Samuel Bryant was born about 1825 in Taunton, ENG.
1 He and
Jean (Jane) Dean were married on 25 September 1862 in Onehunga, Auckland, NZ.
2 He died on 17 February 1898 in Onehunga, Auckland, NZ.
1 He was buried in St Peters, Onehunga, Auckland.
1 'St. Peters Church and old Onehunga through the years'
Souvenir booklet 1848-1948.
Printed by the Church Army Press,
90 Richmond Rd,
Auckland.
Discussing the church yard an interesting and very exciting story is associated with this epitaph,
'Sacred to the memory of
Samuel Bryant
Died February 17th 1898
Late 58th Rutlandshire Regiment'
In Devonshire and Somerset many farmers held their land in fief from the Duke of Devonshire, in return for which the eldest son was selected as a soldier of the Kings bodyguard.
Mr and Mrs Bryant of Devonshire, and their family, left by coach one day for London, leaving their son Samuel at home in charge during their absence. He was told to deliver a message to a distant village.
He started on his errand, and when he reached the next village he stopped at the pump on the green for a drink of water. A well dressed man spoke to him saying "Come into the Inn and have a better drink than that".
He had a drink (which was doped) and he awoke the next morning in a back room at the Inn. In the room were other young men including several yokels from his fathers farm.
They had fallen into the hands of the Press Gang, with whom the Innkeeper was in league. He went out to the pump to refresh himself when the same well dressed man approached and said "Where are you going"? He said he was going home, and set off. The stranger took him by the collar and summoned two soldiers "You are a soldier of the Queen now" he said "You enlisted yesterday by accepting the Queen's shilling".
When Samuel protested that he had no money the man replied "Oh yes you have, you put it in your blouse pocket". And there sure enough, was the shilling.
Poor Samuel and the other youths were taken from Taunton 12 August 1844 to Aldershot Barracks to train as soldiers. They never went home again, He was later sent out on the ship ANNE under Lt. Col. Wynyard to Australia as one of a guard in charge of convicts, arriving in Sydney 13 June 1845.
20 September 1845 he was sent to New Zealand from Sydney on the ship BRITISH SOVEREIGN with 214 men of the 58th Regiment (Black Cuffs) under Lt. Col. Wynyard who received directions from the Governor Fitzroy to place himself, his troops, stores and supplies under the direction of Colonel Despard when reinforcements were needed because of the unsettled state of the country after Hone Heke had cut down the flagstaff at Russell, in the Bay of Islands.
11 January 1846 the 58th regiment under Wynyard took part in the capture of the Bat's Nest (Ruapekapeka) a strongly fortified Pa commanded by the Chief Kawiti. In this battle 2 of the 58th Regiment were killed and 9 wounded. For his part in it Wynyard was promoted to C.B.
Samuel also fought at Okaihau, Ohaewai, South Wellington, Wanganui, Boulcott's Farm Horokiri, St. Johns Wood, and built the Rutland Stockade.
Discharged in Auckland 30 September 1857 Mr Bryant did not receive a crown grant of one acre of land as the Fencibles did, because he did not come under that heading.
He married a daughter of Mr Dean. Mr Dean was a Fencible and had received as his acre, the land in Queen St. Onehunga on the corner of Grey St. now owned by Mr B Sutherland.
The last three paragraphs and a few pertinent details have been added by B. Weaver (301) after further research. Samuel Bryant emigrated from Sydney to Auckland on the British Sovereign and the 58th Regt on 20 September 1845.
1 He was a soldier 58th Rutlandshire Regiment' in 1846.
1