Seadown is a farming district extending from the south bank of the Opihi river towards Washdyke. Seadown is also the name of a riding of the Levels county. There is a considerable rural population, which probably numbers fully 400. The railway station stands at a level of 36 feet above the sea, and is ninety-three miles from Christchurch, and seven miles from Timaru. Seadown has a public school and a post office.

The Post Office At Seadown was established in 1893, and is conducted at the homestead of Mrs Margaret Hornbrook, Miss Caroline Josephine Hornbrook acting as postmistress. Mails are received and despatched on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Mrs Margaret Hornbrook was born at Kirriemuir, in Scotland. She was educated in her native place, and came to Wellington by the ship “Arab,” in 1841. In 1848 she was married to the late Mr. William Hornbrook, a brother of the late Major Hornbrook, of Wellington. Mr. Hornbrook was born in Brittany, France, in 1822, and, when a boy, went through a war in Spain. He came out to his brother in Wellington and was assisting in the store-keeping business for a number of years. In 1853 he removed to Canterbury, and became part owner with his brother in the Arowhenua station. In 1871 Mr. Hornbrook bought 256 acres at Seadown, which he farmed till his death in 1882. Since that time his widow has sold a portion of the property, but still owns 131 acres, known as Hollywell Farm. Mrs Hornbrook has had four sons and five daughters, of whom one son and two daughters have died.

Mrs M. Hornbrook and Grandchild.

The Seadown Public School was established in 1890, and serves part of the district of Levels and Seadown. The building is of wood and iron, and contains two class rooms and two porches. It has accommodation for 100 pupils, and the average attendance is seventy-three. The land attached to the school is about four acres in extent, and contains two play-grounds, with some well grown shelter trees. The school house is also on the property. The teacher in charge is assisted by a mistress.

Mr. Cornelius Frederick Schmedes, Headmaster of the Seadown page 925 school, was born in Victoria, in 1861. He served a pupil-teachership there, and came to Otago in 1879. In 1888 he removed to Canterbury, and served ten years at Orari Bridge, and four years at Milford, before his appointment to Seadown in June, 1902, Mr. Schmedes was married, in 1881, to a daughter of Mr. C. Smith, of Port Chalmers, and has one son and one daughter.

Cain, Samuel, Farmer, “Laurel Grove,” Seadown. Mr. Cain is a County Down man, and was born in 1849. He left Ireland for the Colony with his parents in 1859 by the ship “Clontarf.” His father farmed land at Milford, near Temuka, where the subject under notice was brought up to farm life. He purchased a farm of 187 acres, and started on his own account in 1868, subsequently building his present residence in 1891. Mr. Cain owns another farm of 212 acres on the Seadown block. He is an active member of the Presbyterian Church, and has been chairman of the Seadown School Committee since 1893. Mr. Cain has been twice married, first to Miss Eagle, who died in 1890, leaving eleven children, and secondly to his first wife's sister, by whom he has three children.

Mr. S. Cain.

Cargo, Samuel, Farmer, Seadown. Mr. Cargo was born in County Down, Ireland, in 1842, and came to Auckland by the ship “Northern Bride,” in 1861. He was mining at Coromandel, and afterwards tried the West Coast goldfields, where he was unsuccessful, Mr. Cargo went to Christchurch, and after a while obtained employment at Leeston, where he subsequently managed a farm until 1885, when he purchased his holding of 142 acres at Seadown. He was married in Leeston to a daughter of the late Mr. Stephen Tweedy, and has three children.

Mr. S. Cargo.

Cooper, Peter, Farmer, “Bellmont,” Seadown, Mr. Cooper was born in Caithness, Scotland, in 1854, and was brought up on his father's farm. He arrived at Port Chalmers in the ship “Nelson” in 1863, and five years later commenced farming in North Otago, where for about nine years he had a farm of 200 acres of leasehold at Boundary Creek. In 1880 Mr. Cooper removed to South Canterbury, where he was for some time on the Level's station, and was subsequently employed for a short time by Mr. W. Grant. In 1898 he bought Bellmont Farm, which is seventy acres in extent. He has been a member of the Washdyke school committee since 1899. Mr. Cooper was married, in 1892, to a daughter of the late Mr. William Wright, of Geraldine, and has two sons and three daughters.

Cochran, Benjamin Franklin Greig, Farmer, Seadown Mr. Cochran was born in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1846, and worked on a farm until he was sixteen, when he apprenticed himself as a builder and stonemason. In 1869 he left the Old Country and went to America, travelling from New York to San Francisco, where he was engaged in the building trade. In the winter of 1870 he made a trip back to the Old Country, and while there married Miss Margaret Russell, of Forfarshire. He returned to America alone, but was soon joined by his wife, and they remained there for two years. From San Francisco they went to Sydney in the Australian mail boat—which in those days was only a little paddle steamer—and came on to New Zealand, where they landed in 1874. Mr. Cochran was first engaged in building the Otepopo tunnel, and the bridge over the Kakanui river, of which he built all the pillars. In 1875, he entered into a farming partnership with his brother-in-law, and took up 600 acres of land on the Waitohi Downs, where they remained for two years, when they dissolved partnership, and sold the property. On the opening up of the Arowhenua estate Mr. Cochran bought a farm there, but was unsuccessful. Subsequently he took up 216 acres at Woodbury and 165 acres at Seadown. He farms both properties, and runs sheep chiefly at Woodbury and crops the land on Seadown where he resides. He has adopted two children, who live with him on the farm.

