William John Carson's New Zealand death record shows his birthplace as Belfast, Ireland. His parents' names are unknown, but his father was apparently a clergyman. William himself was a mariner when he married in New Zealand in 1863, though later he described himself as a carpenter.
Other clues I have were his marriage in an Anglican church in NZ - does that indicate he was not Catholic? It seems more likely that his father was a protestant than a Catholic priest.
I found this birth:
- "Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F5PJ-KJR : 5 February 2020), Alexander Carson in entry for William John Carson, 1832.
However I believe this Alexander Carson (a clergyman) and his wife, Jane, were from Ballymoney rather than Belfast.
Did William run away to sea as a young man and finally jump ship in Lyttelton NZ after falling for Mary Ann Clarkson? His death record indicates he was in New Zealand from around age 30. If true, he married soon after arriving.
So many tiny pieces, but I don't feel I have anything yet to be sure about. I would so LOVE to know more about him, and especially to find his parents with some certainty.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| William John Carson Death 1903 4107.pdf (144.34 KB) | 144.34 KB |
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1st Jan 1834 | |
| Date of Death | 19th Jun 1903 | VIEW SOURCE |
