Community Contributed
Elizabeth Jane Coley (nee Williams)
Kete Horowhenua2020-03-23T16:54:15+00:00Elizabeth Jane Coley (Williams)
1864 – 1947
Parents: William Henry Williams & Elizabeth Ann Bray
Married: William James Coley
Partner: James French
Married: John Sullivan
Written by Verna Coley - Great Granddaughter
Elizabeth Jane was born in Cornwall England on the 4th October 1864. She was christened on the 12th March 1865 at Ruan Minor her parents were William Henry Williams and Elizabeth Ann Bray, she was known by her second name Jane. At the age of ten Elizabeth Jane Williams immigrated to New Zealand with her parents also brothers William John, age six, Simon Henry, age four and a baby sister Rosey Ann (Rosa) she was just one year old. They sailed on the ship called the "Helen Denny" with 256 other passengers all hopeful of a better life in the new country. The ship left Plymouth, England on the 28th July 1874 and arrived in Napier, New Zealand on the 22nd October 1874, the voyage took 86 days, and the Captain was W Ruthe. The family was meant to sail to Otago to join her Uncle Samuel Bray but there were no more boats going to Otago that year so the family was forced to sail to Napier. Jane’s father sailed from Napier to Otago to meet up with his brother in law and left his wife and family living in Napier. He came back some months later after he had worked and saved enough money to return to his wife and family.
Jane’s little sister Rosa died in Napier in March 1875 just five and a half months after arriving in the country. After Rosa's death the family took a Coastal Steamer to Foxton where they finally settled. Elizabeth Jane had not been to School in England except for one week before the family departed for their trip to New Zealand.
Elizabeth was sent out to work at the age of eleven as a servant in Foxton. In July 1876 Elizabeth was charged with stealing a quantity of property from Francis Loudon to whom she was employed. Elizabeth stated that some of the goods, a watch and rings were given to her by Elizabeth Loudon the sister of Francis Loudon and these items were dismissed by the magistrate as not being stolen. Elizabeth pleaded not guilty to stealing the other articles being books, clothing and furniture belonging to Francis Loudon. She was charged with Larceny and was sentenced in Wellington. She served twelve days imprisonment in the Wellington jail then was sent to the Reformatory School in Dunedin for five years. She left on the coastal freighter "S S Taranaki" on 21 July 1876 bound or Dunedin. If Jane served the full five years she would have been released in about 1881.
Jane was just 19 years old when she married William James Coley; he was older at 33 years old. They were married on the 9 June 1883 in the Registry Office in Foxton. Nine months later the first of their seven children was born.
It was my Grandfather William Edward, he was born 16 February 1884. Robert James, was the next born on 22 March 1885 but sadly died as an infant on 15 January 1887, Charles Henry was born on 6 March 1886, Sarah Jane was born on 6 April 1887, Alice Rebecca was born on 6th November 1888, James Nicholas was born on 20th November 1890 but died as an infant on the 4th August 1891 [his father passed away three months earlier, story in next paragraph]. Robert Theophilus was the last of the children Jane had to William James Coley, he was born on 29th April 1891 and sadly took his own life on the 5th August 1933 at the age of 41years.
Jane’s husband William was killed in a tragic accident on 19th May 1891. He was rounding up cows on the Barbers Estate [a farm near Foxton] when one of the cows fell and spooked the horse that William was riding. William fell and the horse landed on top of him. It has been said that his neck was broken, a doctor was sent for but William passed away the next day. Jane was only 26 years old when her husband died.
Jane must have fallen for the charms of the younger, handsome James Burnard French. He was born in Nelson in the South Island of New Zealand and was working in Foxton in the flax milling industry. They lived together in Jane's farm house at Springs Road, Moutoa (Between Shannon & Foxton on the banks of the Manawatu River) they had what was called in the day a "Common Law Marriage", this would have been in 1892. Jane had another seven children with James French, the first was born on 2nd September 1893 they named him James Bernard, next was David Augustus, he was born on 16th September 1894, Harriet Jane was their first daughter and she was born on 22nd July 1896. She sadly was killed in a plane crash in Sydney, Australia on 24th January 1937 at the age of 41years. Jane received the news by letter from the authorities in Australia. Annie Myrtle Vera was the next daughter born on 4th May 1898, then Eva Caroline arrived on 20th January 1900, Oswald was the third son born on 9th May 1901 [he was known as Ossie] and lastly Florence May was born on 31st December 1903 [she called herself Mae] All of these children were all registered with the surname Coley. James Burnard was put under a lot of pressure from the family to marry Jane it would appear marriage was not on his mind as he left Jane and the children. She was in quite a predicament with twelve children to raise and a farm to run. It appears that Jane was a strong willed woman with the determination to cope with anything that life would throw at her.
A story that was told to me: James French said he was married to a Roman Catholic that wouldn't give him a divorce and that is why he could not marry Jane.
This may have been the story that he gave Jane as it appears that James was not married before he met Jane, but he did marry Emily Elizabeth Wicks on 3 May 1909 in Blenheim, New Zealand which was after he left Jane in about 1906. James and Emily had 2 children which they named James Henry Burnard French and Elsie Winifred French .
