BIOGRAPHY
Thomas Urquhart McKenzie was born on 6 July 1820 at Arboll, Parish of Tarbet, Black Isle, Ross-shire in Scotland, the son of Robert Bruce Aeneas McKenzie and Harriet Ross. He emigrated to New Zealand on the
Oriental, arriving in Wellington in 1840. After working as a shepherd for a year in the Wairarapa he bought a horse and cart and began a carrying business between Wellington and Petone.
After marrying Margaret Fraser in 1843 the family lived initially in Kaiwarra, then at Porirua in 1849, before moving up the coast to Turakina in 1850. In January 1855 they moved to Parewanui in the Lower Rangitikei district where their property was named Poyntzfield. In 1897, following severe flooding of the Rangitikei River and their Poyntzfield house, Margaret and Thomas moved to Feilding. Poyntzfield was sold to Lyn McKelvie, who amalgamated it with his own land 'Flock House' to create an estate of over 3000 acres.
In 1923 Flock House was purchased by the trustees of the New Zealand Sheepowners' Acknowledgement to British Seamen Fund, for the training of the sons of British seamen, and continued as an agricultural and farm training school until 1987. Flock House initially used a three-storey residence, McKelvie House, built for Lyn McKelvie in 1908 as the boys accommodation and school. From 1924 to 1937 sons of British seamen that had been killed or wounded during World War 1 were brought over, trained at Flock House, and placed on farms in New Zealand to start a new life. From 1937 to 1987 New Zealand nationals were trained at the school. Flock House farmed sheep, beef, dairy cattle, and pigs, plus had forestry areas. In 1989 the Ministry of Agriculture established a pastoral agriculture research center at Flock House, continued farming the 1,100 acres and attempted to utilise the site's facilities for a conference and function centre. Nga Wairiki-Ngati Iwi purchased the property in 2014.
OBITUARY
T. U. McKENZIE
Another old and respected colonist - Mr T. U. McKenzie - has passed away. The late Mr McKenzie, who was one of the earliest settlers on this coast, died at his residence, Feilding, last night. The deceased gentleman arrived in Wellington in 1840 by the ship Oriental, and after having resided at the Upper Hutt, Turakina, and Parawanui (lower Rangitikei), he took up his residence in Feilding a few years ago. Prior to going to Feilding the late Mr McKenzie, who was one of those sturdy pioneer settlers who have made this colony what it is, resided on his estate, known as Poyntsfield, at Parawanui for many years, and he became widely known and highly respected by all those with whom he came in contact, and his demise will be regretted by a wide circle of friends, especially those who are numbered amongst the early settlers of the lower Rangitikei and Manawatu. The end was not unexpected for the deceased gentleman, who was between 83 and 84 years of age, had been in failing health for some time. The deceased leaves a large grownup family of sons and daughters to mourn their loss. The funeral will leave his late residence, Kimbolton road, Feilding, at 11 a.m. to-morrow for the Fraser private cemetery at Parawanui.
Source: Manawatu Standard, 17 May 1904, Page 5
Chris Korte's New Zealand Genealogy Project
1820 - 1904 (83 years)
Has no ancestors and no descendants in this family tree.
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