Hi Christine, Great to hear from you and your Kiwi ancestors. I found your Mr Kirby of Hokitika and tried to send you the details but your anti spam programe blocked my message. If you could write to me off list so I can reply to you I will send you the details of his probate, which was in 1866. Obviously this is why he wasn't with his family when they moved to the United States. You will be able to write for his will and probate details which will (hopefully) provide more information about his family. It says he is of 'New Ballarat Hokitika' . The miner's from Australia used Australian names when settling mining areas of New Zealand so I am unsure if there was an area around Hokitika called 'New Ballarat' or if he was Australian as in the state of Victoria there is also a 'New Ballarat'. There was a lot of movement between the mining areas of Australia and New Zealand. Cheers, Brenda On 01/12/2006, at 12:03 AM, Christine Sweet-Hart wrote: > Hi Brenda -- > > I'm descended from one of those New Zealander's that came to the U.S. > in > 1874. The family, named Kirby, came to the U.S. via the port of New > York > (Castle Garden. The father was a miner in Hokitika in the 1860s. I > have > never been able to find out anything else about him because he was not > on > the ship with his family when they came to the U.S. > One of these days I hope to make it to New Zealand to see it - it > looks like > a beautiful place. > > Best, > Christine >

Hi Christine I also have a Kirby in a family line that hasn't been properly researched as yet. My Kirby changed name from Courville and was linked to French settlement in Akaroa (Banks Peninsula, South Island, NZ). Hokitika is a very small town on the West Coast of the South Island. Population 4500 in 2001 Census. No "New Ballarat" in this area but a lot of the Ballarat Victoria Australia miners came across when they heard/thought there was gold in the hills. Tourists still pan for gold in this area (I haven't made it to the "Rich List"!!) Your man from Hokitika, Westland, New Zealand died INTESTATE which is WITHOUT A WILL. The cost of a PROBATE document may or may not give you any further advantageous information, i.e. no mention of children, parents. The example below may be of interest to you or other listers. My grandfathers first wife died very young, leaving four children under school age. Her LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION legal document registered in the Supreme Court of NZ (1918) showed the following: Name of spouse Sworn Statement of value of estate under 500 pounds Cost 3/- (3 shillings, pre decimal currency) Stamp Duty Sworn statement of a witness who knew deceased and attended her funeral (in this case a brother-in-law) Sworn statement of a Lawyer acting for Estate Administration Bond: Sworn statement of monetary worth of each individual administrator for deceased (Affidavit of justification of sureties) A request to provide the Courts with a true and perfect inventory of all the estate, effects and credits of the deceased Grant of Administration to surviving spouse: Sworn statements that spouse had searched all records possible for a Will or testementary writing and been unable to find Confirmation from the Public Trust Office that NO WILL was held by a Government Office Good Luck "Happy researching and sharing" Sandra Murphy Auckland New Zealand NZSG #19772 Researching OSBORNE, BARTON, MEAKIN, GOWTY, RICKETTS, JEFFERIES, JEFFREYS, BEAUMONT, BIRRELL, MCGUIRE The information contained in this email MAY be confidential or legally privileged. If you have received this message in error please notify the sender and delete message immediately, including attachments. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brenda MacCulloch" <ajmac@internet.co.nz> To: <NZ-ONEHUNGA-L@rootsweb.com>; <australia-new-zealand@rootsweb.com>; <Australian_Genealogical_Researchers@yahoogroups.com>; <KIWIGEN-L@rootsweb.com>; <NZ-AUCKLAND-L@rootsweb.com>; <mcvoy@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, December 02, 2006 7:25 AM Subject: [AUSTRALIA-NEW-ZEALAND] Mr Kirby of Hokitika New Zealand > Hi Christine, > Great to hear from you and your Kiwi ancestors. > I found your Mr Kirby of Hokitika and tried to send you the details but > your anti spam programe blocked my message. > If you could write to me off list so I can reply to you I will send you > the details of his probate, which was in 1866. > Obviously this is why he wasn't with his family when they moved to the > United States. > You will be able to write for his will and probate details which will > (hopefully) provide more information about his family. > It says he is of 'New Ballarat Hokitika' . The miner's from Australia > used Australian names when settling mining areas of New Zealand so I am > unsure if there was an area around Hokitika called 'New Ballarat' or if > he was Australian as in the state of Victoria there is also a 'New > Ballarat'. > There was a lot of movement between the mining areas of Australia and > New Zealand. > Cheers, > Brenda > > On 01/12/2006, at 12:03 AM, Christine Sweet-Hart wrote: > > > Hi Brenda -- > > > > I'm descended from one of those New Zealander's that came to the U.S. > > in > > 1874. The family, named Kirby, came to the U.S. via the port of New > > York > > (Castle Garden. The father was a miner in Hokitika in the 1860s. I > > have > > never been able to find out anything else about him because he was not > > on > > the ship with his family when they came to the U.S. > > One of these days I hope to make it to New Zealand to see it - it > > looks like > > a beautiful place. > > > > Best, > > Christine > > > > > > Queensland Dead Persons Society > Toowoomba www.audps.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to AUSTRALIA-NEW-ZEALAND-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >