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Edward was born in Hawkhurst, Kent in 1826.
He arrived in Port Nicholson, New Zealand on 22 October 1841 on board the 506 ton "Oriental" with his parents and 9 brothers and sisters, aged 15.
According to family tradition, Edward's parents "did not much like the look of the raw young country (NZ) and moved to the comparitive sophistication of Australia" after about 5 years.
At the age of 21, Edward left New Zealand on board the schooner "Comet" and arrived in Sydney on 15 October 1847 with two of his sisters and their husbands who were mariners.
His family settled in the dairying country of Jamberoo, on the South Coast of NSW.
He must have missed New Zealand as he signed onto a cattle boat and returned to became the manager of a sheep station at Waipukurau.
His dream was to own his own land.
To achieve this in 1853 with Joihn Knight he started a wagon service with a bullock team, between Napier and Waipukurau, crossing the swamp on which the city of Hastings now stands.
In 1858 Edward and John Knight purchased some land north of Waipukurau.
Edward had to meet the ships and transport to carry the baggage.
This was how he met Anne Mein Stevens when she arrived with her family in 1855.
Anne was born in Edinburgh, Scotland 20th October 1842, the daughter of John and Susan STEVEN.
She arrived in New Zealand 29th May 1855 on board "Marchioness" ex Melbourne with parents and family.
They were married in the original building of the Scotch Presbyterian Church (later St Paul's), Napier on 19th July 1859. Theirs are the first names in the church registry.
After they married, Edward and Anne settled on 1,000 acres at Kaikora North (later renamed Otane).
The property, "Early Mount", was in natural state, he cleared and improved it and ran about 2,300 sheep.
On November 18th 1880 a Public meeting organised for consideration as to the formation of a Waipawa Country Racing Club. Edward was appointed a steward .
The Waipawa Racing Club held their first meeting on Edward's run in December.
The race course and grand stand were subsequently constructed on Edward's property.
Edward was active in the local area and was a member of the Waipawa Racing Club, Patangata Road Board and Kaikora Cemetery Affairs Committee .
Edward and Anne had 10 children:
Edward died 16th May 1914 in Otane, NZ aged 88.
Anne died 27th October 1918 in Otane, NZ aged 75.
They are buried together in Otane Cemetery.
