Patrick Hamilton - an old South Canterbury settler.
When was he born? It doesn't add up. 

“If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you're mis-informed.” ― Mark Twain

Evening Post, 11 April 1944, Page 6 DIED FULL OF DAYS
Timaru, This Day. Mr. Patrick Hamilton, who reached what he claimed was his 114th birthday on March 17, died last night. Mr. Hamilton was born in County Donegal, Eire, and lived under six British Sovereigns. He was bedridden for the last five years. He came to New Zealand in 1870.

The New York Times April 12 1944
Patrick Lucas Hamilton has died at Timaru at the age of 114. He was born in County Donegal, Ireland. He had been bed ridden for the last five years.

Auckland Star, 28 March 1935, Page 5 MR. P. HAMILTON'S MEMORIES
Ellesmere Guardian, 5 April 1935, Page 4 RIPE OLD AGE. CANTERBURY RECORD. HIS 105TH BIRTHDAY
Claiming to be the oldest man in New Zealand, Mr. Patrick Hamilton, of Pleasant Point, South Canterbury, celebrated his 105th birthday a week ago. A native of Ireland, Mr. Hamilton believes that he was born in 1830, but in those days there was no system of registration of births in his native land, and the only record made at the time was in the parish register (states the "Christchurch Star"). He was already a man in the prime of life when he landed in Lyttelton in 1869, at the age of 39 years. [sic: The passenger lists his age as 21] His first impressions were disappointing. Miles of arid, tussock-covered plains made no appeal to an immigrant from a country that is perpetually clothed in green, but he decided to stay in New Zealand. His first taste of colonial life was at Southbridge. There he stopped to help to thresh grain, the old-fashioned flails being used. The threshers lived under primitive conditions, burrowing into the straw stacks at night for shelter and warmth. Maoris from Little River were working there, and Mr. Hamilton admits that he was somewhat chary of these tattooed workers, The threshing over, Mr. Hamilton went on to Pleasant Point and bought the land on which he still lives. He built a house and sent to Ireland for his bride, who travelled south in a Cobb and Company coach. One of Mr. Hamilton's most cherished possessions is a horse's collar which was used on that trip. Mr. Hamilton is proud of the fact that his farm was the first block to be surveyed in the district, and on the, site, of his original house stands the trig station from which the whole of district was surveyed. Fears of earthquakes and gales caused Mr and Mrs Hamilton to abandon the original house, which was very high for its size, and Mr Hamilton built the house in which he now lives, a quaint old place of cob, stone and plaster, with a concrete verandah. In later years additions were made in wood. He transformed the bare farm into a tree-dotted block, with fences of sods and gorse. The first bluegums in South Canterbury were planted there and stand to-day, majestically over towering the whole of the vegetation of the district. It is interesting to compare the birthday celebrations of Mr Hamilton  with those of Mr. Thomas Inger, of Port Albert, who attained the age of 104 this month. Mr. Inger was born in Nottingham, England, and arrived in Auckland with the Nonconformist settlers in 1862.

Margaertt McIntire married Pattrick Hamilton in 1874 

Children:
1877  James
1881  Alexander
1885  Ellen
1887  Jane Ann
1891  Mary Elizabeth - never married
1894  Emma  - never married 

Maggie McIntyre, age 17, from Donegal came out as a single women, a domestic servant, on the Mary Shepherd which had sailed 13 May 1873 and arrived Lyttelton 20 August 1873.

Auckland Star, 17 March 1938, Page 15 108 YEARS OLD TO-DAY.
CANTERBURY PIONEER. HARDSHIPS OF EARLY DAYS.
There can be few with better claim to be the oldest resident of a British possession than Mr. Patrick Hamilton, who will celebrate his 108th birthday to-morrow. For 69 years Mr. Hamilton has lived in New Zealand and his home to-day is the same cottage that he built in 1860. In both may be seen the passing of the years, but Mr. Hamilton is still active and has only just taken to using two sticks to help him get about more easily. His home is still neat and in excellent repair. He disdains the use of glasses in reading daily newspapers and gets much quiet enjoyment from his garden. Mr. Hamilton was born at Carndonogh, County Donegal, Ireland, on St. Patrick's Day, 1830. From his father he learned much about farming and stock raising before he came to New Zealand and he was among many who suffered hardships of the great famine in Ireland. When he was he came to the Dominion with a brother, Mr. Alexander Hamilton, in the ship Seline [sic], which arrived at Lyttelton. His first employment in New Zealand was in helping with harvest at Southbridge. Soon afterwards he obtained employment on a threshing mill and later with his brother, Mr. John Hamilton, who had arrived from Ireland, he bought 500 acres of land at Waitohi, on which he built his cottage. He took part in all classes of labouring work, ploughing, drain-laying, fencing and road-making. One of the pioneer priests of Canterbury, the Rev. Father Chataigner, officiated at his marriage to Miss Margaret McIntyre on July 29, 1574. Mrs. Hamilton died on October 4, 1916.

