James Allison Aitken

1856 - 1926  (69 years)

• Name	James Allison Aitken
  Born	7 Sep 1856	East Taieri, Otago, New Zealand
  Gender	Male
  _UID	532BD108DD86499D8D19E8AC095B9F2B0889
  Died	18 Jul 1926	New Zealand
  	Cause: cancer
  Person ID	I6843	My Big Tree
  Last Modified	15 Feb 2017

  
  

  Father	James Allison Aitken,   b. 10 Feb 1818, North Leith, Midlothian, Scotland ,   d. 19 Aug 1883, East Taieri, Otago, New Zealand  (Age 65 years)
  Mother	Isabella Galbraith,   b. 1819, Birse, Aberdeenshire ,   d. 14 Jan 1903, New Zealand  (Age 84 years)
  Married	15 Mar 1842	Scotland
  Family ID	F2224	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Helen Stewart,   b. 15 Aug 1859, Kincardine, Fife, Scotland ,   d. Aug 1938, Gore, Southland, New Zealand  (Age 79 years)
  Married	26 Jul 1881	Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand   [1]
  Children	1. Mary Downie Aitken,   b. 1881, New Zealand ,   d. Pre 1938  (Age 57 years)   2. James Allison Aitken,   b. 2 Nov 1884, New Zealand ,   d. 19 Nov 1901, New Zealand  (Age 17 years)   3. Isabella Galbraith Aitken,   b. 3 Dec 1885, Gore, Southland, New Zealand ,   d. 4 Nov 1967, Gore, Southland, New Zealand  (Age 81 years)   4. Nellie Stewart Aitken,   b. 26 Nov 1887, Waikata Valley, Gore, New Zealand ,   d. 12 Feb 1942  (Age 54 years)   5. Stewart Alexander Aitken,   b. 22 Jul 1890, New Zealand ,   d. 2 Apr 1918, Belgium  (Age 27 years)   6. Edwin William Aitken,   b. 22 Jul 1890, Waikata Valley, Gore, New Zealand ,   d. 14 May 1963, Chatton, New Zealand  (Age 72 years)   7. Margaret Stewart Aitken,   b. 10 Jun 1892, New Zealand ,   d. Yes, date unknown   8. Mabel Stewart Aitken,   b. 1895, New Zealand ,   d. 1895, New Zealand  (Age 0 years)   9. Robina Christina Annie Aitken,   b. 12 Oct 1898, New Zealand ,   d. 27 Jun 1979, Gore, Southland, New Zealand  (Age 80 years)   10. Evelyn Jane Aitken,   b. 12 Nov 1900, New Zealand ,   d. Aug 1983, Gore, Southland, New Zealand  (Age 82 years)
  Last Modified	2 Jul 2015
  Family ID	F2228	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  James and all his brothers, excepting Andrew, the youngest, took up farming at Kaihiku, Waikaka Valley and Mataura Island areas. According to "The Aitken's of Mosgiel": "James was born (on the 7 Sep 1856,) at East Taieri and educated at the local school. Working on his father's property he heard that land was available for settlement from the 'Knapdale run', he managed to secure section 13 of the Chatton survey district block 1. His two brothers, William and Peter, bought adjoining sections, 11 and 15. It took them three days from Kahiku to the Waikaka Valley where they found their land was covered with red tussock. He called his property Hawthorn Den. Breaking in the land immediately they sowed their first wheat crop. When harvested they carted the wheat to Tapanui where they waited whilst some of the wheat was ground into flour and taken back home. James was a very tidy farmer and a first class agricultururalist and stockman." After Helen and James were married they travelled to Gore by train and then by dray to James's block. James and Helen were prominent in their local Presbyterian Church, where James was the choir leader. James possessed a fine tenor voice and family and friends were encouraged to gather round the piano or tuning fork, which James preferred. James purchased his brother William's property in 1882, when William went to farm at Longbush. When James died his son William (Bill) took over the property.

  
  

• Sources

  [S77] Terry Stewart (Reliability: 3).