sweetfizz on Family Tree Circles

William West we understood was born in Campbelltown in Perthshire Scotland and came to Dalry when a young lad, he spoke Gaelic and had hardly any English, he retained his Gaelic all his life. I understand that he might not have been born in Campbelltown at all but have no further information. One of his descendants visited Scotland and found that there was no Campbelltown in Perthshire but there was one in Ayrshire but they could find no birth records for him there.

What I do know is that he received his education at the parish school where he became a pupil teacher. He then went to Edinburgh where he studied at the Normal Academy of the Church of Scotland, having completed his course there he obtained an appointment as teacher at Maybole, Ayrshire, and it was there he married Elizabeth Wales. In 1863 they left Scotland and travelled to New Zealand on sailng ship "War Spirit" He landed in Auckland where he remained for awhile undecided whether he would continue teaching. For a time while he was in Auckland he was in charge of commisarait of the British troops stationed ther on account of the Maori wars. The salary that was offered was 13 Pounds per month after a time he enquired why it was not being paid to him and was told that they never paid the last man because he was making more out of the job than the salary was to be to which Mr west replied "it's not an officer in charge you want, it's a rogue" and promptly resigned. He eventually became a Presbyterian Minister and spent most of his time as Minister of the Southbridge Parish in Canterbury New Zealand.

He had a large family of 15 children, 2 sons Donald and Bruce West emigrated to the United States, Bruce and a Kirkland West visited New Zealand when I was a young girl living in Hokitika Westland, New Zealand.

I have hit a brick wall I have traced my Great-grandfather Joseph Hughes by his birth and Baptism records 1832 back to London. His father was John Leonard Hughes (a Tailor of Bond Street) and his Mother was Margaret Jane.

John Leonard Hughes married Margaret Jane Skelton on the 9th October 1827, in the Parish of St Marylebone in the Borough of Westminster, it was a Parish Register not sure what that means.

I have traced the records for his sons Joseph Leonard Wharton Hughes (my grandfather) and William Henry Shaw (my Uncle) by his 1st wife Ellen Womack to New Zealand. My problem is I can't find out which ship they came to New Zealand in and what year. I know this is my right family because if you Google Joseph Leonard Wharton Hughes he comes up with a little bio on him. My Grandfather was an artist and was (taught by an artist of note) in Chellaston Derbyshire England. He first shows up in New Zealand in the census as living in the Bay of Islands 20 years of age, He spent at least 3 years living in Kaeo from 1896 - 1899 he married my Grandmother Barbara Murray there. BUT HELP how did he get there to New Zealand I mean.

My great grandmother was Ellen Womack, and her parents were John Womack and Sophia Wharton. WE were always told that Wharton was a family name of some inpotance but we all assumed it was on the Paternal side.