He was probably born ca. 1848 and died in 1944.

Three young men, farm labourers from Donegal, travelling together, came out to Canterbury on the ship Celaeno which sailed 7 October 1869 and arrived at Lyttelton January 16th 1870. Bill 34 pounds owning.
Patrick Hamilton, aged 21
Alexander Hamilton 19
John McIntyre aged 18

 
Reference: FamilySerach

Press, 18 December 1869, Page 2
List of Assisted Government Immigrants per ship Celaeno.
FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.
Farm Labourers — William Pain and wife, Kent; Frank Hitchings, wife and three children, Kent; William Brock, wife and two children, Norfolk; John Judson, wife and four children, Yorkshire; John Cooke, wife and two children, Cambridge James McQuilan and wife, Antrim; John Vartha, wife and two children, Cornwall.
Ploughmen — Samuel Doyle, wife and two children, Kirkcudbrightshire Matthew Sandford and wife, Down;  Robert Cook, wife and three children, Donegal.
Gardener — Walter Hobbs and wife, Middlesex. Labourers—William Hawkins, wife and child, Somersetshire; Samuel Thomas and wife, Yorkshire.

SINGLE MEN.
Farm Laborers  — George French, Cambridgeshire; Thomas Hoult, Somersetshire; Frank Lloyd, Somersetshire; Wm Hy Williams, Cornwall; John Borrell, Lincolnshire Charles King, Lincolnshire Albert Slocombe, Somersetshire George McLean, Ross-shire David Fitzgerald, Kerry; Patrick Hamilton, Donegal; Alexander Hamilton, Donegal; John McIntyre, Donegal; Patrick Flannery, Tipperary Hugh Miller, Down Neal McCloy, Antrim Charles Rutledge, Tyrone John Mullan, Antrim; Charles Puchegud, France.
Ploughman — John Anderson, Burks.
Gardener — Andrew Burke, Hants.
Laborers Walter Hobbs, Middlesex; Robert King, Yorkshire; William Vartha, Cornwall; William Moran, Northumberland Joseph Carroll, Tipperary; Thomas Lowler, Tipperary Joseph Maxwell, Tipperary, Wm Robinson, Kilkenny; Thomas Branwell.
Shepherd — William Carroll.
Blacksmith — James Jamieson.
Grocer — William McBeth.

SINGLE WOMEN.
General Servants —Anne Burke, Glamorganshire Catherine Burke, Glamorganshire; Mary A Williams, Cornwall; Anne Donnelly, Tipperary Mary Maxwell, Tipperary; Eliza Jane Miller, Down Jane McCloy, Antrim Mary Delargy, Antrim Jane Butler, Antrim; Sarah O'Neill, Antrim Emma Symondson, Emma A Sells, Kent; Mary A. Little, Cumberland Ellen Glasspool, Surrey; Fanny Bishop, Hants; Elizabeth Wilson, India; Georgina Wilson, India Clara M Hall, Somersetshire; Margaret Ann Hose, Midlothian Eliza Morrison, Lanarkshire Eliza Baxter, Donegal Julia Pearce, Cornell!; Anne Clarke, Devonshire Emily Vaitha, Cornwall Ellen Vaitha, Cornwall; Jane Doyle, Kirkcudbrightshire Mary Doyle, Kirkcudbrightshire; Jessie Doyle, Kirkcudbrightshire Isabella Mennie, Aberdeenshire.
Housemaids. — Catherine McLean, Rosshire; Elizabeth A Sandoe, Middlesex; Ellen Cullen, Wexford; Catherine Kavanagh, Wicklow.
Cook. — Elizabeth Stanley, Queen's.
Dairy Maids. — Mary Lloyd, Somersetshire Mary Kavanagh, Wicklow.
Laundress. — Mary A Robinson, Kilkenny.
Summary. — Farm laborers, 24 ploughmen, 4; gardeners, 2 laborers, 13 shepherd, 1; blacksmith, 1; general servants, 35 housemaids, 4; cook, 1; dairywomen, 2 laundress, 1; matron, 1. Male adults, 45 female do, 62 male children, 8 female do, 8; infants, 4.
Total—l 27 souls 115 statute adults.

