1) Arrived in New Zealand on board Slaines Castle as a member of the survey party that was to set out the new town of New Plymouth. The survey party was to work under the direction of Carrington, Chief Surveyor for the Plymouth Company. Carrington had sailed for New Zealand on 13 August 1840 to explore the coast in the vicinity of Cook Strait to select a favourable site for the settlement of New Plymouth. He arrived in Wellington on 12 December 1840 and left again on 7 January in the Brougham to look at possible sites in Taranaki, D'Urville Island, Queen Charlotte Sound, and Tasman Bay. The decision was taken to locate the settlement at the current New Plymouth site.

The surveyors left Deal on 18 September 1840 and arrived in Wellington on 29 January 1841. Samuel Gregory Harris aged 24 is on the passenger list. The assistant surveyors and staff sailed to Taranaki in the Brougham on 8 February 1841 with sixty persons and a full cargo of houses, arriving off the Sugar Loaves on 12 February.

2) Passenger ship William Bryan left Plymouth for NZ on 19 November 1840 (ie before Carrington had even arrived in NZ to chose the site for the new settlement) and arrived in Queen Charlotte Sound 31 March 1841 where they were given directions to the location of the new settlement. On the passenger list of the William Bryan are Mary Brown and Mr & Mrs Wm Edgcumbe and their two sons and a daughter. Mary Brown was the daughter of Mrs Edgcumbe to a previous marriage and was soon to become the wife of Samuel Gregory Harris.

3) Note also on the passenger list of the Slaines Castle was an Eleanor Harris and on the passenger list of the William Bryan were Mr & Mrs Edwin Harris. Not known if these were any relation to S G Harris.

4) Marriage record - "Marriage at New Plymouth in the Parish of New Plymouth in the Island of New Zealand" 1842

Entry 1: Married July 27 1841

"We, Samuel Gregory Harris and Mary Jane Brown do hereby severally, solemnly, sincerely, and truly declare that on the twenty seventh day of July in the year 1841 or thereabouts at New Plymouth, we the said Samuel Gregory Harris and Mary Jane Brown intermarried with each other and that we have had issue of the said marriage two children and no more, namely (1) Jane and (2) not yet baptised."

5) Samuel Gregory Harris

Born in 1816 near Plymouth, England where he was educated after engaging in farm work for a few years. Mr Harris came to New Zealand, landing in 1841 under engagement to the New Plymouth Company.

For two years, he served as a chainman on the survey staff in Taranaki and was afterwards sawing wood in the bush till 1858 when he settled in Wanganui, securing a dairy farm.

When the Maori War broke out, he saw service with the Militia, taking part in Stewarts Redoubt and other engagements. His town section was used for an artillery fort which ultimately gave place to his present residence.

After the Maori troubles were settled, Mr Harris conducted a boarding house for many years in Wanganui till failing health compelled him to retire.

Mr Harris, who was married on 26 July 1841 has twelve children and a large number of grandchildren and great grandchildren. He has held various offices in the Wesleyan church and different Sunday Schools. He is a life long total abstainer and non-smoker to which he attributes his wonderful constitution.

6) Death Certificate

7) Cemetery Record : Wanganui Old Cemetery