James Reddy Clendon
Encyclopedia
James Reddy Clendon was an early European settler in New Zealand
, the first United States Consul to New Zealand
, and a witness to the Treaty of Waitangi
.
, England, the son of George Clendon and Elizabeth Chitty. He started business as a shipowner in London
with his brother, John Chitty Clendon. He married Sarah Hill in Sydney
on 2 October 1826 and their first child, James Stephenson Clendon, was born in London in January 1827.
, she gave birth to their second child, Eliza. In 1830 he visited the Bay of Islands
and bought 220 acre (0.8903092 km²) of land from Pomare
and Kiwikiwi, of Ngati Manu, at Okiato
, a few miles south of Kororareka. The Clendon family returned to London in 1830.
Clendon purchased the schooner Fortitude and, with his family and business partner Samuel Stephenson, sailed back to New Zealand in 1832. He settled on his property at Okiato and established a successful trading station supplying whaling ships working in the Pacific Ocean. His friendship with Pomare, Tamati Waka Nene
and other Maori chiefs and his contact with the European settlers at Kororareka made him more influential than the British Resident
, James Busby
, at Waitangi
. When Frenchman Baron Charles de Thierry tried to set himself up as 'sovereign chief' at Hokianga, Clendon supported Busby's efforts to form a confederation of northern Maori chiefs and he witnessed the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand
on 28 October 1835.
in negotiating the recognition of British sovereignty over New Zealand and was a witness to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi
in February 1840. Felton Mathew, the Surveyor-General, selected Clendon's Okiato property as the most suitable location in the Bay of Islands to establish the capital of the colony. Clendon wanted 23,000 pounds for the 1.24 km² of land, the house, two small cottages, a large store and other buildings but eventually agreed to accept 15,000 pounds. However he received only 2,250 pounds in cash and 10000 acres (40.5 km²) of land south of Auckland
. The suburb of Clendon
in Manukau City
is named after him.
from 1840 to 1844. He was appointed as the police magistrate at the Bay of Islands in 1845 and advised the British military during the Flagstaff War
. From about 1846 his role of magistrate was extended to include Hokianga.
In 1855 his wife Sarah died. On 9 January 1856 the 55-year-old Clendon married 18-year-old Jane Cochrane, daughter of Dennis Cochrane of Hokianga and his late wife, Takatowai Te Whata. Clendon had six children with his first wife and eight with his second. In 1862, James and Jane settled at Rawene
where he continued as magistrate until 1867. He died at Rawene on either 24 or 26 October 1872. His second wife, Jane, died in 1919.
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust
owns Clendon House at Rawene, which was built in the 1860s, and keeps it open to the public.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, the first United States Consul to New Zealand
United States Ambassador to New Zealand
The United States has maintained a consular presence in New Zealand since 1838. The first consul was James Reddy Clendon. Born in England, Clendon was a ship owner and merchant who bought land and settled in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. In 1838 he was appointed by the federal government of the...
, and a witness to the Treaty of Waitangi
Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi is a treaty first signed on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand....
.
Early life
Clendon was born in Deal, KentDeal, Kent
Deal is a town in Kent England. It lies on the English Channel eight miles north-east of Dover and eight miles south of Ramsgate. It is a former fishing, mining and garrison town...
, England, the son of George Clendon and Elizabeth Chitty. He started business as a shipowner in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with his brother, John Chitty Clendon. He married Sarah Hill in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
on 2 October 1826 and their first child, James Stephenson Clendon, was born in London in January 1827.
New Zealand
In 1828, as captain of the City of Edinburgh, he transported female convicts to Sydney and then sailed to New Zealand to pick up spars. His wife Sarah Clendon was on the voyage, and in January 1829, at sea near HokiangaHokianga
Hokianga is an area surrounding the Hokianga Harbour, also known as The Hokianga River, a long estuarine drowned valley on the west coast in the north of the North Island of New Zealand....
, she gave birth to their second child, Eliza. In 1830 he visited the Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is an area in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located 60 km north-west of Whangarei, it is close to the northern tip of the country....
and bought 220 acre (0.8903092 km²) of land from Pomare
Pomare
Pomare is one of the northernmost suburbs of Lower Hutt City in New Zealand. The suburb has the Hutt River on its northern and north-western sides....
and Kiwikiwi, of Ngati Manu, at Okiato
Okiato
Okiato or Old Russell is a small holiday spot in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, seven km south of present-day Russell. It was New Zealand's first national capital, for a short time from 1840 to 1841, before the seat of government was moved to Auckland...
, a few miles south of Kororareka. The Clendon family returned to London in 1830.