Another story: Jane gave James French seventy pound to pay the rent on the farm and to buy a horse, but he went to the hotel, apparently he liked a drink or two, the next time he woke up he was at sea on a Coastal freighter. He sent a telegram from Wanganui then Napier asking Jane if she would send some money so he could come back, but she never did, so he ended up living in Gisborne for some time [There is a record of him being on the Waiapu Supplementary electoral roll as James Burnard French, Farmer , Reids Quay, Gisborne He did come back to Foxton for a short time in about 1910 but was not well received by Jane nor the family,
Another story: James French saw Jane's horse and Trap outside one of the local shops in Foxton. He took it upon himself to sit on it and wait for her. Jane returned from her shopping not pleased to see her ex-partner and took the horse whip from the holder and proceeded to chase James down the main street of Foxton.
Jane lived in the Foxton, Shannon area of New Zealand most of her life she had a farm at Moutua next to the Manawatu River. [Moutoa is a farming area half way between Foxton and Shannon] She must have lived there after James French had left her as a very good friend of mine Nita Satherley [who is was in her nineties when she told me this story] can remember as a child rowing across the Manawatu River with her father to take vegetables to her. He felt sorry for her as she had a lot children to raise. Things must have been very tough for her to bring up those children on her own. There was a great deal of animosity between the Coley and the Coley-French side of the family. I have spoken to people that knew Jane they said she was a very hard worker and that people had a good deal of respect for her. All except perhaps one man, a James Andrews who took Jane to court for using bad language. Jane took James Andrews to court for assaulting her. [It must have turned into a fiasco as all the witnesses were ordered to leave the court and the case was dismissed.]
Jane was one of the first woman on the electoral roll in 1883 her address is given as Ingestre Street, Foxton.
Jane was 49 years old when she married John Edward Sullivan on the 9 February 1914 although her marriage certificate states that she was 46 years old. Apparently the family did not approve of this marriage as he was known for his bad drinking habits consequently the marriage did not last and Jane kicked him out of the house for his drunken behaviour. Elizabeth Jane Coley must have been a strong woman her life was full of hardship and despair it looks like she was looking for love that she never quite found. She was always known as Mrs. Coley in and around the Foxton, Shannon area but on her headstone is inscribed Elizabeth Jane Sullivan
In her later years Elizabeth Jane lived with her son Ossie on a farm on the Main Road just south of Shannon near Buckley Road this house was moved some years later. Jane died when she was 83 years old on 20 November 1947 in Shannon, New Zealand of
- Hypostatic Pneumonia [a type of pneumonia linked to the elderly or weak persons who remain in the same position for long periods. Gravity tends to accelerate fluid congestion in one area of the lungs].
- Coronary Occlusion, [Partial or complete obstruction of blood flow in the coronary artery].
- Carcinoma of the uterus, [Cancer].
Elizabeth Jane is buried in the Foxton cemetery grave number 125 alongside her first husband William James Coley.
In the grave with her is one of her infant sons [I am not able to ascertain which son as there was a fire in the council office some years ago and some of the records were burnt] her son Oswald ashes are interned in the same grave.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The next article was passed on to me. It was thought to have been written by Councillors Henry or George Coley in 1926 and is thought to refer to firstly Elizabeth Jane's mother [Elizabeth Ann Williams] then Elizabeth Jane. It is in reference to a statement made at a public meeting.
[1] Some 45 to 50 years ago a family came to settle in Foxton. They pitched their tents on the site now occupied by the Bowling Green; the family consisted of eight persons which afterwards increased to 12 or 13, eleven of whom are still alive. The mother subsequently builds the house and also the chimney herself in Union St. This woman cut many cords of 2 foot. Rata at 12/- to 15/- per cord. Today she is still alive and has reached between 80 and 90 years and still enjoys good health.
[2] Some 35years ago, my eldest brother married her eldest daughter and through an accident she was left a widow with six young children. No subscription was got up on her behalf and she worked and brought up the family off her own bat. Today she is a grandmother and is still alive and well and living near Shannon and I think she could beat the candidate who talked about living in tents at the age of 62yrs, in ploughing, fencing, building a chimney, laying concrete or milking 45 to 50 cows at one sitting. The trouble about the rising generation today is that they want to much spoon feeding and too much done by for them by others, instead of doing for themselves.
[this was written in 1926]
This last statement could have been made today not 1926 it just shows things do not change much we still think like our ancestors.
Accuracy is strived for but not guaranteed
Written by Verna Coley
[Great Granddaughter]
Copyright March 2005
Revised 2006
Revised Oct 2007
Revised Jan 2014
Information for this story was obtained from the following
Immigrant to N Z records***Obituary*** Manawatu Herald*** Cemetery Records*** B D M Certificates
A special thanks to Aileen Jennings, My Dad, Morris Coley, Terence French, Foxton Historical Society, Foxton Service Centre, for their help in my research.