Mr. B. F. G. Cochran.

Mrs B. F. G. Cochran.

Devon, John, Farmer, Seadown. Mr. Devon was born in Wigtownshire, Scotland, in 1838, and was brought up to farming. He arrived at the Bluff in 1863, by the ship “Helenslea,” and was for three years living in Southland. For nine years afterwards he was employed by the late Hon. Matthew Holmes, at Oamaru. In 1874 Mr. Devon purchased 200 acres of land, at Washdyke, South page 926 Canterbury, and has since then resided in the district. He now lives at Seadown, where he also has 200 acres of land, and, in addition, he is the owner of 200 acres at Levels. In 1879 he was married to a daughter of Mr. John Macfarlane, of the North Island of New Zealand, and has five sons and five daughters.

Dunnett, James, Farmer, Seadown. Mr. Dunnett was born in Caithness-shire, Scotland, in 1863, and was brought up to farming. In 1887 he came to New Zealand in company with his brother, and for some years was shepherding at the Levels, and subsequently at the Sherwood Downs station. In 1893 he went to Seadown, where he took up 262 acres of good agricultural land, and has considerably improved his property. He carries on general mixed farming, and takes a great interest in sporting matters. Mr. Dunnett is unmarried.

Grant, Lewis, Farmer, “Seagrove,” Seadown. Mr. Grant was born in Inverness-shire, Scotland, in June, 1844, and was brought up to farming. He arrived in New Zealand on the 24th of March, 1864, and resided in Christchurch until 1868, when he removed to South Canterbury. He was engaged there for some time in contracting and general farm work, and was afterwards employed by Mr. John Hay in travelling horses. Mr. Grant afterwards bought land at Orari Bridge, and during his residence in the district was a member of the Geraldine Road Board, and a director of the Geraldine dairy factory. He was also a member of the Orari school committee, and for some time its chairman. In July, 1889, Mr. Grant settled at Seadown, where he bought from Mr. W. Stevenson, Seagrove Farm, a property of 241 acres. He has served on the Washdyke school committee, and was for a time chairman of that body. Mr. Grant was married on the 20th of March, 1872, to a daughter of the late Mr. James Clark, of County Tyrone, Ireland, and has four sons and five daughters surviving.

Gilliatt, Joseph Robinson, Farmer, Seadown. Mr. Gilliatt was born in Lincolnshire, England, In 1837, and trained to farming pursuits. He came to Lyttelton by the ship “Cashmere” in 1861 and was living on Banks' Peninsula for sixteen years. He then removed to South Canterbury, where he leased the “Stumps Farm” at Orari, and afterwards bought 460 acres at Seadown, where he now resides. Mr, Gilliatt was married in Lincolnshire and has five children.

Holwell, John, Seadown Farm, Seadown. Mr. Holwell is the eldest son of Mr. Joseph Holwell, of Temuka. He was born in Leicestershire, England, in 1860, and came to New Zealand with his parents in 1881. For a time he worked on the property of Messrs Bruce and McLaren, of St. Andrews, and on his father purchasing a farm at Kakahu, he assisted him to work it for eight years. Subsequently, he commenced farming on his own account on a farm consisting of 220 acres of leasehold on the far-famed Seadown estate and has resided there for sixteen years. He has also 100 acres of freehold on the Springfield estate, Temuka. Mr. Holwell is a member of the Temuka Floral Society, of which he was president in 1896 and again in 1901. He is also vice-president of the Temuka and Geraldine Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and a member of the Temuka Borough Council and of the local school committee. Mr. Holwell is a member of the local Masonic lodge, and also of St. John's Lodge Arch Chapter. He is an enthusiastic cricketer, and has long been interested in volunteering. For three years he was quartermaster sergeant in the Geraldine Mounted Rifles, in which he is now (1902) lieutenant. Mr. Holwell married Miss Findlay, daughter of Mr. David Findlay, a very old settler, and has five children.

Mr. J. Holwell.

Lewis, William John, Farmer, Dairy Creek Farm, Seadown, Mr. Lewis was born at “Blannant,” Winchester, Canterbury, in 1869, and educated at the Winchester and Geraldine Flat schools. He was trained as a schoolmaster, served his pupil-teachership at Geraldine Flat school, taught altogether for fourteen years, during which he held positions in the Waimate District High School, the German Bay main school, the Clyde Quay school, Wellington, and the Mount Cook Boys' School, Wellington. Mr. Lewis, who is unmarried, commenced farming for the sake of his health, in June, 1898. Dairy Creck Farm contains 250 acres of freehold, and is devoted mostly to grain growing and sheep-farming.

