Whaling & Williams Timeline

Williams Family Timeline & Legacy in Timaru

 

Early Life and Whaling Career of Samuel “Yankie Sam” Williams (1817–1883)

  • c.1817 – Samuel Williams is born, most likely in Taunton, Massachusetts, USA, to Thomas and Lucy Williams.

  • 1836 – A Samuel Williams is listed as crew aboard the Charles and Henry, a whaler from Edgartown, Massachusetts. This may have been Sam’s first foray into the Pacific whaling industry.

  • c.1839 – Sam arrives in New Zealand from Australia as part of a whaling crew employed by the Weller Brothers of Sydney. The Wellers were major operators of shore-based whaling stations and had just established one at Timaru (Motumotu/Caroline Bay).

The Weller Brothers and the Timaru Whaling Station

  • 1839 – Weller Brothers, prominent Australian-based whaling entrepreneurs, set up a station at Caroline Bay.

  • 1839–1841 – The station operates successfully, producing over 130 tuns of whale oil in two seasons.

  • Sam is part of Thomas Brown’s gang, working as a boat-steerer and harpooner. He lives in temporary huts near the Pohatukoko Stream.

  • 1841 – The Weller Brothers go bankrupt. Their whaling operations, including Timaru’s station, are shut down. Sam stays behind in New Zealand.

Work with the Rhodes Brothers and Exploration of South Canterbury

  • 1844–1848 – Sam works for George Rhodes at Island Bay, Akaroa. He becomes a trusted employee and later influences the Rhodes to explore South Canterbury.

  • 1850 – Sam guides George and Barney Rhodes south, helping them discover excellent sheep-grazing country.

  • The Rhodes Brothers then lease “The Levels,” a massive pastoral run extending between the Opihi and Pareora rivers.

Gold Rush and Marriage in Australia

  • 1851 – Sam travels to the Ballarat goldfields in Victoria, Australia.

  • Marries Ann Mahoney (also known as Anne Maury), an Irish immigrant from Cork.

  • 1854 – Their first child, Rebecca, is born in Ballarat.

Return to Timaru and Settling

  • 1856 – Sam, Ann, and Rebecca return to Timaru. Sam works again for George Rhodes.

  • George Rhodes gifts Sam the old beach cottage at the foot of George Street—possibly the first European residence in Timaru.

  • 1856 (Sept 22) – William Williams, the first European child born in Timaru, is born. His cradle is famously a gin crate.

  • The family convert the cottage into a general store and accommodation house, laying the foundation for Sam’s career as a publican.

Rise and Fall as Timaru’s First Publican

  • 1858 – Sam receives Timaru’s first publican’s license. The family’s accommodation becomes the Timaru Hotel.

  • 1859 – The Strathallan ship arrives with new settlers; Sam is one of three to greet them.

  • 1860 – Sam builds a new Timaru Hotel (funded by George Rhodes), and it becomes a central social hub.

  • 1860 (Nov 16) – Ann Williams dies suddenly, leaving Sam with two young children.

    • Her death deeply affects Sam, who had relied on her stability and guidance.

Second Marriage and Family Turmoil

  • 1861 (March 2) – Sam marries Mary Ann Gardiner, a governess and widow, at St. Mary’s Church, Timaru.

  • 1862 (Oct 7) – Their daughter Emily Williams is born.

  • c.1865 – Mary Ann leaves Sam, taking two-year-old Emily with her out of Timaru. Their marriage was troubled, marked by a 25-year age gap and discord.

Losses and Relocation

  • 1862 – The Timaru Hotel burns down in an act of arson. A disgruntled customer is convicted and sentenced to death.

  • Sam rebuilds, but his fortunes wane.

  • 1865 – He sells the hotel to John Melton, then leaves Timaru with his children.

  • Late 1860s – Sam runs hotels at Birdling’s Flat and Hotel Wellington in Christchurch.

Later Years and Decline

  • Sam’s later life is marked by hardship and instability. He appears in court several times involving theft and unruly patrons.

  • Despite support from the Rhodes family, he struggles with drinking and financial issues.

  • 1883 (June 29) – Samuel Williams dies in Timaru, aged 66. A bluestone monument, erected by townspeople, honors him as the oldest resident of Timaru.

Rebecca Williams (1854–1896)

  • Remains in Christchurch after the family’s move north.

  • 1871 – Marries George William Hobbs, a blacksmith and farrier.

  • Together they have six children.

  • Rebecca dies in 1896, aged 42, and is buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch.

William Williams (1856–1939)

  • As a young man in the 1870s, William works as a carpenter in Christchurch.

  • He and friends walk to Kumara on the West Coast, seeking gold.

  • Veteran miners deceive them about the best spots—but they strike gold anyway. Their claim is dubbed “The Larikins” and is remembered by that name.

  • William settles in Kumara, raising his family there, and is buried in Greymouth Cemetery.