Hannah O'Shea
In the mid-1800s, across the ocean in the small village of Millstreet, County Cork, Ireland, two young sisters, **Hannah O'Shea** and **Mary Ann O'Shea**, dreamt of a better life. They had grown up amidst the rolling green hills and turbulent history of Ireland, but their futures seemed limited in a country struggling with famine and poverty. When the opportunity arose to migrate to New Zealand, they took a leap of faith, leaving behind everything they had known in the hope of a fresh start.
Hannah’s life was devoted to raising her family, while Terence worked the land, a quiet but steadfast man known for his strong work ethic and kind nature. The Passing of Hannah O'Shea, sadly, after 16 years of marriage, **Hannah Rodgers (nee O'Shea)** passed away on **April 12, 1896**, at the age of 38. She died at St. Luke's Church, Oamaru, leaving behind a grieving husband and five young children. Terence, though devastated by the loss, continued to raise the children with the same care and commitment that he had always shown.
Hannah’s life was devoted to raising her family, while Terence worked the land, a quiet but steadfast man known for his strong work ethic and kind nature. The Passing of Hannah O'Shea, sadly, after 16 years of marriage, **Hannah Rodgers (nee O'Shea)** passed away on **April 12, 1896**, at the age of 38. She died at St. Luke's Church, Oamaru, leaving behind a grieving husband and five young children. Terence, though devastated by the loss, continued to raise the children with the same care and commitment that he had always shown.
In August 1877, the O'Shea sisters boarded the **Waipa** ship, setting sail for a distant land. The journey was long and arduous, but they arrived in New Zealand on **August 26, 1877**, at the young ages of 20 and 18, respectively. Their settlement would be in **Oamaru**, a coastal town in the South Island, which was becoming an increasingly popular destination for Irish immigrants.
Not long after her arrival, **Hannah O'Shea** met **Terence Rodgers**, a hardworking farmer originally from Ireland who had also made the journey to New Zealand some years earlier. They were married in **1880**, and together they began a family.
Terence was born around 1844 in Ireland, and after coming to New Zealand, he had established himself as a respected member of the Oamaru community. He was 36 when he married Hannah, who was about 22. They had five children in the years that followed:
1. **Terence Rodgers** (born 1881)
2. **Dennis Rodgers** (born 1882)
3. **Margaret Rodgers** (born 1884)
4. **Daniel Rodgers** (born 1887)
5. **Francis John Rodgers** (born 1889)
Terence was born around 1844 in Ireland, and after coming to New Zealand, he had established himself as a respected member of the Oamaru community. He was 36 when he married Hannah, who was about 22. They had five children in the years that followed:
1. **Terence Rodgers** (born 1881)
2. **Dennis Rodgers** (born 1882)
3. **Margaret Rodgers** (born 1884)
4. **Daniel Rodgers** (born 1887)
5. **Francis John Rodgers** (born 1889)
In 1910, Francis met **Emily May Foster**, a young woman from Palmerston North. Emily, born in 1890, was a quiet, strong-willed person with a gentle nature. The two were married, and their union produced a large family, with six sons and four daughters:
**Sons**:
1. **Francis Edward Rodgers** (1911–1941)
Born in Palmerston North, New Zealand, his father, Francis John Rodgers, was 22 and his mother, Emily May Foster, was 21. He married Vera May Jenkins in 1933. They were the parents of at 1 son and 1 daughter. He died on 9 August 1941, in Raetihi, New Zealand, at the age of 30, and was buried in Raetihi.
News report states
(Mr. Frank Rodgers, of Raetihi, who sustained fatal injuries in a motor accident on Saturday 9 August 1941,
Source -Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 194, 16 August 1941, Page 3)
2. **Terence Thomas Rodgers** (1914–2006)
3. **Dennis Rodgers** (1916–1981)
4. **Daniel Rodgers** (1921– 1954)
5. **Frederick James Rodgers** (1926–2006)
6. **Patrick James Rodgers** (1929–1970)
**Daughters**:
1. **Margaret May Rodgers** (1912–1913)
2. **Margaret Frances Rodgers** (1919–2013)
3. **Doreen May Rodgers** (Deceased)
and Mary Rodgers (1931)- Who this family history is dedicated to
**Mary Rodgers**, born on **April 8, 1931**, grew up in Raetihi and moved to Auckland in her 20's, now 93 years old, lives in a Resthome in Auckland, read about Mary's life today.
Thomas Edward Foster From Kent (Grandfather) Emily's Father
|
Mother (Emily May) Foster
|
Father (Francis John Rodgers) From Palmerston North
|
Mary
|
Itchen Street, Oamaru, 1905, Oamaru, by Muir & Moodie.
If you have any updates please email
