Group+16-+Information+2

 Group 16- Information from the internet about the family members.


 * 1) http://www.austenfamily.org/austen_deans.html

//Born 1823, of Kirkstyle, Riccarton, Kilmarnock, Scotland Arrived, Nelson, NZ on the 'Thomas Harrison' on 25 October 1842.// //Married, [|Jane McIlraith], 15 September 1852, in Scotland Died, 23 June 1854, Riccarton, Canterbury, New Zealand.// //Brother of://
 * John Deans**


 * William Deans**; //Baptised: 31 January 1817, in Kirkstyle, Riccarton, Scotland. Died: 23 July 1851, by drowning off Cape Terawhiti, NZ.//

//Born, 21 April 1823, of Auchenflower, Scotland Married [|John Deans], 15 September 1852, Scotland Died, 1911,// //New Zealand//
 * Jane Mcilraith**
 * //Source, ‘Tales of Pioneer Women’ collected by the Women’s Institutes of New Zealand, 1940, Second revised edition: Tale 59, pages 216 to 221//**

Jane Deans of Riccarton
//By John Deans of Riccarton and Kirkstyle.// It is not easy to convey in print an impression of the life and character of my grandmother, Jane Deans of Riccarton, who came to Canterbury in 1853 as the wife of John Deans, one of two brothers, who had settled there 10 years before, and who were mainly responsible for proving the suitability of Canterbury for settlement. She was the daughter of James McIlraith of Auchenflower in Ayrshire, a property which the McIlraith family had occupied for many generations. The house of Auchenflower stands high on the hills overlooking the valley of the Stinchar, and the view from it is one of the most beautiful in the lovely county of Ayr. The road from Auchenflower passes through the woods at Heronsford and the Sillochan Glen, and crosses the Stinchar by a stone bridge almost under the shadow of old Colomonell, “like a white ribbon on the hillside,” and in the old Churchyard there are buried many of the McIlraiths – others lie in the Churchyard at Ballentrae, where the river joins the sea. Further down the valley is the hill of Knockdolian, which gives its name to Knockdolian Castle, where Jane McIlraith spent many happy days, and where she lived for some time. It was at a picnic on Knockdolian Hill that she first met her future husband. All these old places are surrounded by trees, and the McIlraiths were renowned for their skill as foresters and planters, From her early years spent in surroundings such as these, may be traced the love of romance and the enthusiasm for trees which were shown so prominently in her later life.