McCullough, Samuel, Farmer, Seadown. Mr. McCullough was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1860, and was brought up to farming in that county. He came out in the ship “British Queen,” in 1883, and landed at Lyttelton. For about three years he was engaged in agricultural work in the Winchester and Kakahu districts, and then he bought 118 acres at Seadown. In 1897, he took up another farm of 197 acres, also at Seadown, and he farms both properties conjointly and successfully, and resides on the larger of the two. The soil is good, and he has grown barley which has averaged fifty-five bushels per acre. Mr. McCullough is a member of the Timaru Lodge of Druids. In 1895, he married Miss Margaret Creighton, of Naseby, Otago, and they have one son.

Oldfield, Frederick Richard, Farmer, Seadown. This settler is the third son of the late Mr. William Oldfield, one of Canterbury's pioneer settlers, who came to New Zealand in the “Cressy” in 1850. He was born at Lyttelton in 1855 and brought up to farming pursuits. When seventeen years of age, he moved to South Canterbury, and settled in the Temuka district, where he started as a waggoner, and as a contractor for cropping and threshing. For the past sixteen years he has been farming at Seadown, where he has a nice compact farm of 250 acres of freehold and 250 acres of leasehold land. He carries on breeding, grazing, and wheat-growing. Mr. Oldfield has manufactured a new sheep dip, the trade mark of which is “The Real McKay,” for which there is a large demand in the province. He was married to Frances Mary, daughter of Mr. Thomas Hawke, an old settler, and has six children.

Mr. F. R. Oldfield.

Paterson, John, Farmer, “Burleigh,” Seadown. Mr. Paterson was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1843, and brought up to country life. He came to Port Chalmers, in 1863, by, the ship “Wave Queen,” and was farming and shearing in the Amuri district for two or three years. He settled in the Timaru district, and had a farm at Totara Valley from 1877 till 1901. Mr. Paterson then sold his interest there and bought Burleigh Farm at Seadown. This land, which was purchased from Mr. William Grant, consists of 460 acres of freehold. Mr. Paterson was a member of the page 927 Hazelburn school committee for a number of years, and was its chairman for ten years. He was married, in 1879, to a daughter of the late Mr. David Hamilton, of Ayrshire. Scotland, and has five sons and three daughters. Mrs Paterson came out to Port Chalmers by the ship “Timaru” in 1878.

Ferrier, photo.
Mr. and Mrs J. Paterson.

Shaw, Robert, Farmer, Seadown. Mr. Shaw was born at Winchester, in 1871, and is the fifth son of Mr. David Shaw, a very old South Canterbury settler. He was educated at the Geraldine and Geraldine Flat public schools, and was trained to farming. Mr. Shaw began on his own account in 1897, on a farm of 131 acres at Seadown. In the same year he was married to a daughter of Mr. James Campbell, an early Otago settler.

Stephens, Thomas, Farmer, “Polmangon,” Seadown. Mr. Stephens was born in 1840, at Polmangon, St. Winnow, Cornwall, England, and was brought up to farming. He came out to Lyttelton in the ship “Amoor,” in 1864, and for three years lived in Christchurch. On removing to South Canterbury he bought sixty acres of land from the Government, and has made many improvements on the property. Mr. Stephens also owns fifty-seven acres at Levels Plains. He was married, in 1872, to a daughter of the late Mr. M. Stewart, of County Tyrone, Ireland. Mrs Stephens died in 1900, leaving two sons and two daughters.

Smith, Matthew, Farmer, Seadown. Mr. Smith was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1842, and came to Auckland in the ship “Portland” in 1863. After tempting fortune at the West Coast diggings, he returned to Auckland and commenced farming at Pukekohe. On the expiration of his lease he came to Canterbury and settled for five years at Waikari. He then settled at Seadown and took up his present farm of 108 acres. At Pukekohe he was member of the local road board and school committee, but has not since interested himself in public affairs.

Mr. M. Smith.

Mr. Alexander Humphreys was born in Banffshire, Scotland, in 1837. He was brought up on his father's farm and afterwards served an apprenticeship to the building trade, which he subsequently followed for many years in New Zealand. He came out in the ship “John Duncan,” and landed at Port Chalmers. For some time he worked in Dunedin, and afterwards at Milton, where he resided for two years. Then he followed his trade at Lawrence for twelve years, but after taking a trip round the colonies, he sold his business, and then removed to Timaru, where he was engaged in contracting and building for a couple of years, and built several schools for the South Canterbury Board of Education. Later on, he bought a farm at Seadown, where he built a substantial concrete residence, and carried on mixed farming till 1899, when he sold his property.

Mr. A. Humphreys.