MATHESON, Angus

1825 - 1887  (61 years)

• Name	MATHESON, Angus
  Birth	Abt 1825
  	The following notes from Alvin Smith In the Emigrants List (1857), he is aged 32. D. date from Ian Neil-Smith's photo of the gravestone. However, the gravestone also gives the age to be 63 years. But the adopted birth and death dates imply an age of 61 years 8 months. See the Leigh cemetery xeroxes. He left Lochalsh when aged two (Neil Robinson, 'Lion of Scotland', p. 111, which implies 1827 or 1828) with the Mcleod migration. Angus Matheson. Born at 'Ross-shire Scotland on the 15 December 1825'. - New Zealand Master's Certificate of service, dated 25 June 1873. That is, when Angus Matheson was 47 years old. He died 29 August 1887 (photo of gravestone) 'aged 63 years', but 15 December 1825 to 29 August 1887 is 61 years 8 months. His brother Duncan's date of birth also casts doubt on Angus's, for there's only a few months between the dates of birth of Duncan and Angus. 980115 In the history of the Hong Kong, the author refers to: M Keswick, ed., The Thistle and the Jade: 150 years of Jardine Matheson, London, 1982, in which there is apparently an extensive note on the origins of this Matheson (either James or Alexander, I'm not sure).
  Birth	15 Dec 1825	Lochalsh, Ross-shire, Scotland   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Occupation	Abt 1845
  	Mariner
  Emigration	10 Jan 1857	Big Bras d'Or   [2]
  Immigration	25 Jun 1857	Auckland   [3]
  Residence	1859	Matheson Bay   [4]
  	South side of the Koheroa Stream. See photo
  Death	29 Aug 1887  [5, 6]
  Reference Number	61
  Death	29 Aug 1887  [7, 8]
  Burial	Abt 01 Sep 1887	Leigh Cemetery
  Person ID	I61	Main Tree | Ancestor of Vern Smith, Descendant of Angus Matheson
  Last Modified	2 Mar 2017

  
  

  Father	MATHESON, Ewen,   b. Abt 1793, Scotland d. Bef 01 Jan 1857 (Age < 63 years)
  Mother	CAMERON, Isabella,   b. Abt 1798, Balmacara, Scotland d. 13 Jan 1891, Waipu (Age 93 years)
  Marriage	Abt 1823	Rosshire, Scotland   [9]
  	Married at age 25 according to death certificate. Assuming date of birth of 1798, this gives marriage year of around 1823. This agrees with the date Alvin entered, sourced from the House of Memories.
  Family ID	F50	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	MATHESON, Jessie,   b. Abt 1834   d. 25 May 1900 (Age 66 years)
  Marriage	Abt 1850	Baddeck   [10]
  	Alvin's note: This marriage took place in Nova Scotia - Gael Fares Forth. Dennis Smith (cousin and son of Clyde Smith) has the birth place as Lochalsh. 970517: Note the details on his brother Duncan's entry. Duncan, according to this tombstone, was born 20 March 1825. But this is only six month's earlier than Angus's date of birth, as given on his master's certificate. Still, it's a wise child that knows for certain his own birth date.
  Children	+ 1. MATHESON, Isabella,   b. Abt 1855, Cape Breton d. 13 Jan 1928 (Age 73 years) + 2. MATHESON, Alexander,   b. 09 May 1856   d. 25 Apr 1926, At his residence, Goat Island, Omaha of cancer (Age 69 years) + 3. MATHESON, Margaret,   b. Abt 01 Jan 1859, Auckland. BDM Online 1859/4109 d. 06 Mar 1923 (Age 64 years) + 4. MATHESON, Christina,   b. 23 Aug 1861, Leigh d. 21 Apr 1938 (Age 76 years) + 5. MATHESON, Catherine Ann,   b. Abt 1863, BDM Online 1863/6958 d. 07 Feb 1941 (Age 78 years) + 6. MATHESON, Norman McLeod,   b. Abt 01 Jan 1864   d. 09 Nov 1942 (Age 78 years) + 7. MATHESON, Duncan Alexander,   b. Abt 01 Jan 1869   d. 27 May 1956 (Age 87 years) + 8. MATHESON, Roderick,   b. Abt 1871   d. Abt 1940 (Age 69 years) + 9. MATHESON, Hannah Mary,   b. 5 Sep 1872   d. 12 Dec 1944 (Age 72 years) + 10. MATHESON, Annie,   b. Abt 1875   d. 8 May 1930 (Age 55 years) + 11. MATHESON, Jessie,   b. 17 Feb 1876   d. 12 Jan 1950 (Age 73 years)
  Photos		Angus Matheson House
  Family ID	F49	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	9 Dec 2024

