Individual Details
Michael John GORDON
(May 1861 - 26 Jun 1938)
Michael's relationship with his father, Thomas, was said to have been tempestuous, and it led eventually to Michael's emigration to New Zealand. The story goes that, against his father's wishes, Michael bought a horse that was a highly regarded jumper. This was presumably with his father's money. His father flew into a rage and ordered Michael to return the house to its former owner. Michael's response was to charge towards a terrified Thomas on the horse and jump over his head. Following this incident Michael decided it was time to leave Kilgarriff. On his next excursion to market, with a horse and cart loaded with produce, he not only sold the produce but also the horse and cart. With the proceeds he made his way to Dublin where he bought a boat ticket to New Zealand. He never returned to Ireland.
Michael was a keen and very skilled horseman and he continued to work with horses when he went to New Zealand. He worked initially as an ostler and stable hand in Auckland and much later owned a magnificent set of drays which he used in his haulage business in Paeroa. He also maintained his interest in horse-racing for the rest of his life.
Michael and his wife, Sarah, remained in Auckland for a couple of years after their marriage but then work became scarce owing to an economic recession and Michael and Sarah moved to Melbourne, Australia with their son Alfred. Their second child, Albert (Joe) was born in Melbourne. After five years in Melbourne the family returned to New Zealand. The economy was improving and Michael was able to set up his haulage business. He and Sarah and their family settled in Paeroa.
Michael is buried alongside Sarah, in Section ROC (Roman Catholic?), Plot 563 in Pukerimu Cemetery, Paeroa.
It is said that, throughout his life, Michael maintained was of the opinion that, as the eldest son, he had a legitimate right to the family farm back in Ireland. This is probably why his son Joe, while on leave in Ireland during service in World War I, apparently suggested to his (hospitable) cousins that the farm was by rights his father's. Joe's relatives politely changed the subject, poured him more whiskey, and Joe got nowhwere.
Note: There is a record in the LDS Vital Records Index for the christening in Loughglynn of a Michael Gordon, son of Thomas Gordon and Anne Foley. The date of the christening (19 May 1861) ties in roughly with the date of birth provided by the family (Sep 1860).
Michael was a keen and very skilled horseman and he continued to work with horses when he went to New Zealand. He worked initially as an ostler and stable hand in Auckland and much later owned a magnificent set of drays which he used in his haulage business in Paeroa. He also maintained his interest in horse-racing for the rest of his life.
Michael and his wife, Sarah, remained in Auckland for a couple of years after their marriage but then work became scarce owing to an economic recession and Michael and Sarah moved to Melbourne, Australia with their son Alfred. Their second child, Albert (Joe) was born in Melbourne. After five years in Melbourne the family returned to New Zealand. The economy was improving and Michael was able to set up his haulage business. He and Sarah and their family settled in Paeroa.
Michael is buried alongside Sarah, in Section ROC (Roman Catholic?), Plot 563 in Pukerimu Cemetery, Paeroa.
It is said that, throughout his life, Michael maintained was of the opinion that, as the eldest son, he had a legitimate right to the family farm back in Ireland. This is probably why his son Joe, while on leave in Ireland during service in World War I, apparently suggested to his (hospitable) cousins that the farm was by rights his father's. Joe's relatives politely changed the subject, poured him more whiskey, and Joe got nowhwere.
Note: There is a record in the LDS Vital Records Index for the christening in Loughglynn of a Michael Gordon, son of Thomas Gordon and Anne Foley. The date of the christening (19 May 1861) ties in roughly with the date of birth provided by the family (Sep 1860).
Events
| Birth | May 1861 | Kilgarriff, Fairymount, Co. Roscommon | |||
| Christen | 19 May 1861 | Loughglynn, Co. Roscommon | |||
| Marriage | 3 Feb 1889 | St. Benedict's Church, Newton, Auckland - Sarah Bridget MURPHY | |||
| Death | 26 Jun 1938 | probably Paeroa, New Zealand | |||
| Burial | 27 Jun 1938 | Pukerimu Cemetery, Paeroa, New Zealand |
Families
| Spouse | Sarah Bridget MURPHY (1866 - 1914) |
| Child | Alfred James GORDON (1891 - 1918) |
| Child | Albert Joseph (Joe) GORDON (1893 - 1972) |
| Child | Monica (Mona) Mary GORDON (1895 - 1984) |
| Child | Francis (Frank) GORDON (1900 - 1976) |
| Child | Sheila GORDON (1908 - 2002) |
| Father | Thomas GORDON (1821 - 1901) |
| Mother | Anne FOLEY (1839 - 1885) |
| Sibling | Catherine (Kathleen) J. GORDON (1858 - 1927) |
| Sibling | Bridget (Bea) GORDON (1859 - 1949) |
| Sibling | Mary GORDON (1862 - 1924) |
| Sibling | Anne (Annie) GORDON (1865 - ) |
| Sibling | Patrick (Pat) GORDON (1866 - 1899) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth (Lizzie) Ellen GORDON (1868 - 1955) |
| Sibling | Cormac GORDON (1870 - 1939) |
| Sibling | Jane (Jennie) GORDON (1871 - 1964) |
| Sibling | Theresa (Tillie) GORDON (1873 - 1965) |
| Sibling | Martha GORDON (1875 - 1877) |
| Sibling | Thomas (Tom) Francis GORDON (1877 - 1948) |
| Sibling | John GORDON (1879 - ) |
| Sibling | Emma (Sr. Jerome) GORDON (1881 - 1968) |
| Sibling | James Joseph GORDON (1883 - 1883) |
| Sibling | William Martin GORDON (1883 - 1883) |