Davis family Wales france Austalia England New Zealand

wanting to know where Andrew/ Archibald Davis came from before he arrived in New Zealand


Andrew Davis 1 2 3 4
Birth: About. 1810 1 3 4
Death: Unknown 1 3 4
Sex: M
Father:
Mother:

Also Known As: Archibald Davis
Occupation: Sailor 5
Reference: 1216

Spouses & Children



Koori "Susannah Davis" (Wife) b. 1812 in Ruapuke Island, New Zealand
1 3 4
Marriage: UNKNOWN
Children:
James Pohara Davis b. Jun 1851 in Bluff New Zealand
Elizabeth Hamira Davis b. Unknown
John Sinclair Davis b. About. 1857



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Notes



Individual:
Andrew DAVIS
Whaler Mariner
&
Early Bluff Historical
Notes

Gathered By: Stephen A J Logie
Wallacetown
10 May 2000

Andrew DAVIS Whaler Mariner &
Early Bluff Historical Notes:

Introduction:
Andrew Davis according to Davis family research was born in about 1810 and later found his way to New Zealand as a whaler. While much of his early life remains unknown, we can piece together fragments of this early European arrival to the southern shores of mid 19th century Murihiku.

The following notes concerning his later life as a shore station whaler and seaman at Bluff have been gleaned from examining published and unpublished material recording the early history of Bluff and Foveaux Strait during the early 1840's to the early 1850's.

This decade coincides with the dramatic decline in southern right whale numbers that had been the main stay of bay whaling in Foveaux Strait during the 1830's and 1840's. But first, let us briefly explore the early history of New Zealand's rugged Southern frontier. An uncompromising yet beautiful landscape that attracted tough adventurous mariners such as Andrew Davis. Arriving in the South for a seasons work, many stayed on, inter marrying local Maori to found families and setting down roots to become the forerunners to Pakeha settlement of the 1850's.

The First Inhabitants:
The Maori called the straits separating mainland Te Waipounamu and Rakiura (Stewart Island), Te Ara a Kiwa and the wooded mount of Bluff Hill they called Motupohue. Across the natural harbour called Awarua, Tiwai Point was from 1200 an important stone tool-manufacturing site for early Maori. While Awarua harbour and its surrounding forest and wetlands no doubt sustained these early people, the locality was not heavily inhabited. These early people lived mainly near the coast in small hapu (family) groups, following seasonal living patterns to harvest available food supplies and resources.

The first Te Rapuwai and Waitaha peoples were in succession joined by Kati Mamoe in the 1500's and by the more aggressive Ngai Tahu tribe from the North Island in the late 1600's. Bitter tribal fighting and internal feuding marked the century that followed as both tribes sought to assert themselves in their occupation of Southern Murihiku.

First European Contact:
The European discovery of "Smith's Strait" by American sealer Owen Folger Smith in 1804, was initially suppressed by New South Wales's authorities which in 1805 had moved unsuccessfully to prohibit sealing in these southern latitudes. In defiance, Sydney based sealing vessels joined American vessels to exploit the short lived New Zealand fur seal bonanza. Shore based sealing gangs were dropped off for periods of several months and in some unfortunate cases, surviving abandonment, starvation and annihilation for duration in excess of four years.

By the 1790's Ngai Tahu chief Honekai of Oue (Sandy Point) was Ariki in Southern Murihiku. In 1810 Honekai attacked a sealing gang from the 'Sydney Cove' who had initially been dropped off near South Cape on Rakiura. All were killed except the 16-year-old lad James Caddell, who was spared and taken into the tribe, later marrying Honekai's niece Tokitoki, to secure a position of some influence. Caddell who became a tattooed chief moved with Honekai's people to neighbouring Ruapuke Island, which appears to have become the strategic base for Ngai Tahu settlement from about 1818.

While several sealing gangs were attacked by local Maori, others were allowed with Honekai's permission to stay unmolested. From 1809 several sealing gangs operating from bases on Rakiura no doubt crossed the Strait to visit "Smiths Mount". Flax and the prospect of setting up a flax industry eventually brought Robert Williams, a Sydney rope maker in 1813 to row across the strait from Port William, to chart and explore the then uninhabited Port Macquarie (Bluff Harbour).

