Alan Gordon Sulzberger

I am the youngest of the first generation New Zealand born descendants of John Jacob and Jane nee Phillips who settled in Mangatoki, Taranaki in 1903.

My father Jacob John, known as Jake, came to N Z with his parents in 1903 with five pounds cash in his pocket and worked at land clearing in the Eltham area. He spoke of carrying the heavy steel Trewella stumping jack on his shoulder from job to job. Father also worked on the construction of the roadway over the Mangamingi ridge east of Eltham where the workers lived in tent camps during a very wet season in the early 1900’s. However the plentiful supply of native pigeons made great eating. During this time he worked with his future brother in law Harold.

During the course of his work he suffered a broken leg which caused him trouble for the rest of his days. Mother Ida was a first day pupil at Riverlea School, riding ponies or walking with her brothers and sisters from her parent’s farm. On completing Primary School mother worked on the farm hand milking the dairy cows with her sisters for one pound a month and had to clothe herself. Being the careful financier that she was, mother saved twelve pounds by the time of her marriage to father at the age of twenty. I guess he thought he'd found a small gold mine.

The marriage took place in the Mangatoki Union Church on 24 July 1912 and the bride was driven to the Church in the first automobile to be used in Eltham for that purpose.

Grand parents John Jacob and Jane were staunch supporters of the church as were my parents.

I have no memories of Grandfather as he died 22 January 1930.  They had celebrated their Golden wedding 19 June 1923. Grandmother lived in Eltham for a time after being widowed. Gran later moved around her family for varying periods retaining the position of matriarch. Sunday was definitely a day of worship and knitting was taboo. Her cotton crocheted headgear, rocking chair and dark or black clothing accompanied her. She died 28 April 1947.

At the time of my birth, parents Jacob John and Ida Bessie nee Dawbin were farming their part of the original Sulzberger property on Duthie Road which had been subdivided into three farms for brothers Jacob, Ernest and Robert.

I was born at Sister Gavigan’s maternity home in Eltham on the 21^st May 1929. Sister Gavigan was mothers’ sister Elsie but known as Mollie and my brother Nelson was her first delivery in her private hospital.

Shortly after my arrival the family moved to a larger property of 264 acres on the Fraser Road four miles south of Eltham. My early childhood was largely uneventful with four older brothers. A first born sister Gladys died aged five. Farm workers were employed and mother had domestic help in the house with myself, Nelson, twins Jim and Tom and Les together with the staff and father she certainly would have needed assistance.

I commenced Primary School at the Rotokare School about a mile away at the age of seven. On the school closing down Nelson and I went to Fraser Road School which had two teachers and was over three miles away. We rode ponies and had some good races on the way home with other pupils. In later years I was paid four pence a day by the State because I was over three miles from school and rode a pony. There was no school bus available. I never went to secondary school and worked at home on the farm on leaving school. Following my parents retirement they moved to a twenty acre property on the outskirts of Eltham, however my father died shortly afterwards. Brother Tom was sharemilking the property and I worked for him until I moved to mothers and was farm contracting for two years.

My mother’s widowhood was at Eltham where she moved following the sale of the Eltham farmlet. Her last years were spent in Eventide Rest Home at Eltham where she chose to live in preference to living among her children.   She traveled to the U S A with the Taranaki Rose Society and was also fortunate to enjoy a Pacific cruise. Mother enjoyed her retirement to the fullest. She died on 12 October 1982 aged 90 years and is buried with Jacob in the Eltham cemetery.

Following my marriage to Beryl (nee Foot) in 1954 I worked for a building contractor for a short time before commencing a 39% sharemilking contract at Manaia. At present this property is derelict and unfarmed because of a dispute over ownership by two groups of Maori folk. We were there two years. Next came a 50/50 sharemilking position on the Stuart Road for three years milking for the leader of the Social Credit Political Party. A tornado demolished part of the house during this time. Jennifer was born while we were at Manaia and Murray while we were at Stuart Road. This was followed by a stint at Meremere east of Hawera when Denise was born. We were then able to purchase a 118 acre property at Rawhitiroa east of Eltham where we dairy farmed for thirty-two years. Part of this farm was on the Ngaere swamp and had interesting problems with trees stumps and drainage. Electricity pylons had foundations up to thirty meters into the swamp to support them. Most of the time I worked the farm on my own. The children did all their schooling at Rawhitiroa primary school and later attended Stratford High School. We have always been involved in the children’s affairs and events, netball, hockey, swimming and pony club etc.

I have always been involved with committees commencing at Primary School with Junior

Red Cross during the war years. Later came Young Farmers Club, Odd Fellows Lodge, School committees, Hall, Swimming Club, Memorial Pool committee, Eltham Drainage Board, and Eltham Veterinary Club. I served as a Director on the Taranaki Dairy Company until the merger with Kiwi Co-op Dairies when I continued on that Board. I was also made a Life member of the Rawhitiroa Indoor Bowling Club. During my retirement I have been involved with the Stratford RSA Club, Social Club, Greypower and Stratford Men’s Probus Club. In my younger days I played rugby and some cricket.

Beryl’s interests other than family have been with the Country Women’s Institute, floral art, church affairs, dress making and in later years, porcelain painting. We are both involved with the Stratford Horticultural Society.

A sixty acre property a mile away was purchased and farmed in conjunction with the home unit where Murray sharemilked for several years. An additional house was moved onto the farm before Murray’s marriage. The farm was leased for three years before being sold in 1992.

We have a lovely two storey home in Stratford, what we believe is the best street in town. We have always been keen gardeners and this is reflected in our present home. Shortly before moving to town I was hospitalized with Guillain Barre’ syndrome which we had never heard of, which attacks the nerve endings. Luckily I have no great lasting problems from it.

For some years we owned a beach cottage at Onaero in North Taranaki but sold two years ago and now own a Mazda motor home with which we are very pleased. This has provided a new outlet to enjoy our retirement, and hope we will be blessed with good health to continue.

Our daughter Jennifer lives in Stratford with her partner Ray. Jennifer has a daughter Melanie married to Danny Ratu. They have a daughter Alani and a baby son Jaxon. Sarah is still at secondary school and Dylan lives in Stratford.Our son Murray lives in Eltham with Alison and son Matthew. Our daughter Denise has lived in Canada for twenty-five years with husband Dennis. They have a son Justin and a daughter Courtney.

Gladys May Sulzberger died on 9 April 1940 at Mt View hospital, Eltham, from peritonitis and is buried in the Eltham Cemetery along with her parents.

I believe I may be the only first generation Kiwi to attend the Reunion celebrations.

There are seven surviving cousins of the first generation of the original twenty-seven New Zealanders. They are Syd Marx , Don Sulzberger , Jock Sulzberger , Amy Clarke (nee Haycock) , Faith Managh (nee Sulzberger) , my brother Tom and I. Age and health problems may prevent them from attending.

It’s been a great pleasure to write this short history of my branch of the family for this one hundred and fiftieth year celebration and be able to share with many rellies both new and old on this great occasion.

Gladys aged about two years.