Douglas, William John, 1848-1909 (Person)

Early life: Born near Belfast, Ireland, he moved to New Zealand with his family while a young person, residing in Wairoa.

Residence and farming:

• c. 1880 accompanied his father to Tauranga to farm on Mount St John.
• Property was sold to Mr W.T. Raymond, and William moved with his wife Annie to Mōtītī Island, to manage an estate on behalf of his Uncle.
• With his cousin, they succeeded William's Uncle, and the land was sold to Mr Lawford.
• c. 1893 purchased a block of land at the northern end of Ōtūmoetai.
• Kept some to reside on, and sold portions to Messrs T.L. Thompson and N. Dickey.
• c. 1907 he sold his farm at Ōtūmoetai to Mr W. Martin (of Hāwera), setting a local record for the sale of 'country land'.
• c. 1907 purchased land on the corner of Willow Street and Park Street, and commissioned a house to reside with his family.

Organisations:

• Tauranga A&P - Agricultural and Pastoral Assocation. 'Prominent exhibitor' of draught horses and dairy cattle from his Ōtūmoetai farm.

Health and death:

• 'Sufferer of rheumatism for many years'
• Died several days after swallowing a galvanised staple. Was operated on in Waihī Hospital, but the staple was unable to be removed and he died the following day from pneumonia.
• The Coromandel County News reported that he 'was engaged in repairing a barbed wire fence and put some staples in his mouth; he was talking to his son and threw back his head to laugh when one of the staples slipped down his throat'.