After tracing my family tree for the past couple of years I have succeeded in finding almost all of my 4x GGrandparents. The only outstanding ones are the parents of Robert Munro and Sarah McNee, I've been unable to find anything on this pair prior to their marriage, and little (aside from the births of their children) afterwards. What I have found follows:
Robert Munro married Sarah McNee in Invercargill in July 1864.
I have a copy of their intention to marry, which states Roberts age as 28, his occupation as "Constable" (presumably of Police) and time of residence in Invercargill as 4 days (
)
Sarah is 27, occupation "Servant" and has resided in Invercargill for 6 months.
The couple went on to have 7 children:
Catherine, born 1865, (I've been unable to trace her.)
Robert born 1866, died 1867 in Akaroa. First burial at Governors Bay Cemetary
His twin, John Alexander, born 14 Sep 1866, in Akaroa (per Foresters application.) Married twice, to Mary Emily Madden nee Burling and Maud Ransome. Died 1939 in Masterton. My GG Grandfather.
(All subsequent births in the Akaroa/Little River region)
William Daniel, born 1868. Married Christina Mckay and died in 1957
Hugh Charles, born 1870. Also came to the Wairarapa, married Eliza Melton and died in 1945.
Robert Henry Thomas, born 1871, died in 1873
Sarah Jane , born 1873, married Henry Thomas Houghton, died 1962.
After the birth of Sarah Jane, Robert Sr disappears. I am of the opinion he is the Robert Munro who dies in Christchurch in 1873, but I have no proof.
Sarah remains in Little River after this, I have found newspaper reports of her being paid to clean the Schoolhouse etc. She is still there in 1905, living in the Okute Valley. However she vanishes after this as well. The only death that matches in one of a Sarah Munro in Invercargill in 1916. This Sarah is buried in an unmarked grave. I have not bought the death cert as her burial record provides no details about her, presumably the informant was the same on both. She only ever appears on one electoral record which has made tracing her difficult (unless she took up with another man I suppose).
Now the part that intrigues me most. At some point in time John Alexander and Hugh migrate to the Wairarapa. They are, in 1896, in Tinui, working as labourers. Why and how did they wind up here? Where there family members there already? Its a tiny isolated settlement today, let alone in the 1890's. If it was due to the death of Robert, why would you send the eldest and the third sons, not the second? If anyone can shed some light on this I would be ecstatic.
A couple things that I missed earlier:
Robert was described as a shepherd on William Daniels marriage certificate, and Sarah's birthplace was given as the Shetland Islands. I've been unable to find any records of a Sarah McNee from the Shetlands.
To summarise what I'm hoping you guys can help me with
Find Robert and Sarah prior to immigration,
Find what happened to them, regarding their deaths.
Any tidbits about their lives would help, I've found few newspaper reports about them, plenty about the "other" Robert Munro (of Pigeon Bay)
Find why Jack and Hugh alone went to the Wairarapa.
Anything else I haven't listed here about their lives would be great though, those are just the main points.
Thanks a lot in advance.
Sam.
