The NZ Story

Samuel Husband was born in Saint Austell’s, Cornwall in Aug. 1833. His father was named Joseph, and his mother Elizabeth (nee Sowden). Samuel worked in a copper mine, and had injured his chest in a fall. He operated a stationery engine.

He married Ann Oxnam at Liskeard in 1855, and before they sailed for N.Z. in 1867, ten children were born. Only two, Edward Samuel, born in 1857 and Arthur Henry, born 1865, lived long enough to travel with them. Some lived only a few days, others a few months. Emily Elizabeth was born on the way to N.Z. in March 1867 off the Cape of Good Hope, and her mother called her "her Cape Pigeon".

Samuel Husband comes to NZ

Samuel paid the fares for his wife's? brother Stephen and sisters Mary, Alma, and Emily. When they arrived in Auckland, Mary (Mrs. Rait) wanted Samuel to buy her a new hat, he refused, and she never forgave him for it. Edward Samuel died in 1873, aged 16, and is buried in Westport.

Samuel and Ann had five more children in N.Z. and only the first, Emma Jane who only lived seven and a half months, did not survive and later marry. There were also two un-named stillborn babies, a total of seventeen.

It is possible that Joseph Charles, born in 1870 and known as Charles. He may not have been registered, as the Bullet River was in flood at the time, and by the time he got over to register him, they wanted to fine him for being overdue. Samuel refused to pay, and they refused to register Ann never found out if it was ever done.
Samuel did some gold mining at Fern Flat, and took out several water rights there. The stream entering the Buller River opposite Dellows Bluff is still known as Husbands creek.

Ann Husband

had an aunt, (also Ann Oxnam, who became Mrs. Prittis). Ann was a great favourite of Mr. and Mrs. Prittis who had wanted to adopt her. Ann lived with them, probably until she married Samuel Husband. Ann Prittis died in the 1890's in America, probably New York. Ann Husbands father became fed up with the family squabbles and also went to America. Ann owned land at Lyell, she was a tailoress, and had done some nursing in Cornwall. In later years in N.Z. she was a midwife. She died in Westport, and is buried there. Samuel died at Fern Flat and is buried at Wakapuaka, Nelson.

The Ann Husband "Fortune".

Before leaving Cornwall for America, Ann Prittis told her niece Ann Husband she would leave everything to her in her will. Years later (about the turn of the century) a member of the Husband Family had been stopped in a Wellington street by a friend, and told of a notice in the Personal column of a Wellington newspaper, of a request for Ann Husband to contact a New York Lawyer.

Charles Husband, son of Samuel, went to America about the time of World War I, or shortly afterwards, to find out about the Prittis will.

On his return, he confided only in his sister Alice. Apparently, Prittis had owned property in New York, and there was an ammunition factory on part of the property, but he had been warned off by someone, and was frightened
to talk about it. He told Alice that it would be best to do nothing more.
The first part of this story was common knowledge amongst the children of Samuel Husband. It was passed on by Emily (Mrs. Peps) to her children, and by Alice (Mrs. Boyd) who also told her daughter Ivy (Mrs. Hockley) of Charles Husband's trip to America.
Two Of Emily's daughters Annie (Mrs. Black) and Rachel (Mrs. Hambling) spent some time searching Wellington newspaper records, but without success.

About 1853 before Samuel and Ann set sail for NZ, Joseph and Elizabeth moved to St Ive. They appear in the 1861 census as living in Lidcott Mine Cottage, St Ive.