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Research in Other Countries => New Zealand => New Zealand Completed Requests => Topic started by: Tinmac on Monday 14 January 13 03:39 GMT (UK)
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Still very new to this, but would love some help on the above. My husband has recently managed to track down his Mothers birth Mother. She was married to a Thomas McCaughern who died in the great war in 1918. His Father was John McCaughern of Kaitangata. I would really appreciate any information on both Thomas and John, especially any photos of them or the grave of John.
The lady in question, that was married to John's Son, Thomas was Violet May McCaughern ( Nee Eggers) she had two sons to Thomas, John, who died at age 16 and Melvin.
See also topic on Antrim board:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,502783.msg4792494.html#msg4792494
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Hi Tinmac,
Thomas's previous address had been Fielding.
Search Cenotaph http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/general/BasicSearch.aspx?DatasetID=251# for his Nominal Roll entry.
Have you looked for him on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission website?
Spades
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If you search Papers Past http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/ for 'McCaughern' you will find many references for the name, including the marriage of a child in 1920.
Thomas is amongst the list of casualities published in the Wanganui Chronicle of 29 May 1918, p.4.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=WC19180529.2.18&srpos=65&e=-------100--1----0McCaughern+--
Spades
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Hello,
The engagement of Melvin, son of the late Thomas McCaughern appears in the 'Evening Star', 1 June 1943- "Papers Past".
Minniehaha. :)
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Hi Spades, thank you very much. Just trying how to figure out how to search half of this stuff is a bit of a nightmare and a bit of trial and error on part! Feel like a cow trying to ride a bike!
I found bits and pieces on the papers past website, including a couple of not so pleasant newspaper articles on Violet after Thomas died in the war and I think this is perhaps how the birth of my husbands mum came about! She was adopted out in 1923 and it is only after finding a photo of Violet with her name on the back of it, that we managed to make a start. More info on Thomases background would be wonderful if I knew where to start! I am pretty sure Violet and Thomas married in 1915,making her 20/21 at the time. Thomas was 30 when he was killed. Their Son, John Thomas was the said child in the not so pleasant newspaper article I found and he ended up dying at age sixteen. Waituna West is where Violets parents, Frederick (Fred) and Clara Eggers were living and she was bought up here. I also know of McCaugherns in Fielding but cannot get much more info as yet. There was a DC McCaughern that was a baker and pastry chef and I am assuming he was the one that owned the Excelsior tea rooms in Fielding, but I dont know what relation he was to John. John ( Tom's father is buried at old Kaitangata cemetery, along with other McCaugherns) but there is no database for me to check. So, it's a bit of a "where to now" scenario. Violets parents hailed from Upper Moutere and we are actually attending a reunion on 2nd March, so will be interesting and hopefully close some of the gaps.
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Hi Tinmac
... welcome. :)
There are a number of other researchers of the McCAUGHERN family in NZ (which include John and his wife Jane nee COLVIN).
You can find these "trees" at the ancestry.com website (pay-to-view).
~ Lu
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Hi Tinmac
... welcome. :)
There are a number of other researchers of the McCAUGHERN family in NZ (which include John and his wife Jane nee COLVIN).
You can find these "trees" at the ancestry.com website (pay-to-view).
~ Lu
Most Ancestry trees can be viewed on Mundia.com if you don't have an Ancestry subscription.
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Thanks for the welcome Lu and also the info so far. My post above should have said that I did not know what relation DC McCaughern, the baker, was to Thomas ( Violets husband) I still have not figured out how to "drive" the papers past site, but I am learning by my mistakes!
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Archives New Zealand hold the military personnel files of Boer and First World War veterans and on request will digitize a file for viewing or download on their search portal, Archway. The file should contain his Attestment form which should provide details of his parents amongst other gems.
I can request that Thomas's file be digitized although I won't be going in until February. It will take about ten days to appear on Archway once ordered.