James McIntyre b. abt.1822, of Donegal, Ireland married Margaret MALCOM b.abt.1827 daughter of Gardiner Malcom and Margaret Wilson.
Occupation: Farmer.

Death notices:
James McIntyre died 11 April 1888 at Pleasant Point aged 61 from Donegal, Ireland
Margaret McIntyre nee Malcom died 13 Jan 1919 at Pleasant Point aged 92 from Strathlane, Ireland.

John McINTYRE born about 1852 at Carrowbag, County Donegal Ireland was a farm labourer and the eldest son of James McIntyre and Margaret Malcolm of Donegal, Ireland. When he was eighteen he sailed on the Celaeno for Canterbury, New Zealand on  to arriving 16 January 1870 at Lyttelton. She was only of 700 tons register. On the 30th November 1882 he married Letitia COCHRANE, born about 1861 at Ballymenagh Co Derry IRE. John is aged 30 Letitia aged 21 they married in the St Alban, an Anglican church in Pleasant Point. John latter was a dairy farmer near Pleasant Point. John died 20 Sep 1905 at Pleasant Point aged 53. The children all baptized at St. Alban Church, Pleasant Point.
The children born:

20 Oct.  1883 Margaret Jane  	in 1905 married Robert Cody GILLESPIE 
4 March  1885 Elizabeth Ann 	in 1913 married George McIntosh ROBERTSON 
8 Nov.   1886 William  								enlisted with the A.I.F. but didn't serve.
17 Sept. 1888 James  								Police Superintendent 
2 Nov.   1890 John  		in 1915 married Annie MacKay ROBERTSON  
4 Feb.   1893 Hester Letitia 
22 March 1896 Albert  		in 1920 married Dorothy Mabel THEW 		Police Detective
1 April  1900 Gordon Cecil  	in 1920 married Lauristina McGLASHAN 

In 1886 the Rev. T. A. Hamilton was living at at the Parsonage, Temuka.

Timaru Herald, 9 February 1874, Page 3 INQUEST.
On Friday afternoon last, at the residence of Mr John Hamilton, Waitohi Flat, an inquest was held before the District Coroner, B. Woollcombe, Esq., on the body of William McIntyre. A respectable jury was empanneled of whom Mr William Currie was chosen foreman.
    John McIntyre said : I am a laborer, living on the Waitohi Flat. Yesterday, at about half-past one o'clock in the afternoon, deceased, Patrick Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton, and myself went down to the Opihi river to bathe. We all bathed. Patrick Hamilton came out of the water and was dressing himself; I was just out. Deceased said to me that he would like to have a swim ; he then threw himself on the water, in the act of swimming, he then got up and stood erect in water about eighteen inches deep; he then staggered backwards into a pool of water out of his depth, and began struggling. I went in to his assistance and swam to him, and caught him by the left arm. We then both went to the bottom. When at the bottom I put my arm round deceased's waist to carry him out, and he then clasped me tight by his hands and feet. I was then being smothered, and was obliged to put him from me. When I got to the surface I was exhausted. Patrick Hamilton called to me ; I turned towards him, and he caught me by the arm and got me out of the water. Deceased is my brother. He could not swim. Deceased was standing in running water, and I think the shingle slipped away, which caused him to fall into the deep water. Deceased was in good health, and had been so for the last six months. Patrick Hamilton said : Yesterday, between one and two o'clock, I went down to the Opihi river to bathe with deceased, last witness, and my brother Alexander Hamilton.
    By a juror : I consider the pool was about ten or twelve feet deep.
    Edmund Jenkins said : I went down yesterday between four and five o'clock to the Opihi river, where I was told deceased had been drowned. I saw him lying at the bottom of a hole of water, face downwards. I went into the water and took him out. He was quite dead. I think the water was about or seven, feet deep where I got deceased out from. The pool is about five or six yards wide.
     John Baxter said : I am a farmer, living at Waitohi Flat. I saw deceased when he was taken out of the water yesterday. I saw the body stripped. I saw no marks upon the body. One leg was slightly drawn up. The jury returned the following verdict — "That the deceased William McIntyre was accidentally drowned while bathing in the Opihi river.