Presumably following William's exploration in 1813, Ngai Tahu sub chief Te Wera, established a small kaik at Ocean Beach. Awarua was recognized as an important Ngai Tahu sea link with neighbouring Ruapuke Island and the larger Rakiura and smaller Titi Islands, which were annually visited for the all important titi (mutton bird) harvest.

Flax and seals prompted further visits by several Australian trading vessels during the early 1820's, during which time profitable trading was commenced by Te Wera and chief Tupai of nearby Ruapuke Island. Consignments of flax, potatoes and sealskins were purchased from local Maori and sold on the Sydney market. Tradition records James Spencer first arrived in Southern New Zealand around 1825, to establish a flax trade. In 1832, Spencer is recorded to have been at the Preservation Inlet shore whaling station, where he witnessed the first native land sale between chief Te Whakataupuka and the station manager Peter Williams. Spencer having established good relations with local Maori eventually settled up Bluff Harbour to become its first permanent European settler.

Foveaux Strait Shore Whaling:
From the beginning of the nineteenth Century, ocean-whaling vessels from Australia, Britain, America and France were cruising the South Pacific and visiting New Zealand waters in search of sperm whales. With Sydney the nearest supply base for ocean whalers, both Otago and Bluff Harbour's became welcome stopovers to replenish food stocks. To attract trade to Bluff Harbour, the enterprising James Spencer cultivated large gardens and ran cattle to supply visiting ships with fresh produce, beef and grog.

Dwindling numbers of sperm whales in the South Pacific forced the whalers to turn to the slower moving southern right whale, which became sought after for its valuable black oil and whalebone (baleen). The southern right whales were hunted inshore by both anchored bay whaling vessels and the more cost-effective shore based whaling gangs. The winter bay whaling season normally extended from March to October when the migratory right whales frequented the rugged Foveaux Strait coast and open bays when the whales came inshore to calve and mate.

During the mid 1830's a number of shore whaling stations had been erected at strategic locations along Foveaux Strait including three at Bluff and up the East Otago Coast. Their establishment in the far south by Sydney based whaling merchant Johnny Jones, coincided with the peak bay and shore whaling activity of the late 1830's. This short-lived industry decimated the migratory southern right whale population in both New Zealand and Australian waters.

The Bluff Shore Whalers:
By 1837, Johnny Jones had established a whaling station at Bluff Harbour with William Stirling as manager. The station was erected at Stirling Point just inside the harbour entrance, while Jones also acquired Spencer's fishing station further up the harbour and another operated opposite at Tiwai Point under James Joss. However Stirling's station was by far the most successful.

Dr Edward Shortland visiting in 1843 described Stirling's station as "the best managed and most successful whaling establishment on the coast. The boats were all partly manned by natives, and one entirely so, the young chief Patuki [Topi] being its headsman. Shortland recorded only eight "white men" at Bluff in 1843 with seven acres of cultivated land and several wild cattle. Six more white men living on Ruapuke [Island], while the Maori population of both places was estimated at 350.

Thus far, the earliest mention the writer has found concerning Andrew Davis was discovered in a chance read of another early whaler's memoirs, that of Captain William Stevens (1825-1897), who recorded his memoirs prior to his death at Gummies Bush, Riverton in 1897. [The original hand-written manuscript and later typed transcript is held by the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington with a photocopy held by the Invercargill Public Library.]

William Stevens was born on 17 June 1825 at Eastbourne, Sussex, England. His family emigrated to Australia, arriving in New South Wales in 1841. Following an eventful period sheep farming, during which time William's mother died, the Stevens family were persuaded by Captain John Howell, William's half-brother to accompany him back to New Zealand, to assist him in his whaling and new farming venture at Jacob's River (Riverton) in Southern Murihiku (Southland).

Page 12 of Stevens transcript records; "Just after this my before mentioned half-brother, the late Captain John Howell, came across from New Zealand to Sydney commanding a brigantine [schooner] named 'Sussex' ['Success'] belonging to a man named William Stirling, after whom Stirling Point at Bluff is called. About the middle of November 1842 he [Howell] came down to Newcastle to see us… Well to make a long story short, my father [George] and my sisters [Anne and Elizabeth] and brother George and I, as well as my sister's husband [John Paulin], all went back to Sydney with Howell. When he arrived there he took us all with him and he joined his ship [Success] and took us aboard, took in his cargo and sailed again for New Zealand".

