George Paterson and Jessie Cochrane Little - my generation’s great great great granduncle and aunt

George Paterson was the second youngest son of John and Elizabeth. He was their sixth child and second oldest son. George was born during February, 1843 in Durness, Sutherland, and arrived in NZ at 19 years old with his parents and siblings in 1862.

On the 4th of October, 1871, when George was 28, he married Janet (Jessie) Cochrane Little in Otepopo. Jessie was born in 1853, in Eddleston Peebleshire Scotland to Henry and Margaret Little. Jessie’s father owned the butcher in Herbert township from 1871. There is more about Jessie’s family in the section on John Davidson and Jane Tait Little.

George and Jessie had 12 children including

1. Elizabeth Mains McKay - born in 1872 and died on the 30th of June, 1876, aged 3-4 years old, and buried in Block 6 Plot 1, at Otepopo Cemetery

2. Margaret Little Hill - born in 1874 and died on the 13th of June, 1942, aged 68 years old; married James Ernest Hill, died 30th March 1932, aged 82; both are buried in Otepopo cemetery Block 11 Margaret in Plot 1 and James in Plot 3; their children included

• Jessie Ellen

• Ernest James

• George

• Reginald Gardiner

• Norman

• James Herbert

• Robert William

• Margaret Ivy

• Jean - died on the 13th of September, 1946, aged 29 years; buried in Otepopo cemetery, Block 11 Plot 2

3. John - born in 1876 and died in 1925; I can find no record of this John Paterson - could he be the John Mitchell Paterson born in 1877 and buried on the 4th of May 1954 in Invercargill, Plot 641, 34 General? or the John Paterson born in 1876, whose remains now rest in Newcastle Memorial Park in Beresfield, Newcastle City, New South Wales, Australia, and died on the 25th of July 1938?

4. Henry Little - born in 1878 and died on the 20th of May, 1880, aged 2 years, 3 months; buried in Block 6 Plot 1, Otepopo Cemetery

5. George - born in November ,1879, and died on the 15th of February, 1880, aged 3 months, buried in Block 6 Plot 2, Otepopo Cemetery. Interestingly he is the only one buried in Plot 2, that was officially bought by Duncan Mains (see the section on John William Paterson and Johanna Catherine Diehl)

6. Janet - born in 1880

7. George Anthony - born in 1882; served in the Boer War; died in 1950, Temuka

8. Neil Campbell Mains - born in June, 1883, and died on the 31st of August, 1884, aged 1 year old, and buried Block 6 Plot 1, Otepopo Cemetery

9. Thomas Little - born in January, 1885 and died in October, 1886, aged 1 year old, buried in Block 6 Plot 1, Otepopo Cemetery

10. Elizabeth - born in 1886

11. Henrietta Isabella McNeile - born in 1888, married George James McNeile on the 29th of September, 1910; they had one daughter, Cora Isobel Ewart; George passed away in 1940, at age 60 and Henrietta died on the 9th of December, in 1966; both are buried together in Kelvin Grove Cemetery, Palmerston North

12. Janet Hellen / Helen - born in 1891 and died in 1918, Oamaru

How tragic that five of George and Jessie’s children died in infancy. According to the Official Yearbook of 1895, the usual rate of infant deaths at this time was one in ten, so this number of childhood deaths was unusual for the time, making it even more distressing for George and Jessie’s family. The five children who passed in childhood are buried with their parents in Otepopo cemetery.

Advertisement in the North Otago Times, 22 March 1876, p. 3

Before moving to Otepopo, George had taken a position with Mr James Allen, of Hopehill, Taieri, in order to save enough money with his brother, possibly John William, to purchase property. According to the Waitaki District Council rate records, in 1878 and 1879, George leased section 67 of Block 5 and section 1 of Block 4. By 1884, he was leasing section 2 of 44 of Block 3, adjacent to his parents original property. This block had previously been leased by his older brother, Anthony and his father, John. The rate records also reveal that George and Anthony had joined in partnership by 1884, now owing section 89 and 90 of Block 5, and leasing several sections from Duncan Mains including pt 112, 113, pt 92, 93/4 of Block 5, 1, 2 of 4, 142/3, 5 of Block 2 and 64 pt 65, 63, 62 of Block 3. Records show that this leasing arrangement continued until at least 1900. This land is mostly further east up Woodburn Road from John’s original property on the right towards the coast at approximately 45°14'48.4"S 170°48’55.5”E.

In 1888, the Otago Daily Times reports that George bought section 2 of 44 of Block 3, with a valuation of £39, 17s and 9d. He also purchased block 67 of Block 5, with a valuation of £82, 2s and 9d, which is on the Herbert Side of 291 Woodburn Road, and is named Anthony Marshall on the 1861 survey map. According to one report in 1888, George was farming approximately 950 acres, of which 700 acres was leased. George and his family lived at ‘Woodlands’ for many years, which will be discussed in a following post.

George was involved in a large number of community organisations in the Otepopo area:

• at 25 years old he was a ranger of the Otepopo Hundred having impounded some horses in July 1869

• he had a lifetime interest in politics from as early as 1876 and was supportive of Mr McKenzie as a candidate in 1893 and as a minister to at least 1896

• listed as holding a fishing licence 1892-93

• petitioned for local roads to be gravelled in 1894

• he enjoyed a game of draughts and played competitively during 1894, supported the formation of the North Otago Draughts Association in 1895 and became a committee member later in the year through to 1898 becoming second in a closely fought battle in 1898

• volunteered in the Otepopo Rifles from 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1882, 1883 with excellent scores in competition during 1889 and held a license to kill game in 1884

• was a manager of St John’s Presbyterian church, speaking at a farewell in 1897 and proposing a vote of thanks at a function in 1899 where also a Miss A. Paterson and Miss J. Paterson ‘presided at the tables’ and a Mr J. Paterson acted as a steward

• was the temporary secretary that asked for meeting of residents to get a ‘duly qualified medical man’ for the district in 1900

Jessie too was involved in a number of local groups including the Ladies Guild of the Otepopo church in 1902 to at least 1909. She seemed like a hard case, with a good sense of humour, inviting visitors to come into their house at ‘Woodlands’ if they were good looking!

On the farm, as well as running sheep, George was a milk supplier. He formally thanked creamery owner, Arthur Lindsay, and congratulated him on his marriage with surprise party during 1900. George also had an interest in trotting and had the stallion “Caliph Still” standing at his property as advertised during 1878 and 1879. In 1889 and 1890 George trained ‘Vivian Gray’ along with four other trotters, raced in Oamaru, Waimate, Duntroon and Timaru. This interest in trotting makes me wonder if our Paterson family was related to ‘A. Paterson’ who had Livery Stables in Wainsbeck St Oamaru and was involved in the North Otago Jockey club during the end of the nineteenth century. I haven’t found any solid links to date.

George’s and Jessie’s gravestone, where they are buried with some of their children at Otepopo cemetery Plot 1 Block 6

George died at his property ‘Woodlands’, Otepopo on the 9th of October 1902, aged 59. One obituary said he’d been unwell for two years. It noted he had been a church manager, a very keen angler, that he played draughts, and that he had a merry and hearty laugh. Another obituary said George was a member of the old Otepopo Rifles where he held a high position and had been a really good marksman. It went on to say his great weight and strength made him ‘a power in the tug of war team’. It also said he had been unwell and had recently visited Australia in hope that the change would improve his health, and while he had made a partial recovery, this was sadly not sustained. One report of George’s funeral said it was one of the largest seen in Otepopo, with a large number of family and friends attending from Oamaru, Duntroon and Palmerston, and the cortege had been nearly half a mile long. He was formally remembered two years later in the Oamaru Mail.

George’s wife, Jessie, died on the 14th April 1930 aged 78. I haven’t found any more information about Jessie to date. Both George and Jessie are buried together with their children who died in infancy at Otepopo cemetery in Plot 1 Block 6.