When your ancestors don’t leave many clues, the newspapers have to fill in the gaps!

Timaru Herald, 8 November 1872, Page 3
The ordinary monthly meeting of the above Board was held on Tuesday last, the 5th inst. Present Dr Rayner (Chairman), Messrs Wood, Currie and Barker.
The following tenders were opened:
1. Metalling upper Swamp road Alex Allan, 2s 2,1 per yard Wm Tavendale, 23 241 per yard (accepted).
2. Metalling Milford road Wm Tavendale, 2-s 6d per yard Patrick Grihish, 2s 6d per yard Hamilton and Currie, 2s 2d per yard Alex Allan, Is 11d per yard (accepted).
3. Formation on Milford road —
Alex Allan, 9s 6d per chain
Patrick Grihish, 12s 6d per chain
Robert Lavery, 11s 6d per chain
F. Kohn, 14s 9d per chain;
T. Way, 18s 6d per chain
P. Hamilton, 6s 9d per chain (accepted).  

Timaru Herald, 7 March 1873, Page 3
The usual monthly meeting of the above Board was held on Tuesday, the 4th instant. Present —Dr Rayner (chairman), Messrs Wood, Talbot, and Currie.
The following tenders were then opened : — Forming. &c. Middle Swamp road — John McIntyre and Patrick Hamilton, 19s 9d per chain ; Wm Hayes and Donovan, £1 5s 6d per chain ; J. Macdougal and Co.. £1 12s 6d per chain. The tender of J. McIntyre and P. Hamilton was accepted.

Not all of our ancestors were newsworthy!  

Press, 15 July 1910, Page 2
At the Police Court, Temuka, before Mr V.G. Day, S.M., Patrick Hamilton and Michael Hamilton were charged with being on licensed premises during prohibited hours. There was no appearance of the accused, and the Magistrate inflicted a fine of 10s and costs 4s 6d in each case.

Press, 9 February 1911, Page 8
Temuka (Before Mr V. G. Day, S.M.) Patrick Hamilton, charged with using indecent language, was fined 40s.

Press, 12 June 1912, Page 5 Temuka.
(Before Mr V. G. Day, S.M.) Police Cases. P. Hamilton, charged with drunkenness, was fined 5s and costs. J. Cunnard, jun., charged with leaving a horse and trap unattended, was fined. 5s. M. Carr, who did not appear on a charge of a breach of his prohibition order, was lined 10s. John Hamilton who pleaded guilty to procuring liquor for M. Carr, was fined 40s. John Spillane pleaded guilty to procuring liquor whilst prohibited, and was fined 20s nnd costs. Hone Whetau pleaded guilty to assisting M. Carr, a prohibited person, to drink liquor, and was fined 10s and costs. 

Press, 4 September 1912, Page 5 Temuka (Before Mr V. G. Day, S.M.)
J. Bruton, for whom Mr Aspinall appeared. pleaded guilty to obscene language and was fined 20s and costs.
P. Hamilton (Mr Aspinall) pleaded guilty to being drunk and using obscene language. He was convicted and discharged for drunkenness and fined £3 and costs 7s for obscene language.
Alexander Davidson pleaded guilty to drunk, and was fined 5s and costs.  

Press, 3 October 1912, Page 3
John and Patrick Hamilton, before the Court a few weeks ago for disorderly behaviour and assault, were again charged with similar offences. The Magistrate dismissed the charges of drunkenness, and on the charge of assault fined Patrick Hamilton £3 and costs, and John Hamilton £2 and costs, in default fourteen days' and seven days' imprisonment respectively.
    For failing to render personal service under the Defence Act, Leonard Donnithorne. Samuel Wallace, William, John Joynt, William Cain Christopher Buckley, A. J. Clinch, Edward H. Patterson, James Counihan, Luke Prattley, J. J. Watson, and James Patrick, were fined 10s each; and Arthur Prattley, Donald McInnes, Patrick Greelish, A. Whale, John Hamilton, and James A. Prattley, 40s and costs each.