"We got as far as Watson's Bay [inside Port Jackson heads] then anchored to get water. While here an annoying circumstance took place, for it seems the first mate had smuggled another man's wife away with him and stowed her among the spare sails, as the mate had not calculated on our stopping before we got outside Sydney Heads. Soon after a water-police boat came alongside with the women's husband in it demanding his wife. They searched the ship and of course found her and took her away. This delayed us several days as my brother [Howell] had to go up to Sydney to give evidence. He was awfully wild about it and the delay, but we got away for New Zealand at last and by the way, as the woman was anything but good looking, we gave the mate plenty of chaffing about her, you maybe sure! However Captain Howell and Stirling got off easy, as they knew nothing about the affair. Howell (Captain), Stirling (owner), Shepherd (still living at Bluff), Andrew Davis (the chief mate) and two A. B's [Able body seamen] were the crew. Together with my father, my brother George, sister Elizabeth, sister Anne and her husband John Paulin and myself; are all now dead except Shepherd and I soon shall be as, as I am now suffering from an incurable disease and am 72 years old". (Stevens: 1897)

William Stevens amusing account indicates Andrew Davis, [then 32 years old] was living at Bluff in late 1842 and employed by William Stirling as chief mate aboard his whaling and trading schooner the 'Success'. In reviewing historian Herries Beattie's material gathered about early Bluff whalers, Beattie states "William Shepherd was not one of the first lot at Bluff as he arrived there in 1842. It is said he was a shipmaster when he arrived - an old salt who went whaling. Shepherd married a Maori woman and a son of his was born in 1860." Therefore we can not rule out from William Stevens account that William Shepherd may have served as first mate under Andrew Davis as chief mate on this particular trans-Tasman voyage. It is therefore uncertain whom Stevens was referring to in attributing responsibility for smuggling another mans wife aboard. Normally a schooner crew consisted of ships master, chief or first mate, second mate and from two to six able body seamen, for trading voyages. This would normally allow on longer voyages for the master and chief mate to take alternating watch in running the vessel. However on this particular trans-Tasman voyage the 'Success' had on board two ships masters, a chief mate and possibly a first or second mate.

Southland historian John Hall-Jones, confirms in his book 'Bluff Harbour' (1976) that Stirling's schooner the 'Success' was the first locally owned whaler at Bluff, and was later to become its first shipwreck. The station owner Johnny Jones had first acquired the 80-ton schooner 'Success' to expand his trading fleet in 1839. The 'Success' was placed under the command of Captain Edward Cattlin, operating from Sydney to service Jones seven shore stations from Preservation Inlet to Waikouaiti. As an oil ship, the 'Success' transported men and supplies to the stations returning to Sydney with black oil, whale bone and other trade goods such as flax, timber, potatoes and sealskins.

Stirling followed Cattlin as master and by 1842 Stirling had acquired the 'Success' from Jones and began whaling and trading on his own account. Shore whaling at Bluff was initially carried out by deploying two open cockpit whaleboats, each with a crew of six men including the headsman as boat steerer. Built for speed, the clinker built whaleboats were of between 26 and 30 feet in length. Manning a lookout behind Bluff Hill, Stirling's shore gang patrolled the straits east and west of Bluff for the ever-decreasing right whales. By the1843 season, the decline in whale numbers necessitated Stirling and Howell to extend their shore operations by purchasing and deploying their schooners 'Success' and 'Amazon' to more distant grounds around Stewart Island and Fiordland. Each schooner carried two whaleboats and crew. Any whales taken during the voyage were cut in, with the strips of blubber stored aboard for later trying out back at the station.

In 1844 surveyor Frederick Tuckett visited Bluff and gives us an account of whaling activities there. "Mr Stirling and Mr Howell [Jacob's River] are whaling this season in concert, on their own account. Each has a schooner and a shore party. Both schooners were then in Bluff Harbour. They had just taken and cut in a whale, and when I arrived were busily engaged landing the blubber to be tried out". Shortland gives us the statistics of Stirling's station from 1838 to 1843;

1838 - 2 boats employed - 53 tuns of oil
1839 - 2 boats employed - 80 tuns of oil
1840 - 2 boats employed - 65 tuns of oil
1841 - 2 boats employed - 60 tuns of oil
1842 - 3 boats employed - 67 tuns of oil
1843 - 5 boats employed - 60 tuns of oil.

