James HOGG 1864 - 1938

Sunday, 01 April 2007

James Hogg was was born in Kilrea, Derry, Ireland in 1864. James and Etta HOGG (no relation) married 31 Mar 1892 at Moneydig Presbyterian Church in the Parish of Desertoghill when he was 28 and she was 25. James residence at that time was Drumhama and he was the son of Alexander HOGG 1830 - 1914 and Elizabeth STEVENS. Etta's place of residence at the time of their marriage was Tamlaght, Derry, now in Northern Ireland.Her name at birth was Hester HOGG, the daughter of Archibald HOGG 1833 - 1884, a farmer, and Martha Jane GAMBLE 1836 -1921.

 On Sunday 31st of March 1901on the night of the Irish Census the family was living in the Townland of Tamlaght, which is in the District of Kilrea, the Parish of Aghadowy and the Barony of Coleraine and the County of Londonderry. The house consisted of two rooms, had a thatch roof and three windows and the landholder was listed as Samuel Torrens. James occupation was given as 'dealer in groceries'. His age on last birthday was 31, Esther's 29, Sandy 8, Cissy 6, Lily 2 and Annie S was aged 4 months.

It is thought that James saw the position at the salmon hatchery in the Hakataramea Valley advertised in a Hunting/Fishing magazine and decided to emigrate with Etta and the oldest four children. James sister Mary Ann Hogg, born Kilrea 25 October 1865, and her husband Thomas Wilson, born Mullan were already living in the Haka Valley. They married on 3 April 1879 at the Moneydig Presbyterian Church in the parish of Deserstogill, near Kilrea. James and Etta's parents had also married in the same church. James parents Alexander Hogg, from Kilrea, and Elizabeth Stevens married 15 December 1853.

James also had another sister, Martha Jane, born in Kilrea on 25 May, 1871 and two brothers, Samuel, born Kilrea 11 October 1867, and Robert, born Kilrea on 26 August 1869. Kilrea, on the Antrim border, is a beautifully preserved example of a Plantation town, with long, straight roads and the 'Diamond' at its centre. The town sits high up the Bann Valley to the South East of Garvagh and enjoys a vantage point above the river.

The family lived in Kurow, North Otago for a short time, then moved to Hakataramea and lived near the hatchery, the house has now been moved and is opposite the Hakataramea Cemetery. James is supposed to have bought the small farm that George Patterson owned after they moved to Maerawhenua, near Duntroon in about 1910. James used to travel over the Lindis Pass to Central Otago and the lakes and rivers with his hatchlings. There is a telegram that James received when he retired as a Public Servant. James enjoyed the races and used to travel up to Christchurch to attend the NZ Cup meetings. He used to stay with the Woods family (Senior) and later with Sam and Cissy (Woods) when they had a dairy farm at Halswell. He always wore gentleman's clothes - suit, waistcoat, tie, hat and fob watch. James never remarried after Etta's death and continued to work at the Salmon Hatchery at the end of the Hakataramea gorge until he retired. James died on 22 August 1938 from Coronary Thrombosis at the age of 68 and is buried at the Hakataramea Cemetery, in the same grave as Esther.

Sources: 1901 Census of Ireland
© Marie Heilbrunn 2007