John Jeffs
<<Return to Charlotte Jane Group Photo
Original information:
John Jeffs migrated to Canterbury when he was four with his parents, Charles Jeffs, an agricultural labourer (1830-1902), and Mary (26), his siblings Richard (4), Albert (2) and Sarah (infant), and his relatives Benjamin Jeffs, an agricultural labourer (1826-1903) and Elizabeth (25).
Charles Jeffs bought land at Templeton; Benjamin was granted a wine and beer licence in Kaiapoi and built the Sneyds Arms hotel in the 1860s.
In 1900, Charles was in Templeton; Richard and Benjamin were in Rink Stables, Dunedin; and John Jeffs was in Southbrook.
I’m directly descended from Charles & Mary Jeffs, and a correction if I might.
Charles, according to records I’ve got, was born in Hillesden, Buckinghamshire in 1826, not 1830.
You are correct. I checked his headstone and it says “departed this life April 19th 1902 aged 76 years”. Which makes his birth year 1826.
Some information on Mary has come to light as well.
See here a copy of the suffrage petition that Mary Jeffs signed (two lines above Kate Sheppard’s signature).
Can any one tell me where Mary Button, Charles Jeffs first wife is buried I can find no record of it. I am related to Charles and Mary Gaskell s son Samuel E Jeffs. Regards Sandra Templeton
Charles Jeffs is buried in St Saviours Churchyard (also known as Templeton Cemetery). According to his headstone Mary Jeffs, his wife is also buried with him.
Charles Jeffs married twice His first wife was Mary Button Cole Jeffs and his second wife was Mary Gaskell
Hello Sandra.
You are correct that Charles’ Jeffs’ wife Mary is buried with him at St Saviours. However, that person was Charles’ SECOND wife, one Mary Gaskell whom he married soon after the demise of the FIRST Mary Jeffs.
Living in Auckland, I am a direct descendant (gg grandson) of Charles and his FIRST wife Mary Jeffs- that Mary being Mary Button Coles, whom he married in Beachhampton in 1846 before they emigrated courtesy of the New Zealand Company. The young couple in their 20s arrived with several of their young children on the first of the First Four Ships on a sunny morning on the 16th December 1850. One can only wonder how Mary coped in steerage on the long sea voyage, heavily pregnant in primitive conditions with two other small children!
One family story has it that Mary Jeffs was in fact so pregnant that she was rowed around the Heathcote to give birth on dry land as soon as they arrived! The progeny was in fact my g grandmother, Elizabeth Jeffs, reputedly the first Pakeha child of the First Four ships to be born in the colony (although that is a little contentious, but that’s another story).
My gg grandmother Mary Button Coles is a bit of a mystery. She and Charles successfully farmed at their property they named ‘Jeffcote’ in Templeton and I believe (?) she died of apoplexy (according to her death certificate) in or near Templeton in 1860, ten years after they arrived on the Charlotte Jane.
On a recent visit from Auckland I located their farm in Marsh’ Road, Templeton on which the young couple settled in or around 1850 as well as the one adjacent where my other gg grandfathers son, George Daniel Marsh came from. I determined that Elizabeth Jeffs, daughter of Charles and Mary, went on to marry George Daniel Marsh, the son of the couple farming next door by the name of George and Mary Marsh before both married in 1870 to farm their own property named ‘Claremont’, in Timaru. I also visited that location several years ago at which their house- although much changed- is still standing.
I have a copy of photographs of both Mary Button Coles and her mother and records of her family members in England as well as a copy of her death certificate confirming she died of ‘apoplexy’. Due to the early date (1860) there is not much other information on it.
Following her death and like many early farmers in the district, Charles married again to a Mary, this time to Mary Gaskell with whom he is buried at St Saviours in Templeton. Many, many children, hands to the tiller, came from that union to help run the farm.
Hello. My name is John Beadle. I’m up here in Auckland.
I am Charles and Mary Jeffs gg grandson. I descend from Charles FIRST wife, Mary Button Coles with whom he was married in Beachampton in 1846. I have a copy of their marriage certificate as well as Mary’s (the first) death certificate. Mary (the first) died in 1860 presumably in the Templeton area- of ‘apoplexy’ but being so early, there’s not much else on the document.
The Mary Jeffs buried with him in the St Saviours location is his SECOND wife, Mary Gaskell with whom he went on to have a number of children as was the custom to provide help on the farm (?).
The ‘first’ Mary arrived with Charles and three of their kids aboard the Charlotte Jane on 16 December 1850 from distant Hillesden in Buckinghamshire (courtesy of the New Zealand Company) and after a while settled on the farm they named ‘Jeffcote’, in Templeton. Our family story has it that Mary (first) was heavily pregnant on arrival and had to be rowed around the Heathcote to give birth on dry land which if true, makes her daughter Elizabeth Jeffs the first pakeha child born of the First Four Ships (although I understand there may be another contender/s!). The notion of being heavily pregnant and enduring a long sea voyage cramped in steerage doesn’t bear thinking about..
I have visited their farm adjacent to that owned by my other gg grandparents, George and Mary Marsh out at Marsh’ Road in Templeton and am keen to fill in some of the gaps about Mary Button Coles who passed away after ten years in the colony. I have also visited the farm named Kingsborough in Timaru where young Elizabeth (Jeffs) and George Daniel Marsh raised their family which also remains but much altered lived following their wedding in 1870. The good thing about those properties is that they appear to be mostly still there!
Happy to share with anyone following any of those leads!