Ralph Waugh and Diane Elliot Interview about George Elliot and passengers

​Levy Eaton, ship builder of George Henderson –
Information from interview with Ralph Waugh (descendent of passenger) and Diane Elliot (member of North Cumberland Historical Society and recent traveler to New Zealand and interested in the ship George Henderson
Information from A History of the Pugwash Estuary, The History of Pugwash, and the Eaton family of Nova Scotia.
 
In addition, I scanned about 30 brief letters, articles, and obits and birth announcements dealing with Levy Eaton, the passengers of the George Henderson, and the Eatons in New Zealand.  These are available in folders at the historical society under shipping and under Levy Eaton.
 
Friday, July 14, 2017
 
Ralph Waugh (45 Celtic Drive, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 3G5; 902-464-9422, [email protected]
 

Diane Elliot, North Cumberland Historical Society; traveled to New Zealand recently

(contacts from Ralph)
MacLean Letters owned by Brian and Helen Gordon in Pugwash
902-243-2702

Louise Parker, descendant of GH passenger John Calvin Hume, Tasmania
[email protected]

Russell Eaton, New Zealand
[email protected]
a direct descendant of Levi Woodworth Eaton, the shipbuilder from Pugwash.
Who, with his family, sailed to New Zealand on the brig ‘George Henderson’ in 1859.

Trying to  to establish who or what the brig was named after, it’s a person.
Looking for  a sketch/photo of the brig online.
Russell Eaton from New Zealand looking into George Henderson

Levy Eaton
Death certificate is North Cumberland Historical Society as are death certificates of other family members who journeyed to New Zealand.

Cyrus Eaton was son of Joseph Howe Eaton, who was son of Stephen, who was son of Amos, a second- generation planter who came from Cornwallis Township to Pugwash sometime before 1811.  It is suggested he was attracted by the booing shipbuilding trade. Stephen Eaton was Levy Woodworth Eaton’s brother. Amos was Cyrus’s great-grandfather and Stephen was his grandfather, and Levy would have been his great Uncle on his father’s side.

Connection between Donald McKay and Levy Eaton.  Is there any?  Would they have known each other.
Donald McKay’s mother Ann McPherson was brother to Evan McPherson, Cyrus’s great grandfather on mother’s side.  His mother was Mary Adelia McPherson. Her father was John McPherson.  His father was Evan McPherson.
Donald McKay was born on a farm in Shelburne County, Nova Scotia. He was educated in the common schools there and was apprenticed as a ship carpenter in New York City after emigrating in 1827. After mastering his trade, he was commissioned in 1839 to finish a ship in Wiscasset, Maine. He soon formed a partnership in Newburyport, Mass., where he built a number of packet ships. As his reputation spread, he received other assignments for design and construction. In 1844 he was chosen to build a ship for the transatlantic traffic by Enoch Train, who also induced him to set up a shipyard in East Boston.
Birthdate:
September 4, 1810 (70) (This was within a yeaer of Levy Eaton)

Birthplace:
Jordan Falls, Shelburne County, Nova Scotia, Canada (221 miles from Pugwash)

Death:
September 20, 1880 (70) 
Hamilton, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States

Place of Burial:
Newburyport, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States

Immediate Family:
Son of Hugh McKay and Ann McKay 
Husband of Albenia Martha McKay and Mary Cressy McKay 
Father of Cornelius W McKay; Anna Jane McKay; Dennis Condry McKay; John Boole McKay; Albenia McKay and 10 others 
Brother of Elizbeth Ann McKay; Lauchlan McKay; Sarah Thurston; Margaret Salisbury; Jenett McKay and 11 others 


 
Levy Woodworth Eaton (born 1811) was the son of Amos Eaton.