Stirling's return for the six years comes to a total of 385 tuns; to which should be added 10 tuns per year, being the payment to the 'tonguer', who was in charge of flensing the whales and who was paid in terms of oil from the whale's tongue. (J Hall-Jones: 1976)

In 1845, after returning from Otago with a load of stores, Stirling anchored the 'Success' off his whaling station at Stirling Point. Stirling went ashore to his house at the point, while his crew adjourned to Spencer's tavern, leaving only one or two hands on board. On their return to the vessel the crew began hauling up the anchor, to find that the cable had fouled. Before anything could be done, the vessel was carried on to the rocks and wrecked. (J Hall-Jones: 1976)

Stirling then acquired the schooner 'Frolic', which continued to service the small frontier outpost of whalers and mixed population of ex-sealers and Maori, who were attracted to the fledgling settlement for both employment and trade. For the next few years the 'Frolic' continued to seek out the ever diminishing numbers of migratory whales as far as the West Coast Fiord's.

Various Davis Connections:
A number of early whalers living in the south were named Davis, hailing mainly from England and America. The following is largely taken from biographical pen sketches written by Southland Historian Fred Hall-Jones in Kelly of Inverkelly: 1943 (pages 154-155).

In 1844 Bishop Selwyn recorded George Davis and Peter Davis were living at Halfmoon Bay. Memoirs of "Big George" Davis state he was at Pegasus for a week in 1834. After four years whaling at Otakou and Waikouaiti he settled at Halfmoon Bay. In 1844 Bishop Selwyn baptised his daughter Elizabeth, who later married John Stirling (son of Captain William Stirling) in 1858. Another daughter Sarah later married James Wixon. Their father George Davis was married by Reverend Wohlers in 1856.

Peter Davis was from Bristol and arrived in 1835 and married in 1844 by Selwyn, who also baptised his two sons Thomas and Peter. Also living at Murrays River, Stewart Island was a Joseph Davis from Manchester and his Maori wife Kaiea.

At Bluff Selwyn recorded a John Davis settled at Tiwai Point across Bluff Harbour. Maori informants of historian Herries Beattie said John Davis lived at Tiwai Point where he had a family by Tapui before he married Whakatipi. Some of this family later moved to Fortrose. (Richards: 1995). His son Joseph Davis was baptised by Bishop Selwyn in 1844. Hall-Jones (1943) tells us John Davis was an American who died after a celebration of American Independence Day and was buried at "Johnny's Hill" on his old Tiwai property. Commissioner Walter Mantell visited Bluff in 1852 and noted both John Davis and Andrew Davis living at "Te Wai Point". Herries Beattie in his unpublished history collected about Bluff Whalers does not make specific reference to Andrew Davis, but instead refers to an "Archie Davis" who married a Maori woman, who was a relation of the well known Rakiraki family".

From Reverend Wohlers 'Ruapuke Baptism Register', we find record of the baptism on 21 February 1855 of "James Davis, born June 1851, half-caste son of Andrew Davis and Susannah Davis, Maori, formerly Kori". James godparents are listed as "Mary Stirling and Jane Parker". A second family baptism on 3 November 1961 is recorded for James younger brother "John Sinclair Davis, 4 years (of age), date of birth not known, half-caste boy of Bluff; father Andrew Davis, European Labourer, mother Susan Kori, Maori". Godparents are listed as "John Wilson and Miss Sinclair".

A few months prior to the birth of James (Pohara) Davis, Bishop Selwyn revisited Bluff in 1851 where he noted William Stirling in decline. Stirling died of consumption on 19 December 1851 at the age of 41. Stirling's passing, along with the early deaths of Bluff's other two prominent leaders Spencer and Joss, caused Bluff to languish as a trading Port during the 1850's.

However by the early 1860's, Bluffs fortunes were revived as Southland's deep-water port. The opening up of both rail and road links to the new provincial town of Invercargill secured the port settlements development, playing a key role in opening up the new province of Southland. Increased shipping arrivals brought an influx of new settlers who quickly pushed out onto the Southland Plains in search of land and when news soon broke, up into the Lakes Districts and Central Otago in search of gold.