Clendon purchased the schooner Fortitude and, with his family and business partner Samuel Stephenson, sailed back to New Zealand in 1832. He settled on his property at Okiato and established a successful trading station supplying whaling ships working in the Pacific Ocean. His friendship with Pomare, Tamati Waka Nene
Tamati Waka Nene
Tāmati Wāka Nene was a Māori rangatira who fought as an ally of the British in the Flagstaff War.-Origin and mana:...
and other Maori chiefs and his contact with the European settlers at Kororareka made him more influential than the British Resident
Resident (title)
A Resident, or in full Resident Minister, is a government official required to take up permanent residence in another country. A representative of his government, he officially has diplomatic functions which are often seen as a form of indirect rule....
, James Busby
James Busby
James Busby is widely regarded as the "father" of the Australian wine industry, as he took the first collection of vine stock from Spain and France to Australia. Later he become a British Resident who traveled to New Zealand, involved in the drafting of the Declaration of the Independence of New...
, at Waitangi
Waitangi
Waitangi is the name of various places, towns, and settlements in New Zealand. The two most notable of these are:* Waitangi, Northland* Waitangi, Chatham Islands...
. When Frenchman Baron Charles de Thierry tried to set himself up as 'sovereign chief' at Hokianga, Clendon supported Busby's efforts to form a confederation of northern Maori chiefs and he witnessed the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand
Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand
In New Zealand political and social history, the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand , was signed by a number of Māori chiefs in 1835, proclaimed the sovereign independence of New Zealand prior to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840....
on 28 October 1835.
US Consul
On 12 October 1838, Clendon was appointed the United States Consul in New Zealand. As a result he gained most of the trade with American whaling and trading ships visiting the Bay of Islands. He remained the consul until April 1841. Despite representing the U.S., he assisted Captain William HobsonWilliam Hobson
Captain William Hobson RN was the first Governor of New Zealand and co-author of the Treaty of Waitangi.-Early life:...
in negotiating the recognition of British sovereignty over New Zealand and was a witness to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi
Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi is a treaty first signed on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand....
in February 1840. Felton Mathew, the Surveyor-General, selected Clendon's Okiato property as the most suitable location in the Bay of Islands to establish the capital of the colony. Clendon wanted 23,000 pounds for the 1.24 km² of land, the house, two small cottages, a large store and other buildings but eventually agreed to accept 15,000 pounds. However he received only 2,250 pounds in cash and 10000 acres (40.5 km²) of land south of Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. The suburb of Clendon
Clendon
Clendon is a suburb of Auckland city in northern New Zealand. It is located to the west of Manurewa. The suburb is in the Manurewa-Papakura ward, one of the thirteen administrative divisions of Auckland City....
in Manukau City
Manukau
Manukau City was a large territorial authority in Auckland, New Zealand. The city was sometimes referred to as South Auckland, but this term did not possess official recognition and did not encompass areas like East Auckland, which was previously within the official boundaries of Manukau City...
is named after him.
Farming and politics
From 1841 he farmed on 3342 acres (14 km²) of land he had purchased at Manawaora in the Bay of Islands in 1838. He became the president of the New Zealand Banking Company, the owner of New Zealand's first bank which opened at Kororareka in September 1840. Also in 1840 he became a justice of the peace and was a member of New Zealand's first Legislative CouncilNew Zealand Legislative Council
The Legislative Council of New Zealand was the upper house of the New Zealand Parliament from 1853 until 1951. Unlike the lower house, the New Zealand House of Representatives, the Legislative Council was appointed.-Role:...
from 1840 to 1844. He was appointed as the police magistrate at the Bay of Islands in 1845 and advised the British military during the Flagstaff War
Flagstaff War
The Flagstaff War – also known as Hone Heke's Rebellion, the Northern War and erroneously as the First Māori War – was fought between 11 March 1845 and 11 January 1846 in and around the Bay of Islands, New Zealand...
. From about 1846 his role of magistrate was extended to include Hokianga.
In 1855 his wife Sarah died. On 9 January 1856 the 55-year-old Clendon married 18-year-old Jane Cochrane, daughter of Dennis Cochrane of Hokianga and his late wife, Takatowai Te Whata. Clendon had six children with his first wife and eight with his second. In 1862, James and Jane settled at Rawene
Rawene
Rawene is a town on the south side of the Hokianga harbour, in Northland, New Zealand. State Highway 12 passes to the south. The town lies at the apex of a peninsula...
where he continued as magistrate until 1867. He died at Rawene on either 24 or 26 October 1872. His second wife, Jane, died in 1919.
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust
New Zealand Historic Places Trust
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is a non-profit trust that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand...
owns Clendon House at Rawene, which was built in the 1860s, and keeps it open to the public.