1. Amos Eaton (b. July 28, 1785) was the son of Stephen Eaton. Amos was born in Pugwash, Cumberland Country and married Sarah Bigelow. 
2. Amos emigrated to  Auckland, New Zealand  in 1860 with Shipbuilder Levy Eaton (81-82)  (according The Eaton family of Nova Scotia).  He was a merchant there. Is this true??? Amos had 10 children
3. Stephen Eaton was the son David Eaton and Deborah (White); Stephen born in Tolland, CT 1754, buried Hamilton corner. (according to Arthur Wentworth Hamilton Eaton)
4. Levi Woodworth Eaton’s son Captain George as going to New Zealand, Captain George dying, and his widow  returning to Pugwash and marrying.  Confusing  (According to Arthur Wentworth Eaton)

 
Children of Levy Eaton (82)

1. Sarah Jane, b. 1835; marries NZ, 1885, has 8 children
2. Lydia Ann, born? Married in New Zealand to Capt John James who often sailed Levy Eaton’s ships.  By 1885 had nine children
3. George Woodworth, born?, married in Nova Scotia to Marth Anna Crane, had two children, a daughter who died young and son Robert Crne who lived with his grandfather Eaton in Auckland.
4. 2nd son

 
Siblings of Levy--Alpheus Eaton (son of Amos and Sarah (Harris) Eaton born Sept 1, 1831 and youngest child). Traveled to New Zealand after living in California, after Levy moved  there.  He became a merchant.
 
Captain John James

1. In 1857, “he carried followers of Norman McLeod, a rather messianic leader, who took five boatloads of people, mostly of Scottish descent, from Cape Breton to New Zealand.  They eventually settled in Waipu, New Zealand.
2. Did John James marry Lydia Ann in Pugwash or New Zealand.
3. He handed over the command of the Breadalbane in 1858 and made his way to Pugwash.
4. Captain John James “convinced Levi Eaton and family members to set sail for Cape Breton of New Zealand.”  (A History of the Pugwash Estuary)

 
Reasons for emigrating to New Zealand

1. Levy Eaton believed that the days of sailing ships were numbered because wooden ship operated by sails were becoming obsolete as steel hulled ships were being built.
2. James John Captain of the Brattleboon, took Norman McCloud Ship????
3. Levy Eaton decided to take his family to New Zealand

 
Families aboard the George Henderson
 

1. 14 Pugwash Natives (mostly Eatons and Bigelows) left on December 4, 1859 for the long voyage carrying 40 barrels of salt and 2,800 bricks.” (A History of the Pugwash Estuary)
2. The MacLane brothers with wife and kids from the South Shore
3. Handwritten letters from MacLane Brothers.  Brian Gordon of Pugwash currently has those letters.
   1. His mother Isabelle McLean (from Jessie Reed)
   2. Annie Reed, married to Malcomb
   3. Cape Town – first letter from Malcomb McLean.  Describes the big storm about a week out.  A crowbar got lose and almost killed one of his young’uns.
   4. The kids were Murdock McLean’s children.  Annie (great, great, great aunt of Ralph Waugh)
   5. They had six kids.  All descendants lived in Australis

 
Voyage stopping in Cape Town, South Africa

1. 7 people got off.
2. 23 got on in Cape Town.

 
Voyage stopping in Sydney, Australia

1. Went to Sydney, Australia
2. Manley Beach, 2nd letter from Manley Beach near Sydney Harbour.
   1. They moved up to New Castle, north on the coast
   2. The Hunter River
   3. Ash Island in the mouth of the river.
   4. Some rich guy needed to sell some of the island due to financial difficulties.
   5. Operated farm on north part of the island.
   6. Malcomb had emphazema.  Died at 56
   7. Wife not heard after 2nd letter.  What happened to her.
   8. Murdock registered the death.  Charlotte died earlier.
   9. Several sons have their obituaries there.  
   10. Ralph interviewed descendants.
       1. Ralph figured out all his theoretical ancestors.  Made calls.  None were McLeans.  He reached one descendent.  
       2. His aunt was practically in tears when she learned about these relatives in Nova Scotia. 

