OBITUARY.

Mrs Peter Ayson.  Snr.  Aged 94

Surrounded by many members of her family in her home and that beautiful spot Corydon – her only New Zealand home for 52 years – on the edge of the Warepa bush with its lovely sheltered scenic aspect, there passed away across the Great Divide to the unknown the spirit of Douglas Lamond Ayson, widow of the late Mr Peter Ayson (senior) at the greatly advanced age of 94 years.

Full of years, the first half of which were strenuous years, Mrs Ayson passed to her rest honoured and loved on Friday morning, March 24, 1905. Her end was peace.   For the last five months Mrs Ayson was a great sufferer owing to an accident – a slip on the floor while performing some small household duty and a fractured thigh bone resulted, which medical skill failed to heal.   A patient and resigned sufferer during all these months, her every sense was unimpaired, and everything was done to alleviate her condition that loving attention and skill could suggest.   Had it not been for this untimely accident, for when it happened Mrs Ayson was singularly robust and active, there is every reason to believe that with such a constitution a century of years might have passed over her life.

As it is, a great personality at once historical and deeply interesting is gone from us. Mrs Ayson has passed to her rest, but her worth and her example live after her.   Life and motherhood has been vigorous.   One has only to recall the struggles of the early pioneers to realise what it was to have reared and educated her large family in the surroundings which the year 1853 open up to her in the clearing at the front of the Warepa Bush.  

Strong in the religious faith and inculcated in the faraway Perthshire Glen where Mrs Ayson was reared, she set about giving evidence of that faith in her struggle with the founding of the Warepa settlement.   Mrs Ayson sailed from Scotland with her husband in the Royal Albert in 1852 and after a long voyage reached Dunedin in March 1953 where the youngest daughter was born soon after arrival.   Her husband and oldest son Peter went to Warepa to prepare a home on the land purchased, and to make provision for the mother and the young family.   Mrs Ayson with her young children braved the journey to Warepa in November 1853. Roads there were none.   Tracks in places there were.   The country was wild and almost unknown except for certain landmarks.   Proceeding by dray to Lake Waihola, Messrs Cullen and Stevenson landed the travellers there and there, for a time, they stayed with the late Mr James Smith of Greenfield.   When the weather moderated the next stage was Lovells Fat .  Thence to Mr James McNeil snr’s  hut on the Balclutha side, the river being crossed by boat and thence by boat to Mr John Shaw’s at Finegand.   The late Mr John McNeil piloted the family with two bullocks and a sledge to the Warepa Bush, and there they found the husband and oldest son had erected a home of rough timber for the shelter of the mother and the family.   

Mrs Ayson lived to see with one exception her sons and daughters grow to manhood and womanhood and also her sons’ sons.   Originally the family consisted of 14.   One died in infancy in Scotland her daughter Margaret (late Mrs John McNeil) and her son Hugh Fraser predeceased her.   The youngest daughter Douglas (Mrs James Davidson of Crookston) was born in Dunedin after landing in March 1853, and Mr Lake Ayson (Inspector of Fisheries) and Mr Duncan Ayson (Palmerston North) was born at Warepa.

 There was still eight sons and three daughters surviving.   There are also 75 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.   

The late Mrs Ayson and was essentially a mother in Israel – the care of her family in the household duty occupied her time and attention.   Though well read on the questions of the home and evincing the keenest interest in all that apertained to the welfare of the settlement and its people, beyond her regular attendance at church and the ordinances thereof she took no part in outdoor functions.   The writers recollection of her in the early 70s calls up a picture of hospitality, cheeriness, and all charitableness that is pleasant to recall.   Robust, vigorous in voice and manner, keen to appreciate the humorous, and kindly withal, these are the striking points in a great and good personality that has gone from us.   That which should accompany old age was ever present in the household.

“Honour, love obedience

Troops of  friends,”

and these Mrs Ayson had and loved to have.   The evidence of her fidelity to duty, her example her precept, her every virtue are apparent in the lives she trained.   The grave has closed over a great and good colonist who left her impress for good on all who came in contact with her.   A life full of good example, simple but strong Christian faith is left behind.   The virtues of a good woman rise to point the way to higher, to better things. Bodily pain darkened the closing months of her sojourn on earth, but strong in her religious faith Mrs Ayson went out on the morning tide conscious of the hope, the larger hope that the Pilot would meet her face to face when she crossed the bar and put out to sea

It is significant that Mrs Ayson never once visited Dunedin after landing their 52 years ago this month. Some influence was exerted to persuade her to attend the rejoicings at the Jubilee of the Province seven years ago to take part with the Old Identities in that historic gathering but without avail.   With her husband many years ago she went on a special excursion of old settlers to Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, and though then well advanced in years climbed Ben Lomond.   This train journey with two others later to see her sons at Waikaka were the only times she felt compelled to be absent from her home by rail.

As the wife of the first farmer in the Warepa District she leaves the name on it and every household.   And not only there but far and wide for Mrs Ayson came in contact with many who were high in the councils of the colony – Sir John Richardson and Sir George Grey amongst the number.

Born in 1811, married in 1833 Mrs Ayson has lived under five sovereigns, and has seen or read of all that has taken place on the progress of art science and invention in that period.   It is not given to many woman to live through what Mrs Ayson has done or to see much result from the seed planted but her children today can rise up and call her blessed and feel grateful that the rest which remain us for the faithful is now hers.

Acknowledgement:

Clutha leader Volume XXXI, Issue 1898, 28 March

Photo from "The Ayson Story,Glenshee to Otago, 1853 - 2000"