Spades
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Hello again,
There are a number of your McCaughern's on the Archway (Archives) website showing the availability of Probates etc.
http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz
Minniehaha. :)
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Thanks for the welcome Lu and also the info so far. My post above should have said that I did not know what relation DC McCaughern, the baker, was to Thomas ( Violets husband) I still have not figured out how to "drive" the papers past site, but I am learning by my mistakes!
Hi
D C McCAUGHERN (the baker) was "Daniel Colvin McCAUGHERN" (and according to the "trees" online, he was the s/o John and Jane McCAUGHERN, and the older brother of Thomas. )
Electoral
1914 - Oroua (Manawatu) Roll
McCAUGHERN - Daniel Colvin - Sandon Road, Feilding - occ. Baker
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NZ Marriage
Daniel Colvin McCAUGHERN - Lucy Rachel BILLENS -- 1908
NZ Death
1965 - McCAUGHERN - Daniel Colvin - aged 86 years
[DC McCAUGHERN appears on electoral rolls (Feilding area) only in 1911 and 1914 -- thereafter he was resident in Canterbury (Christchurch). ]
~ Lu
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Oh, my goodness, you are amazing...probably had a lot more practice than me! Thank you. :)
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Here is the CWGC entry for Thomas
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1737411/McCAUGHERN,%20THOMAS
Cheers Janette
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Thank you Janette :)
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I have managed to get a little more information on Mervin and John Thomas ( Thomas & Violets sons) When finding their death record on the births deaths and marriages NZ site, there was no birth date for John ( who died at 16 yrs) just the year and his age. The year was 1933 and he was sixteen, bringing his birth date to 1917. Melvins record has a birth date of 10 October 1917! We have a photo at home of an older woman with four children. Two of them are blonde twin boys and the studio is shown as Fielding so I am wondering if John and Melvin were in fact twins!
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Hi Tinmac
NZ BDM (online) only provides us with births up to "today's date" 1913.
You can though check the microfiche version of the NZ Birth Index (available at many public libraries) for births after 1913.
~ Lu
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The son (identified only as "Jack"), who is referred to in the 1919 articles mentioning Violet, was said to have been aged 3 years, as at early May 1919. By my reckoning, (and I'm lousy at maths ;)), I'd estimate "Jack's" birth to have been 1916.
[At the time Violet also stated she had another child (not identified as being younger or older than "Jack"), whom she said had been left with her people in Feilding. ?? Was this child the son born in October 1917 ?? ]
~ Lu
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I have managed to get a little more information on Mervin and John Thomas ( Thomas & Violets sons) When finding their death record on the births deaths and marriages NZ site, there was no birth date for John ( who died at 16 yrs) just the year and his age. The year was 1933 and he was sixteen, bringing his birth date to 1917.
Hello again
Although the death of John Thomas McCAUGHERN was registered in the year 1933, he in fact died on 17 December 1932 ... aged 16 years.
[Often with deaths which occurred towards the end of a year, the registration of same made its way into the following year's records - i.e. 1933 in this case. ]
~ Lu
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Did you see John (John Thomas) McCAUGHERN's burial ? He is with mother Violet, at Waituna West Cemetery.
[Manawatu District Council website ] >
http://www.mdc.govt.nz/Online_Services/Find_It/Cemetery_Search
~ Lu
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The son (identified only as "Jack"), who is referred to in the 1919 articles mentioning Violet, was said to have been aged 3 years, as at early May 1919. By my reckoning, (and I'm lousy at maths ;)), I'd estimate "Jack's" birth to have been 1916.
[At the time Violet also stated she had another child (not identified as being younger or older than "Jack"), whom she said had been left with her people in Feilding. ?? Was this child the son born in October 1917 ?? ] Yes, I read that. Melvin was definately born in 1917. It is also interesting that Olga ( my husbands Mum) was born ine 1919, so Violet would have been 8 months pregnant with her! I should take a copy of the photo showing the twin boys and put it up, someone may recognise someone. I would say it is a photo of a Grandmother with her Grandchildren and as it is a Fielding studio, at this point in time, I am assuming the young ones could be John and Melvin but will need to do more digging.