 
George Henderson

1. They arrived in Auckland Harbour on April 27, 1860. (A History of the Pugwash Estuary)

 
Levy Eaton’s life in New Zealand

1. Eatons became public auctioneers.

 
Places that might have information

1. Waipu Museum in New Zealand

 
George Henderson Ship. (mostly from Ralph Waugh)

1. Built in Pugwash
2. Captain John James might have just returned from Brattleboro. 
3. Arrived at Auckland.
4. The ship was put into general service.
5. In 1860  Maori wars had broken out. Relations between the settlers and Maori were tense. ((A History of the Estuary)
6. Europeans herded into stockade after they had been burned out. ((A History of the Estuary)  They put red sign upside to say they were in distress.
7.  George Henderson  was chartered to take them food by the Government. The captain managed in a bad storm to get the ship onto beach where it was grounded.  Masterful piece of seamanship.
8. “Upon arriving in New Plymouth, she was chartered to take some of the women and children to safety in Nelson.  While waiting to load, on August 3, 1860, a storm hit, one of her cables parted, and as she drifted north, her ensign hoisted the Union Down – a sign of distress.  With waves breaking over the ship, Captain James realized nothing could save her, and so headed to Fitzroy Beach at the mouth of the Henui River.  The George Henderson grounded on the sand with the waves still breaking over her.  Captain James put a rope ashore, and the crew was pulled in by soldiers and civilians gathered on the beach.  He, of course was the last to leave the ship.  The next morning, 20 carts of soldiers arrived to collect her guns, canvas, rigging and as much of her cargo as they could salvage.  During the night, a picket of soldiers has been posted to stop the Maoris from stealing things from her.  One of the volunteers who went to take food and a blanket to some of the soldiers was and killed by Maori.  By August 21, 1860, stripped and waterlogged, the ship was abandoned completely and sank below the sand.  It was a short life for fine vessel built from the forests of Pugwash. In January, 1980, 120 later, as Fitzroy Beach was hit by erosion, the ribs of the George Henderson rose from the sand.  The remains of these Pugwash trees were visible for only a few days before the shifting sands reclaimed them.” (A History of the Pugwash Estuary by the Friends of the Pugwash Estuary Assisted by the North Cumberland Historical Society.
9. Fitzroy Beach up the coast from ?
10. Storm.  Ran it ashore.
11. Soldiers arrived that night.
12. Unloaded everyone off ship. 
13. Unloaded canons and all supplies.
14. Soldiers guarded them.
15. One man with stomachache stayed on board.  A friend and dog left the fort to bring food to man sick man.  The bearer of food got killed by Maori Indians.  His dog survived but was injured and limped back to Fort. The soldiers searched the next day and found the body of his master.
16. The ship sank and disappeared in another storm.
17. Years later around ? during another terrible storm the ship resurfaced.  Only the ribs of his structure survived.  It was identified as the George Henderson when they were able to date the timber..  Diane Elliot has a photograph from paper in New Zealand.  The photo has been temporarily misfiled.
18. The George Henderson floated for about a week until another storm carried it down again. “The mighty timbers of the Henderson from Nova Scotia” were poetic words used.
19. James went off to captain another ship.  Eventually  he drowned. 
20. Possibly his wife came back to Pugwash, Nova Scotia and married someone else.

 
Passengers and Crew on board the George Henderson.

1. Passenger List
   1. No passenger list from Pugwash or S Africa
   2. However there is a list from those who boarded in Australia  and sailed to New Zealand.
2. Photographs  
   1. Murdock’s son.
   2. George Calvin Hume photograph with two women
      1. Christie Hume Lived on # 9 by Anglican Church I Pugwash.  Her oldest son went to Australia on the Henderson. She was not a McKay.
      2. Keith Hume has current website
3. Letters
   1. Letter on Genealogy Website from Louise Parker from Tansmania..
   2. Looking for her great great grandmother. Cape from ? 
4. George Eaton drowned and his wife returned to Pugwash.  Drowned at sea not long after they arrived.

 
 
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