  
  

• Event Map

  Marriage - Abt 1850 - Baddeck  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos

  Angus Matheson This image was cropped from a photo showing Angus seated with a man and a woman standing next to him

  
  

  Documents

  Death of Angus Matheson The NZ Herald report of the death of Angus Matheson. 8th September 1887

  
  

  Histories

  Spray arrival Sketch of the brig Spray and a report of her arrival in the Daily Southern Cross

  
  

• Notes

  1999 Apr 23: Vern has a drawing of the Spray, which he retrieved from the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington. Built Rangitira [10] Built Mary Ann [10] Angus Matheson was the owner and builder of the brigantine 'Vistula' of 86 tons at Baddeck in 1853 with money borrowed from W B Fairbanks and C and D Allison. He was able to sell the vessel profitably in Newfoundland and pay back the money. [11] 'The brigantine 'Spray' of 107 tons was the smallest of the vessels and fourth to sail with the followers of the Rev.Norman McLeod on their voyage to New Zealand. She had been built at Guysborough in 1851 and following some misadventure was purchased by John Ormiston of Gabarous in 1853. On March 7th, 1856, he sold the brigantine to Angus Matheson of Baddeck who held half the shares, the remainder being owned by C Steward, Alex Steward and Archibald Stewart, all of Big Harbour. Captain John Duncan was master and he had 66 passengers, but one, a child, died en route and four were born.' The 'Captain John Duncan' that is mentioned by the author is obviously Duncan Matheson. -VLS [12] Owned in Rodney lots 9, 22, 24, 49. [13] New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8048, 8 September 1887, Page 4 Our Omaha correspondent writes It is with regret I have to record the death of Mr. Angus Matheson, which took place on Monday, the 29th of August. His age was 63 years. Mr. Matheson was born in Ross-shire, Scotland, and went with his parents to America about 58 years ago, where he, with his late brother, built several vessels, and generally followed a seafaring life. He arrived in New Zealand in the year 1857, in the Spray, of which he was part owner. He took up land in the Omaha district, where his family have resided ever since ; but Mr. Matheson still followed a seafaring life, having been captain of the schooners Herald, Kate McGregor, and other vessels until about twelve years ago, when he decided to retire from the sea, and reside with his family. He built the well known racing cutter Rangatira, which won several races in the Auckland regattas. Since Mr. Matheson has been residing here he has always taken a great interest in local affairs. He was nearly nine years chairman of the district school committee, seven years in succession, seven years a member of the Library Committee, and several years a member of the District Board. He was a thoroughly upright man, and a man of sound, good judgment, and was always ready to advise anyone; he was highly respected by all. The funeral took place on Wednesday. His remains were followed to their last resting place by a large concourse of people from all the surrounding districts. The Rev. R. McKinney, of Mahurangi, officiated at the cemetery, and after the service he announced that he should be here on Sunday morning, September 11, and preach a funeral sermon. Mr. Matheson leaves a widow together with a family of four sons and seven daughters. Be had twelve grand-children.

  
  

• Sources

  [S18] New Zealand Masters Certificate, (25 June 1873), Gives the date of birth as 15 Dec 1825, born at Ross-shire, Scotland. [S284] N R McKenzie, McKenzie, Gael Fares Forth, (Whitcombe and Tombs, 1935), p 66. [S284] N R McKenzie, McKenzie, Gael Fares Forth, (Whitcombe and Tombs, 1935), p. 66. [S393] Robinson, Neil, To the Ends of the Earth, p. 182. [S323] St John's computer index, probates. [S379] Memorial stone Inscription, Draft amongst the Alexander Matheson papers, 000722. [S19] Gravestone. [S20] House of Memories record book., s.v. Angus Matheson, Spray. [S275] House of Memories, xerox, (26 Sep 95). [S331] Jones, Mrs Errol, p. 1. [S362] John P Parker, Parker, Cape Breton Ships, (John P Parker, 1967), p. 68. [S362] John P Parker, Parker, Cape Breton Ships, (John P Parker, 1967), p. 69. [S398] Rodney Electoral Roll 1880, s.v.