Farmed 358 acres at Catherington on Portsmouth to london Rd
After serving in the British army in Ireland, Neil joined the police force in Glasgow and was later recruited in Liverpool to serve on the Australian goldfields. After 10 years in New South Wales he enlisted in the Waikato Militia and sailed to New Zealand with his wife and four children by the Novelty in March 1864. Neil received a grant of land in the Hamilton area in exchange for military duties but by 1870 the family had moved to Thames. Land for settlement in the Rangitikei area was being opened up in the mid 1870s and the Buchanan family moved to Rongotea, or Campbelltown as it was originally known, towards the end of 1876. The Carnarvon Block was near the mouth of the Rangitikei River and the Sandon Block, around Rongotea, was next to it. Both were developed about the same time.
Lucy Marshall records:
" Ann Buchanan died at Rongotea 12 August 1919. She was 83. She was born in Warrington, Lancashire and grew up in Liverpool. Her parents were Irish but Ann always insisted she was English. She had married Neil Buchanan at the age of 16 in 1853. They emigrated to New South Wales in 1855 then to New Zealand in 1864. Neil and Ann had 13 children. Ten of them married and nine raised mainly large families. Sarah had a wide network of relatives. "
Jessie, born 10 May 1886, died 9 Jan. 1963, married 15 Oct. 1913 George Marshall 1872-1946.
Children:
Reginald George Marshall, 1914-1984.
Harold Lucien Marshall, 1919-1990
Lindsay John Marshall, 1924- 2009Lucy Marshall records: "
Jessie Blunden went to Auckland and worked there for a time in a dressmaking establishment. Later she came back to Palmerston North and was also a nurse at Northcote Hospital. Whilst there, she met Miss Roby’s half-brother, George Marshall, who used to come to the hospital to do the accounts for his sister. Jessie Blunden and George Marshall were married 15 October 1913 at All Saints Church, Palmerston North. Initially they lived in Ferguson St, Palmerston North, then they bought a farmlet at Longburn.George Marshall was born at Waitara, Taranaki in 1872. His father had enlisted in the Taranaki Militia.
George was educated at New Plymouth then, after some years working in the bush, he settled in Palmerston North where he was foreman of the Tiratu Timber Company. His sister, Miss Lou Roby, was owner and matron of Northcote Private Hospital there and he looked after her accounts. After their marriage George and Jessie Marshall lived first in Ferguson St, Palmerston North, then bought a farmlet at Longburn, just south of Palmerston. Then they farmed at Otaki before buying a farm at Fairfield, Levin. Their last farm was at Tararua Road, Levin.
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