Modified Register for Richard DRIVER First Generation 1. Richard DRIVER1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 was born on 26 Aug 1812 in Bath, Somerset, England. He was christened9,10 on 16 May 1813 in Bath, Somerset, England. He died11,12,13 on 19 Jan 1897 in Purakanui, Otago, New Zealand. The cause of death was vbncvb/. He was buried14 on 21 Jan 1897 in Purakanui Cemetery, Purakanui, Otago, New Zealand. Richards Birth is found in Family History and Poll Books and International Genealogy Index of Parish Records. This birth record is in contrast to the family stories, which state he was born in 1812, but has been proven to be 1809. A great suprise while researching - the very record that shows that the original story was correct!! http://www.freereg.org.uk/ "County Somerset Place Bath Church St James Register Number Date Of Birth Baptism Date 16 May 1813 Forename Richard Sex M Father Forename Matthew Mother Forename Elizabeth Father Surname DRIVER Mother Surname Abode Thomas St Bristol Father Occupation cabinet maker Notes zzz File Number 16994" This makes the Richard found born in Bristol to John Driver and Hannah Webb in 1809 his first cousin. He was married in Dunedin, this is found in the First Church Marriage Records, Dunedin, New Zealand. Richard 1st 'married' a Maori named Motoitoi, then Elizabeth Robertson. Because of these marriages there is a 1st Family and a 2nd Family. There are many tales of Richard's arrival in New Zealand, but we believe he was actually a run-away sailor. He did go to sea as a lad, and we found a referrence to him as crew aboard the 'Governor Ready' in 1827. The 'Governor Ready' was a convict transport to Australia. It has therefore been established that Richard was not a whaler, but crew on a convict ship to Australia and made several voyages as such. 4 Jul 2013 Descendants of Richard DRIVER Page 1 He arrived in Otago about 1838, and was first at the Heads of the Harbour and competing with Hunter and Fowler as to who could get away to, and arrive at, any ship wanting to enter the harbour, board ship, and to exercise the same powers in case he should land first in the settlement.. Each was acting as unofficial pilot. Richard was made official pilot of the Port at the time the area was being got ready for settlement in the later 1840s, the first ships arriving in 1848 Our original impressions of his history - Ran away to sea in a ship probably owned by the family at the age of 14 years. His mother is supposed to have got wind of this and followed him on board and slipped and cut her leg and later died of septiceamia. Richard spent his early years sealing and whaling. First at New Zealand about 1828, then jumped ship here in 1838. At some stage he had been shipwrecked and did a 'Captain Bligh' by sailing in an open boat to Timor (this is one of those suspect tales), he is also said to have been engaged in 'Blackbirding' in the Pacific, or being involved in the American slave trade. Even possibly part of the last of the convict ships sent to Australia. He was certainly a hard man through having spent many years at sea and having to look out for himself. After arriving here in 1838 he married Motoitoi, daughter of the chief of the Purakanui area (more likely the Aramoana area just over the hill near the entrance of the Otago Harbour), and lived in a cave at Kaikai's Beach. Most stories place the cave at Murdering Beach, but careful analysis of the stories with comparison of the geography of the area says otherwise. The Moari stories agree with Kaikai's Beach. There appears to be an error in the early charts. On Purehurehu Point between the two beaches there are the remains of gardens, and a water soak, without which a garden in Impossible. There is NO water near 'Pilots Point' between Murdering Beach and Long Beach where this garden was supposed to have been. Also at Kaikai's Beach there are suitable caves for living in, which are conspicuously absent from Murdering Beach. These are still in use as fishing baches. The one Richard used to keep his whaleboat in is a little further down the cliff nearer the water. It is now almost filled with sand, & there is still an active Tapu on this cave. Almost directly above this is an old track up to a rock which is in a suitable place for keeping watch for ships arriving up the coast as they rounded the Heads and came to anchorage nearby to await the Pilot. Driver, Hunter & Fowler vied with each other as