Press, 30 May 1913, Page 5
Temuka. (Before Mr V. G. Day, S.M.) John Guthrie was fined 10s, and costs, for driving sheep over a railway crossing when the express train was within half a mile of it.
Charles Harbage was charged with travelling by train from Christchurch to Temuka without a ticket. Convicted and fined 10s and costs.
For striking a youth named McDonald during a spell in a match at Temuka on Thursday last, William Keen was fined 20s and costs.
Patrick and John Hamilton were charged with procuring liquor during the currency of their prohibition orders, with using obscene language, and fighting. Patrick Hamilton was fined 40s and costs on each charge. John Hamilton was fined 40s and costs on the charge of using obscene language, and convicted and discharged on the other informations. Andrew Mackie was fined 5s for procuring liquor during the currency of his prohibition order. Patrick Greelish and Michael Hamilton were each fined 40s and costs on charges of procuring liquor for Patrick and John Hamilton.
Press, 8 May 1914, Page 2
Monthly Meeting. The monthly meeting of the Canterbury Land Board was held yesterday. Present—Messrs C. 11. Pollen, Commissioner of Crown Lands (chairman), R. McCauley, J. Stevenson, and J. Sealy, and Mr R. Leckie (secretary). The following applications for transfers were approved:
lot 8877, Arowhenua V.S., John Hamilton to Patrick Hamilton, 1 acre 37 perches;
section 1, block V. Punaroa Settlement, George Dabinett to Walter J Halstead, 2143 acres
run No. 79, Mackenzie County, Roma Hope to Herbert Nalder, 36,900 acres
run 75a Mackenzie County, Colin McKenzie to Jessie A. Burnet, 14,000 acres
Makikihi riverbed, block VIII., Waimate S.D., Mary C. Quinn to Morris and Loader Saunders, 15 acres;
run 3660 block II Pareora S D., A H Kirk and W. Smith to Henry B. Kirk, 20 acres
run 2919, block X Tekapo S.D., John Schlaepfer to Vivian L. Le Cren 82 acres 2 roods
sub-lease: section 13, block IV., Morven. transfer. Hunters and others to Joseph Tangney (from year to year), 1 rood.

Press, 6 November 1914, Page 3
The monthly meeting of the Canterbury Land Board was held yesterday, the Commissioner, Mr C. R. Pollen (chairman), and Messrs J. Sealy and R. Macaulay being present. Mr Sealy was welcomed to a seat by the Commissioner, having been reelected to the elective seat recently. The following transfers were approved:—Section 1, Reserve 389,Blocks VI, X., Geraldine S.D., Charles Saunders to Samuel Pizzey, 30a 0r 22p
Section 53, Block XIV. Albury Settlement, William Macdonald to Alexander Macdonald, 50 acres
Section Block XIV., Albury Settlement, William Macdonald to Alex. Macdonald, 60 acres
Section 52. Block XIV. Albury Settlement, William Macdonald to Alex. Macdonald. 37a 2r 7p
Lot 887, Arowhenua V.S., Patrick Hamilton to John S. Lee, la 0r 37p
Section 5 Block II., Waitohi S.D.. Charles Scott to John Bunting, 45a 0r 3p
Section 36571, Block IV. Waitohi S.D., Charles Scott to John Bunting, 170a 2r 20p
Section 1S, Block II., Waitohi S.D.. Charles Scott to John Bunting 50 acres
Section 18 Block IV Douglas Settlement, Alice E. Hampton to John Hampton 418a 3r 19p

William McIntyre joined 17 August 1914 Unit 6th BW A.I.F.
Age 27 years 8 months, Tramway employee, Single
Mother Mrs L. McIntyre, Pleasant Point, South Canterbury, N.Z.
Attested 17 August 1914 Melbourne, Victoria, AUS.
Weight 15st 7lbs, height 5 7 .5 in. Chest 44-46 inches
Complexion- ruddy, hair light brown
Religion COE
Fit for active service. Not eligible for war medals. 

South Canterbury NZGenWeb Project