Emma Hunt was born in South Rauceby, Lincolnshire, England, about 1823 and was baptised at St Peter's, Rauceby on 31 May 1824. She was the daughter of Elizabeth Brown and Thomas Hunt.
Emma, a 17 year old seamstress, emigrated to New Zealand with her family on the "Martha Ridgway", arriving in Port Nicholson on 14 November 1840.
The family settled at Thorndon Flat, where Emma's father Thomas was a gardener.
Emma's first marriage was to a whaler, Denis McCarthy (McCarty) who had a young son, John. It is believed that they eloped and married in the Bay of Islands where their son Charles was born, later moving to Auckland where Denis owned a butcher's shop in Queen Street. This move is likely to have coincided with the evacuation of settlers from Kororareka at the time of the sacking of the town by Hone Heke in 1845.
Emma and Denis had four children, Charles, Elizabeth, Denis and Ellen. However, only two survived - Charles and Elizabeth.
Emma's husband Denis died in Auckland 1851 aged 37.
On 18 May 1856, at St Patrick's Auckland, Emma (recorded as a boarding house keeper) married Thomas Williams, a labourer. They had two children, Thomas Patrick (who became a prominent Westport newspaper editor) and William Frederick John.
On 24 February, 1864, Emma was widowed for a second time, and on 9th August, 1865, at the age of 41, she married a mariner, William Peterson, at St Matthews, Auckland. She was working as a milliner at the time of the marriage. The family settled in Westport in about 1866. There is no record of any children from this marriage. Ten years later, Emma was working as a laundress.
Emma Peterson died in Westport on 5 July 1910 and was buried at Orowaiti Middle Cemetery, Westport. Although no divorce record has been found, Emma's death record gives her name as Emma Williams and her headstone gives her name simply as Emma.
It is believed that Emma's third husband, William Peterson, was a gold miner at Kaniere and that he died in Hokitika in 1924.
Emma, a 17 year old seamstress, emigrated to New Zealand with her family on the "Martha Ridgway", arriving in Port Nicholson on 14 November 1840.
The family settled at Thorndon Flat, where Emma's father Thomas was a gardener.
Emma's first marriage was to a whaler, Denis McCarthy (McCarty) who had a young son, John. It is believed that they eloped and married in the Bay of Islands where their son Charles was born, later moving to Auckland where Denis owned a butcher's shop in Queen Street. This move is likely to have coincided with the evacuation of settlers from Kororareka at the time of the sacking of the town by Hone Heke in 1845.
Emma and Denis had four children, Charles, Elizabeth, Denis and Ellen. However, only two survived - Charles and Elizabeth.
Emma's husband Denis died in Auckland 1851 aged 37.
On 18 May 1856, at St Patrick's Auckland, Emma (recorded as a boarding house keeper) married Thomas Williams, a labourer. They had two children, Thomas Patrick (who became a prominent Westport newspaper editor) and William Frederick John.
On 24 February, 1864, Emma was widowed for a second time, and on 9th August, 1865, at the age of 41, she married a mariner, William Peterson, at St Matthews, Auckland. She was working as a milliner at the time of the marriage. The family settled in Westport in about 1866. There is no record of any children from this marriage. Ten years later, Emma was working as a laundress.
Emma Peterson died in Westport on 5 July 1910 and was buried at Orowaiti Middle Cemetery, Westport. Although no divorce record has been found, Emma's death record gives her name as Emma Williams and her headstone gives her name simply as Emma.
It is believed that Emma's third husband, William Peterson, was a gold miner at Kaniere and that he died in Hokitika in 1924.
Emma Hunt was born in South Rauceby, Lincolnshire, England, about 1823 and was baptised at St Peter's, Rauceby on 31 May 1824. She was the daughter of Elizabeth Brown and Thomas Hunt.
Emma, a 17 year old seamstress, emigrated to New Zealand with her family on the "Martha Ridgway", arriving in Port Nicholson on 14 November 1840.
The family settled at Thorndon Flat, where Emma's father Thomas was a gardener.
Emma's first marriage was to a whaler, Denis McCarthy (McCarty) who had a young son, John. It is believed that they eloped and married in the Bay of Islands where their son Charles was born, later moving to Auckland where Denis owned a butcher's shop in Queen Street. This move is likely to have coincided with the evacuation of settlers from Kororareka at the time of the sacking of the town by Hone Heke in 1845.
Emma and Denis had four children, Charles, Elizabeth, Denis and Ellen. However, only two survived - Charles and Elizabeth.
Emma's husband Denis died in Auckland 1851 aged 37.
On 18 May 1856, at St Patrick's Auckland, Emma (recorded as a boarding house keeper) married Thomas Williams, a labourer. They had two children, Thomas Patrick (who became a prominent Westport newspaper editor) and William Frederick John.
On 24 February, 1864, Emma was widowed for a second time, and on 9th August, 1865, at the age of 41, she married a mariner, William Peterson, at St Matthews, Auckland. She was working as a milliner at the time of the marriage. The family settled in Westport in about 1866. There is no record of any children from this marriage. Ten years later, Emma was working as a laundress.
Emma Peterson died in Westport on 5 July 1910 and was buried at Orowaiti Middle Cemetery, Westport. Although no divorce record has been found, Emma's death record gives her name as Emma Williams and her headstone gives her name simply as Emma.
It is believed that Emma's third husband, William Peterson, was a gold miner at Kaniere and that he died in Hokitika in 1924.
Emma, a 17 year old seamstress, emigrated to New Zealand with her family on the "Martha Ridgway", arriving in Port Nicholson on 14 November 1840.
The family settled at Thorndon Flat, where Emma's father Thomas was a gardener.
Emma's first marriage was to a whaler, Denis McCarthy (McCarty) who had a young son, John. It is believed that they eloped and married in the Bay of Islands where their son Charles was born, later moving to Auckland where Denis owned a butcher's shop in Queen Street. This move is likely to have coincided with the evacuation of settlers from Kororareka at the time of the sacking of the town by Hone Heke in 1845.
Emma and Denis had four children, Charles, Elizabeth, Denis and Ellen. However, only two survived - Charles and Elizabeth.
Emma's husband Denis died in Auckland 1851 aged 37.
On 18 May 1856, at St Patrick's Auckland, Emma (recorded as a boarding house keeper) married Thomas Williams, a labourer. They had two children, Thomas Patrick (who became a prominent Westport newspaper editor) and William Frederick John.
On 24 February, 1864, Emma was widowed for a second time, and on 9th August, 1865, at the age of 41, she married a mariner, William Peterson, at St Matthews, Auckland. She was working as a milliner at the time of the marriage. The family settled in Westport in about 1866. There is no record of any children from this marriage. Ten years later, Emma was working as a laundress.
Emma Peterson died in Westport on 5 July 1910 and was buried at Orowaiti Middle Cemetery, Westport. Although no divorce record has been found, Emma's death record gives her name as Emma Williams and her headstone gives her name simply as Emma.
It is believed that Emma's third husband, William Peterson, was a gold miner at Kaniere and that he died in Hokitika in 1924.
Inscription
Emma
The dearly beloved mother of
T.P. and W.Williams
Who departed this life
3/7/10
Aged 88
Arvd. N.Z. 1840
Gravesite Details
Sadly in 2021, the inscription on Emma's grave has gone, as the surface of the headstone has deteriorated badly, through years of weathering. The inscription on the base of the headstone is still legible.
Family Members
Siblings
