BIOGRAPHY
Alexander Walker was born on the 10 September 1838 in
Tibbermore, Perthshire, Scotland, the eldest child of Alexander Walker, a labourer, and Charlotte Leslie. Alexander trained as a flour miller. In September 1858 Alexander married Isabella Brough in Comrie, the youngest daughter of William Brough, who was also Alexander's employer. Apparently, Isabella's parents did not really approve of the marriage and the couple migrated to Australia in October 1858. Isabella was pregnant when she married Alexander and Alexander had an illegitimate son born a month before the marriage to another girl in Comrie. Alexander and Isabella went on the ship "Greyhound" from Liverpool to Melbourne, a voyage of 91 days. Their first child, Christina, was born 30 December 1858 on the voyage to Australia, and died in April 1859 in Melbourne. Alexander and Isabella lived in Melbourne, Victoria, from 1859 to 1861, with daughter Charlotte being born in 1860. In 1861 the family moved to Milton in Otago where Alexander was employed in the town's new flour mill. A further six children were born in Milton. Alexander died in 1908 and was buried in the Fairfax Cemetery at Milton.
OBITUARY
ALEXANDER WALKER, MILTON,
Aged 71.
Over half a century ago a young couple from Perthshire, Scotland, after being married, set out on a " honeymoon trip" to the then Colony of Australia there to try their fortune and be and work together to establish a home for themselves. Both being young and strong the trials of a pioneer's life were set lightly aside. Near Melbourne this young couple found work on a then primitive style of a farm, and for nearly three years they remained there. Here they welcomed their first born, and when the young mother was about again and the news of the gold discoveries in Otago had reached them, a course was shaped for another new land. The young couple had saved a few pounds in their Victorian service, and when they landed at Dunedin were able to get a lift "up country" on a bullock wagon. They were both on route for Tuapeka diggings, but the bullock dray came no further than Tokomairiro, which to them appeared then a goodly place in its pristine wildness. Footing it to "The diggings", the wife carrying the baby and the husband the "swag" and getting a hand in the former work from the kind-hearted fellows making for the same goal, Mr and Mrs Walker and babe arrived at "the diggings." Their stay was short however. Gold mining was not Mr Walker's ideal life, and he returned to Milton to take up a section, and pitched his tent near the bank of the river and near McGill's Mill. Anyhow the late Mrs Peter McGill was an early visitor at the tent of the strangers on the morning after their arrival, and in her hand she had a steaming bowl of porridge for the wayfarers. That was the way they had in those old days. Not only was the hand of welcome held out - without waiting for an introduction or "Leaving your card" - but the welcome was always accompanied with a "food offering." That was a homely kindly welcome, and they did not forget it.
Thereafter the young parents took up a section and built a clay "hoosie," and Mr Walker, who was a miller to trade, entered the service of the late Peter McGill, and continued there until his retirement a few years ago. His first "clay biggin" still stands in Milton, and is one ot the earliest in what is now the Borough of Milton.
Since leaving the service of the McGill's, Mr and Mrs Walker having acquired a competency, and being always of a frugal mind, living plainly and wholesomely, had a comfortable home and a young daughter to look after them, and all was going well with the aged couple, when on Sunday evening, August 29th, Mr Walker had a paralytic stroke, and while not wholly unconscious was not able to convoy by speech his feelings. He lingered on till Tuesday evening, September 7th, passing away quietly in the presence of a number of members of his family, and to the poignant grief of his aged wife. He had the loving and skilful attention in his last hours of his daughter, Mrs Stanley, a trained nurse.
The late Mr Alex Walker was 71 years of age at the time of his decease and had been over 47 years in the Toko. district, and a man held in esteem by his neighbours and the general public whom he came in contact with. Besides Mrs Walker there are five daughters and one son surviving him. In addition, there are 14 grandchildren. The daughters are : Mrs Redpath (Gisborne), Mrs Wilkinson (Springburn, Canterbury, Mrs Griffin (Timaru), Mrs Stanley (Christchurch), Miss Jessie (Milton) and the only son, John, is at Ohura in the North Island.
The funeral took place to-day to the Fairfax cemetery, the Rev Mr Miller conducting the services at the house and at the graveside, and many personal friends and neighbours turned out to pay their last respects to a grand old pioneer of Milton.
An esteemed correspondent writes:- The late Mr Alex Walker, of Perth, Scotland, accompanied by his wife (Isabella Brough, of Millentuim, Comrie) left Scotland in 1858 in the Greyhound, bound for Melbourne. They came to New Zealand in 1861, landing in Dunedin in the Orient. Bound for the diggings, they stored boxes in Dunedin and came up to Tokomairiro in a bullock dray, crossing the Taieri in a boat, the escort going on the punt. On reaching Waihola, a buggy, containing fellow-passengers, was seen stuck in the mud, the shafts up and the passengers unloading the vehicle, preparatory to drawing it out of the mire.
After camping at Tokomairiro for a few days, to have a rest and look round, Mr and Mrs Walker set out for the diggings, the father carrying the swag and the mother the baby. After a week at the diggings they returned to Tokomairiro, an opening in hi own trade having been promised Mr Walker by the late Mr Peter McGiil, miller. For some time a tent near the river was the dwelling house. A clay "whare" was built in Queen street, and this is now supposed to be the oldest clay house in Milton. Later on Mr Walker took up land at Kaitangata but decided not to settle on it, and remained for about 40 years at his trade, under the same firm. The second home in Milton was "The Old Manse" built from the first wood sawn out of the local bush. Here the family have lived for nearly thirty years, the deceased gentleman taking a great interest in gardening and bee keeping. He was for a time a member of the Milton Borough Council, and he took a great interest in local affairs as well as in current events. He attended the Presbyterian Church, and taught for many years in the Sunday School.
Wide spread regret was felt when it was known that Mr Walker had had a seizure on Sunday, 29th August. He never fully regained consciousness, and died on Tuesday 7th September. Deceased was of a very kindly nature, and won many friends who appreciated his upright character and his intelligent mind. He leaves behind a widow, five daughters, one son, and fourteen grandchildren.
Source: Bruce Herald on 9 September 1909.
Chris Korte's New Zealand Genealogy Project
1838 - 1909 (70 years)
Has 6 ancestors and more than 100 descendants in this family tree.
[1, 2] 
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set
Sources (Log in)