01.06 John Ayson 1842 - 1928

John Ayson, the fourth son of Peter Ayson, of Corydon, was born at Glenshee, Scotland on 19 May 1842.

 

He was 11 years old when he ar­rived in New Zealand with his parents, an age at which he could remember incidents of the voyage from Scotland to a new home in what was then, the wilds of Otago.  To a boyish mind these made such an impression that he could relate them in later life.   As he grew into man­hood he took his share in the work at Corydon and together with his brothers went out to work on neighbouring farms where he gained a good knowledge of farming to enable him to be manager of Conical Hills Station.

 

In 1890 he married Miss Edith Hunt in Knox Church, Dunedin, and went to Sydney for his honeymoon.  His wife was the daughter of Mr and Mrs Hunt of Wanstead, England .

 

Her mother died when Edith was very young and her father came out to New Zealand when his children were quite small and settled in Dunedin.

 

On returning from their honeymoon John and Edith went to Shannon's Station at Waiho Downs, but later they went to Temuka where John had a butchery business.   In 1895 he sold this and moved to Christchurch where he con­ducted a butchery business in Linwood for many years.

 

In later years he bought a butch­er's shop in Ashburton but with advancing years he sold this and retired to Christchurch.

 

Edith died in 1915 and John died on 20 March 1928 at the age of 85.

 

They had a family of one daughter and four sons, 12 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren.

 

John and Edith are buried at Linwood, Christchurch.

 

 

 

 

Douglas John Ayson

Edith Alice Ayson

Gordon Hugh Ayson