William Elsdon was born in 1815.
1 He died on 25 August 1840, at age ~25, in Wellington Harbour, Wellington, NZ, drowned when boat overturned RP.
2 Mass drowning, 9 settlers, Port Nicholson, 25th August 1840: (NZETC: Early Wellington):
Shortly after this (25th August, 1840), a fatal accident occurred at Pito-one, when a boat party of twelve persons were within a hundred yards of the beach. The boat was upset, and though they were in less than seven feet of water, only three survived the accident.
These were Mr. Francis Bradey, Mr. Fowler and the steersman. Those drowned were Messrs. J. Pierce; W. Elsdon; R. Hight; Lancaster; Josiah Tucker; Martin, a sailor belonging to the boat and lately of the ?Jewess?; Griffin, late steward of the ?Cuba; Rogers, a thatcher; and a person known as ?Colonial Bill.?
Other sources:
Complete story: http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZGWS18400829.2.6&srpos=2&e=-08-1840--08-1840--10--1----0drowning-all
And: NZ Gazette & Wellington Spectator 29 August 1840: Burials
resident in Wellington in 1843 WP. William Elsdon had person sources.
3 He immigrated to ENG to NZ on the Oriental arriving NZ 31/1/1840 on 15 September 1839.
4 He was a publican, Wellington in 1840.
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