to who could get to the ships first to pilot them into the Harbour. They all had Maori crews. In 1847 Richard was made Official Pilot. Richard was well known to be a teller of Tall stories, and so most of the family stories handed down through the years as coming from him are highly suspect. Motoitoi died in 1846 and in 1849 he married Elizabeth Robertson, whom he had first met in 1848 when he piloted in the 'Philip Laing' the first colonist ship to Otago. They first lived at the Heads. In 1860 he retired from the position as Pilot, and came to live on his land at Purakanui where he became involved in the affairs of the District. There is one incident which amuses us. He had the lease of the land designated at Cemetery Reserve. In 1890 the boundaries were planted in Macrocarpa trees. In the Cemetery Committee Minutes in 1891 it was noted that many of the young trees had either died or HAD BEEN TAKEN AWAY. We know exactly where they went - straight across the road to Richard Driver junr's property, and up to Richard Driver Snr's property. A land grant was made to him in recognition of his service as pilot. The second grant was sold the grant to the Youngs in 1870. His daughter, Maria (from the first or Maori Line), we have worked out, was the instigator of many of the stories of his lifes happenings. When the children of the 2nd family (or Pakaha Line) were small, and she helped to look after them, told them stories. These stories were all from History such as the Battle of Boradino (Richards birth date got pegged to this), Capt Bligh and the Bounty, the massacre 4 Jul 2013 Descendants of Richard DRIVER Page 2 at Murdering Beach, and similar. In these, to make them more interesting to the children, she placed Richard in the prime spot and so it became established that he had been captured by Maori here, and Mototoi rescued him. If this had actually happened it would have been noted by Weller and Octavius Harwood in their diaries and journals, as the harbour was reasonably well established at the date Richard arrived, and Weller and Harwood were certainly here. A happening such as was supposed to have happened to Richard would have been talk of the area. It did NOT happen. Just Maria telling stories - she was her fathers daughter - a teller of tall tales. The story of Richard returning to England to reconcile with his family may well be true, just the accepted timing somewhat out. According to the family story it was after the death of Motoitoi, but there would not have been time to get to England and back AND have family by Motoitoi's sister/aunt and be in time to pilot up the first immigrant ship. If he did go back it must have been before arriving in New Zealand at all. An example of some of the stories is From "Pilots of the Port" by Captain G KEYES. "DRIVER. Richard Born 26 Aug 1812 Bristol England The First official Pilot of the Harbour having been appointed by Governor Grey in 1847 at a salery of 180 pounds per annum. His courage, seamanship and piloting skills founded a reputation for all future collegues to emulate. He arrived in the American whaler 'John and Edward' (sic?) as 2nd mate, on the 22nd May 1839 and was captured by Maoris whilst ashore obtaining fresh water. All but two of the boats crew were killed. The Chiefs daughter, Motoitoi, claimed him as her own (thus saving his life) and they were married in 1839 resulting in the birth of three daughters - Maria Catherine in 1840, Mary Titaua in 1841, and Emma Paerata in 1843. The third daughter, Emma, married a Cornishman - Tregerthen, but maori pronunciation converted this to Tirikatene, a name wellknown in future Parliamentary circles. He set up home in a cave on Murdering Beach but constructed a garden on a bluff above the western end of the beach where he also kept a lookout for approaching ships - the bluff was soon acredited the name of Pilot Point. Following the death of his first wife in 1846, Driver took in another Maori girl as housekeeper who gave birth to a fourth child - a boy named Jack. In these early days, he was obliged to compete with two other 'freelance' pilots based at Taiaroa Heads viz James Fowler and the American John Washburn Hunter - the whaler races to be first aboard ship must have been quite a spectacle! Upon his legal appointment as the sole Pilot, he moved to Taiaroa Head and whilst aboard one of the first immigrant ships, the 'Philip Laing', he met a 17 year old Scottish girl, Elizabeth Robertson.