Jane McIlraith was born in 1823 and educated at the Scottish Academy for Young Ladies in Edinburgh. When she was still in her teens, young John Deans came to Auchenflower to learn the best and most up-to-date methods of farming. He was there for two years, and before his departure from Scotland in 1842 there was an understanding between them, though they were not actually engaged. When in 1852 his affairs in New Zealand had so prospered that he felt himself to be in a position to take a wife, he wrote to her and asked her to come out and marry him: this she at first refused to do – it must be remembered that she had not seen him for 12 years. However, he pressed his suit successfully, and in 1852 went home to Scotland, and they were married on September 15th in that year. The young couple sailed in the ship Minerva on October12th, and did not arrive in New Zealand until February 2nd the following year – a long and unpleasant voyage of 113 days. The bride was a bad sailor, and was ill for most of the voyage. She was so weak on landing in Lyttleton that after crossing the hills by the Bridle track (riding a white house with one eye), she had to be left in the care of Mrs. Puckle at the parsonage near Casterton. Her husband rode on to Riccarton, and returned the next day to clear their baggage. This included, in addition to furniture and all household requisites, a water-wheel, threshing mill, and dog-cart. Everything had to be taken round by whaleboat to Sumner, up the Heathcote River, and thence by dray to Riccarton. It was no uncommon occurrence for boats to capsize on the Sumner bar, but the Riccarton goods arrived safely, though it was two months before they were all delivered. What a contrast to the conditions of today! On the Minerva was a young fawn – the property of Mr. Sewell – which they took to Riccarton, but which did not live very long, and was probably poisoned by tutu. The house to which John Deans brought his bride still stands, after 96 years’ service. It contains three rooms on the ground floor, and a small attic reached by a narrow winding stair. Until their furniture was landed and unpacked, they had very little – two beds with feather mattresses, three or four home-made chairs, and a small dressing table. There were no stoves or grates – all cooking was done on the open hearth, an old camp oven being used for baking. Flour was ground in a small steel hand mill in the evenings, everyone taking a turn at this work. The wheat that year was full of smut, and the bread in consequence black and bitter, though no one apparently and the worse for eating it. In August 1853, their son, John, was born, and the young mother, in addition to her numerous household duties was faced with the knowledge that her husband’s health was steadily becoming worse. He had caught a cold riding across the Isthmus of Panama on his was Home, and this turned to consumption. Nothing that could be done was of any avail, and he died less than 18 months after retuning to New Zealand. During the last few months of his life they discussed plans for the future, and the question as to whether she should return to her people in Scotland, or spend the rest of her life in the land of her adoption. This she decided to do – no light resolution to make, for she had no business experience, and her health was never very good. Lack of physical strength was, however, overcome by grit and strength of character, and she did all she could by reading and study to qualify for the strenuous years ahead. In the management of the property left in her care she showed such marked ability that the trustees – men of experience and business training – were content to give her practically a free hand. The property which she so successfully administered consisted of the farm at Riccarton, and a leasehold at Homebush. Her brother James McIlraith, who had gone from Scotland to the gold diggings in Australia, came over from there and took charge of Homebush and the coal-mine and brick works, which had been started there, relieving her of much worry and anxiety. As money became available, parts of the leasehold were purchased, eventually about half of the run being made freehold. There were many difficulties to overcome and many disputes to be settled before the trustees handed over the property to her son on his coming-of-age in 1874. Though naturally of a gentle and retiring disposition, her sense of duty was very high, and she was very tenacious of her rights. Her sound Scottish education proved of the greatest help during the long minority of her son, and the balance sheets of the trust were all made out in her own handwriting. She was a sound judge of stock, particularly of horses and Shorthorn cattle, and always took and keenest interest in the pedigree stock at Riccarton. From all this, one might picture her as a hard businesswoman, with little time for sentiment, or the finer feelings. Such judgment would be entirely false. Of uncompromising hostility to anything evil, but giving her whole heart to any cause she believed in, and to those she loved, she was loyal to old friends, and always ready to welcome new ones. She was a great reader, very well-informed, and exceptionally broadminded. Fond of music, she had a very sweet voice, heard to the best advantage in the old songs of Scotland, which she loved. Combined with a keen sense of humour and love of wit, was the deepest contempt for namby-pamby-ism in any form. Of the gentlest and most sympathetic nature, no one ever appealed to her for help in vain. At the same time, though always ready to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, her sound judgment of character saved her from being easily imposed upon. Her sense of duty was very highly developed, and she had very definite ideas of right and wrong. Brought up in the strictest traditions of the Scottish Church, her religion was very real to her, and was the guiding motive of her life. This is shown very clearly in all her writings, as in her life, and the Bible was her infallible guide in all matters of doubt. She had strength to bear the two great tragedies of her life – the loss of her husband in 1854, and of her only son in 1902 – through her unquestioning faith in God, and acceptance of His will. Her favourite motto was “Trust in God and do the right,” and her whole philosophy of life may be summed up in the verse with which she ended her letters to her grandchildren: With Mercy and with judgment My web of time He wove, And aye the dews of sorrow Were lustred by His love.

She died at Riccarton in 1911at the age of 87, and was laid to rest in the Barbadoes Street Cemetery beside the husband whom she had survived for 57 years. Over her grave stands a Celtic cross erected by the Ayrshire people of Canterbury. She left behind her the record of a life well lived – a life which was an abiding inspiration to those who came under the influence of her serene and radiant personality. It would be better for New Zealand to-day if there was more of her true pioneering and self-reliant spirit evident around us.

John's father:

//Born, Kirkstyle, Riccarton, Kilmarnock, Scotland Married - Catherine Young, 17 June 1815, Avondale, Lanark, Scotland
 * John Deans**

Died, Scotland// __Their children were:__
 * 1) William
 * 2) James Young
 * 3) John
 * 4) Andrew (died in childhood)