos of any documents and then email them to you. There is no cost to you, except for the debt of gratitude.

The following is the information you'd need for your divorce look-up request thread....


A heading similar to......

Auckland Archives Lookup - GRAHAM Divorce File

And include the following link in your request...

GRAHAM, Thomas William - Caroline Lousia - 1919
http://archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=16697813

No harm in asking :-)

Regards
Beg

[ellipitt]

Hi
Have a look at 'Papers Past' on the NZ National Library website.

'NZ Truth' 20 january 1917, p5 describes the court case where his wife is trying to get maintenance from him. Has background about his activities and gives some dates for his travel.
Also:
7 July 1916, p2
6 december 1916, p6

Sounds an interesting man!!
Best wishes
Elli

[djamesp]

Thanks ellipitt.  I had seen this, but the problems seem to have been worked through for the time being.  A few years later he is reported as assuring his supporters that his family (including his wife) were well cared for when he went overseas on his missionary work. In the end, though, he does seem to have gone his own way. He visited NZ in 1937, and the newspaper reported that he was moving to, or returning to, Australia. His children, and his wife, remained in this country.

[minniehaha]

Hi there djamesp,

I have had some success in locating descendants through newspaper death notices. Later this week I will be in the library and can do some look-ups for you. Can you provide any dates of death of the children of Thomas William Graham?

Minniehaha.

[djamesp]

Thanks for the offer. Of the four children noted in NZ BDM, (1) Wesley James, b1903, survived a few months; (2) Clarence Wesley (1905-1936) d. Sydney; (3) Ileen  (?Eileen) Zoe (1906-....) m. but I have lost my record of her marriage; (4) Frank Inwood (1908-1972) is a likely source - he died in Auckland 29.12.1972.

[minniehaha]

Hello again,

Eileen Zoe Watson died on 25.11.1989 aged 83 years. Buried/cremated @ Purewa cemetery.

I will see if I can find a death notice for her and brother Frank.

Minniehaha.

[minniehaha]

Hi djamesp,

I have PM'd transcriptions of the death notices for:

WATSON, Eileen Zoe &

GRAHAM, Frank Inwood.

Hope you can now move forward with this part of your research. 

Minniehaha.