~ Lu
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I have been doing more digging and have found someone with a link to the McCaugherns. I have viewed the family tree which shows Violet being married to Thomas mcCaughern and the two children "Jack" ( John) and Melvin. I will try to figure out how to put up this photo I have because now, on closer inspection the two boys in the photo are not twins ( although they are dressed in similar outfits) you can see that the one on the right ( which I think is John) is older than the one on the left...I can see by the type of shoes he has on ( and foot size) as well as the length of his legs and the fact that he is wearing shorts rather than rompers which is what the one on the left ( Melvin?) is wearing. The photo was taken at "Hobdays Rona Studios" in Fielding. I know that Daniel Colvin McCaugherns "Excelsior tearooms" were next to the Cobbes Building in Manchester St. It also happens that Hobdays Rona Studios were also next door to the Cobbes building. I have scanned the photo and sent to the McCaughern link in the UK to see if they can cast any light ( although, they only know a little about Melvin and John and knew nothing about Olga!
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Hi there
For what it is worth my input
The Clutha District Council at help.desk[at]cluthadc.govt.nz <help.desk[at]cluthadc.govt.nz> should be able to assist you with information on the Kaitangata Cemetery. They also have a website at http://www.cluthadc.govt.nz/Default.htm.
Could also be worth contacting the Balclutha Museum at southotagomuseum[at]xtra.co.nz for further information on the family or photographs of the Kaitangata cemetery.
Alex G
Moderator Comment: e-mail edited, to avoid spamming and other abuses.
Please replace [-- at --] with @
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Good morning, many thanks Alex G, I shall check it out. I have managed to track down a relative of one of Violets Sisters ( Anne) this woman is Anne's great niece and her Mother, who is still alive has some photos she thinks may be of interest. I am going to send her one of the photo's I have to see if she recognises anyone in it. :)
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I have sent an email to the council at Clutha and hopefully I might get somewhere.
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Hi Tinmac
You might like to also try contacting the New Zealand Society of Genealogist's, (NZSG) Balclutha Branch, who have John, Jane, Tom and a Miss Margaret McCAUGHERN, listed in their Master Index (see link on left-hand sidebar).
http://www.balcluthagenealogy.org.nz/index.htm
~ Lu
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Hi Lu
Thank you very much.
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Had an amazing weeknd. As we had to attend a funeral in Wanganui, we arranged to meet Anne Eggers daughter who lives in Marton. We learned about her from Anne Eggers daughter in law. My husband sppoke briefly with her on the telephone to see if she had any information. Sha asked my husband his name and promptly said "I know you". The last time she had seen him, he was three! We arranged to meet with her the following day and she had lots of photos and other info which has been invaluable. She even had the newspaper clipping in regards to the coroners inquest for Clara Louisa Eggers ( husbands great Grandmother) when she was killed in a motor vehicle accident. I had it confirmed that the young boys in the photo we have are Melvin and John ( "Mac & Jack") who were Violets two sons, born to her and Thomas McCaugheran.
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Congratulations Tinmac! ;D ;D
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Delighted to learn of the progress you have made in this search. :)
~ Lu
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Thank you. All I need to do now is try and find later relatives to the McCaugherns who may have known Thomas or be able to share some photos and stories.
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Hi Tinmac,
I have requested that Thomas MCCAUGHERN's Army personnel file be digitized. It should appear on Archway within ten days.
http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz
Spades
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That is wonderful, thank you spades.
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Did not have any luck in regards to the Old kaitangata cemetery as is now does not exist and a number of graves were moved. Apparently, they had nothing for John and Jane McCaughern which is a shame. I have the digitised copy of Thomas McCaugherns records from the army which is wonderful and a good start.