George Enoch Trask

George Enoch Trask was only about six years of age when he arrived in New Zealand with his parents. It is claimed that his brother Joseph was one of the first three boys to be born in the new settlement at Wellington in 1840. In “Early Wellington” by Louis Ward where many passengers’ lists are given we note that Israel and Ann Trask arrived on the “Gertrude” on 3rd November, 1841, accompanied by four children. This would seem to nullify any claim to an early birth in the settlement.

George became a baker and it seems logical that he received his training in Wellington before coming to Foxton. Thomas Cook had a resident baker at his hotel in 1857 who may have been Trask.

It seems quite likely that Trask met Erenora Taratoa, the beautiful daughter of Chief Nepia Taratoa at Cook’s Hotel. Erenora’s father would not allow her to marry Trask but a son, Winiata, was born in 1858. He is the forebear of the Winiata family. A descendant well known in the Manawatu district was Wiremu Kingi Te Awe Awe, better known as pianist, Billy Larkins.

In 1862 George married Sarah Ann Barnett, daughter of Ann Maria and Sidney William Barnett. The officiating minister was Rev. Taylor of Wanganui. From 1863-66 George and his brother-in-law were the proprietors of the Te Wharangi Hotel at the mouth of the Manawatu River on the north bank. After this Trask returned to his trade of baking, in Foxton.

From the files of the “Manawatu Herald” we learn that George and Sarah had at least three daughters and one son. On 12th November, 1895, it is reported that the marriage of Miss Mary Trask, third daughter of Mr and Mrs G. Trask, to Mr Frank T. Fraser, son of Mr Fraser, an old settler of Wellington, took place at All Saints Church, Foxton, on 9th November. The bride was attended by her sisters Misses E. and H. Trask. In the “Herald” on 12th July, 1898, there is a marriage notice which reads “At the residence of Rev. James Duncan, Sidney Israel, second son of G.E. Trask to Maud Beatrice, second daughter of Mr William Spittal, East Takaka, Nelson.”

The family apparently moved to Palmerston North as George Trask died in Palmerston North on 16th October, 1904, aged 70 years and is buried in the Terrace End Cemetery, Napier Road.

The short obituary in the “Standard” reads as follows:

“Mr George E. Trask, an old resident of the Manawatu, was found dead in an outhouse on his property in Featherston Street yesterday morning, having taken his life by hanging himself. Deceased had been a great sufferer through an accident he sustained a few years ago and it is believed this caused his mind to become unhinged. He was aged 70 years and resided at Foxton for about 50 years.”

His wife, Sarah Ann, died in Palmerston North on 13th August, 1923, in her 79th year. Unfortunately no obituary appeared in local newspapers.

His brother, Joseph, is said to have come to Manawatu as a lad of 14. He later saw service in the Maori Wars at Opotiki and Tauranga when he joined the armed constabulary for a while. Later he took up farming in Shannon, moving on to Foxton and later still he farmed in Rangitikei Line, Palmerston North. He had a family of at least seven children and died on 17th May, 1928, aged 88 years.