William Hewitt was most likely born in 1808 in Seagoe, Armagh. His military discharge record shows that he was a gunner and driver in the Royal Artillary, enlisting in 1826 at the age of 18, and discharged in 1847. William married Eleanor Webb in 1841, in Woolwich, Kent (location of the army barracks).
In 1849 they emigrated aboard the Oriental Queen with their 4 children to Auckland, New Zealand. William went as part of the Royal New Zealand Fencible corps which was composed of retired soldiers from Britain and Ireland, who enlisted as a military reserve to act as a 'defence force' for the protection of the early settlers in the fledgling town of Auckland.
William's marriage record names his father as David Hewitt, a labourer.
I have been unable to find any record of him.
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| Date of Birth | 1st Jan 1808 | |
