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Carl Julius Poulson and descendants
Biography
BiographyThe library has a copy of 'Carl Julius Poulson. An Extraordinary Life', compiled by Karen (daughter of Carl's daughter Laura Whiteman) and Kevin Futter.
The following is a summary of people seen in images in the library's 'Recollect' collection.
Carl went to sea at 14, on sailing ships, and was shipwrecked at least twice. In September 1884 he jumped ship in Wellington, and found work with a Mr Wackrow, farmer in Ohariu, and also cleared land for him in Pauatahanui and Taranaki.
Some time after 1887 Carl moved to the Akatarawa valley, living in a whare and felling trees, and after the example of the Salisbury family in Ohariu and reading a sermon by Charles Spurgeon, became a born-again Christian. In 1893 he became engaged to Sarah Johnson, then 17.
By 1896 he was able to obtain a Government mortgage and buy 180 acres in Akatarawa from John and Francis Whiteman, and John and George McHattie.
In 1899 he married Sarah. They had 13 children.
1. Oscar (13/5/1900 - 14/3/1903); died of haemophilia. First person to be buried at Akatarawa cemetery; centennial plaque unveiled by mayor Wayne Guppy, with Oscar's youngest brother 'Tom' present, 16/3/2003; 'Leader' article and picture 19/3/2003.
2. Hilda (twin sister of Alma; 15/8/1901 - 10/6/1998); married Reg Whiteman, dairy farmer, Mangaroa; later, Levin.
3. Alma (twin sister of Hilda; 15/8/1901 - 3/1/1993); never married; District Nurse; two adopted children.
4. Hector ('Hec'; 6/1/1903 - 31/5/1996); house painter and decorator, 41 Queen Street; married (Ethel) May Hazelwood 31/8/1927; children Eda (6/7/1928) and Bennett (20/1/1932); Bennett appeared in 1960 electoral roll as a student, and in 1963 and 1966, married to Jennifer, as a missionary, at the same address. May Hazelwood's father, J. A. Hazelwood, lived with the Poulsons in the 1960s, possibly after his wife died.
5. Esther ('Puss'; 1/12/1904 - 20/7/1993); married Henry 'Digger' Salisbury, Ruatoria builder, April 10, 1931; moved back to Upper Hutt 1951. Parents' picture comes from the wedding.
6. Sydney John (4/8/1906 - 21/8/1971); married Mabel Roy, took over and enlarged the Akatarawa farm, at first with Phil; later sold it and moved to a Te Horo farm.
7. Philip ('Phil'; 25/3/1908 - 8/9/1995); married Mary Springgay, of Gisborne, 1938; sold his share of the farm to Sydney in 1942 or 43 and moved to Gisborne; returned to Upper Hutt after Mary died in 1949; maried Nellie Wood, 1951; moved to Opotiki dairy farm 1952 or 53; sold it 1956; then sharemilking and work in a bacon factory, Tauranga.
8. Beatrice ('Beat'; 24/1/1910 - 8/6/2000); married carpenter John Springgay, 1938; 6 years in Ruatoria; in Upper Hutt 1951 they set up Springgay's Funeral Service; John died 1963; the business was sold in 1995.
9. Laura (17/1/1912 - 21/10/1993); married Mangaroa farmer Ray Whiteman, 1935.
10. Carl Eric (23/11/1914 - 1926); died of haemophilia, aged 12.
11. David Harry (29/3/1917 - 1936); died of haemophilia after falling off a farm truck.
12. Ronald, stillborn.
13. Albion Felix ('Tom'; 29/3/1921; still living in 2013?); drafted into the army at 20; overseas service at 21; first in Egypt, then Italy, 1944; wounded by friendly artillery October 1944; returned to NZ Feb 1945. Never married; lived with sister Alma, and after various jobs worked 20 years with Steelcase Engineering.
When Carl died in 1941, his executors - Sydney and Hector Poulson and James Hazelwood - had to prove that they and their kin were not Alien Enemies as defined in a 1939 Act of Parliament, possibly because Carl's entry into New Zealand was undocumented.
The following is a summary of people seen in images in the library's 'Recollect' collection.
Carl went to sea at 14, on sailing ships, and was shipwrecked at least twice. In September 1884 he jumped ship in Wellington, and found work with a Mr Wackrow, farmer in Ohariu, and also cleared land for him in Pauatahanui and Taranaki.
Some time after 1887 Carl moved to the Akatarawa valley, living in a whare and felling trees, and after the example of the Salisbury family in Ohariu and reading a sermon by Charles Spurgeon, became a born-again Christian. In 1893 he became engaged to Sarah Johnson, then 17.
By 1896 he was able to obtain a Government mortgage and buy 180 acres in Akatarawa from John and Francis Whiteman, and John and George McHattie.
In 1899 he married Sarah. They had 13 children.
1. Oscar (13/5/1900 - 14/3/1903); died of haemophilia. First person to be buried at Akatarawa cemetery; centennial plaque unveiled by mayor Wayne Guppy, with Oscar's youngest brother 'Tom' present, 16/3/2003; 'Leader' article and picture 19/3/2003.
2. Hilda (twin sister of Alma; 15/8/1901 - 10/6/1998); married Reg Whiteman, dairy farmer, Mangaroa; later, Levin.
3. Alma (twin sister of Hilda; 15/8/1901 - 3/1/1993); never married; District Nurse; two adopted children.
4. Hector ('Hec'; 6/1/1903 - 31/5/1996); house painter and decorator, 41 Queen Street; married (Ethel) May Hazelwood 31/8/1927; children Eda (6/7/1928) and Bennett (20/1/1932); Bennett appeared in 1960 electoral roll as a student, and in 1963 and 1966, married to Jennifer, as a missionary, at the same address. May Hazelwood's father, J. A. Hazelwood, lived with the Poulsons in the 1960s, possibly after his wife died.
5. Esther ('Puss'; 1/12/1904 - 20/7/1993); married Henry 'Digger' Salisbury, Ruatoria builder, April 10, 1931; moved back to Upper Hutt 1951. Parents' picture comes from the wedding.
6. Sydney John (4/8/1906 - 21/8/1971); married Mabel Roy, took over and enlarged the Akatarawa farm, at first with Phil; later sold it and moved to a Te Horo farm.
7. Philip ('Phil'; 25/3/1908 - 8/9/1995); married Mary Springgay, of Gisborne, 1938; sold his share of the farm to Sydney in 1942 or 43 and moved to Gisborne; returned to Upper Hutt after Mary died in 1949; maried Nellie Wood, 1951; moved to Opotiki dairy farm 1952 or 53; sold it 1956; then sharemilking and work in a bacon factory, Tauranga.
8. Beatrice ('Beat'; 24/1/1910 - 8/6/2000); married carpenter John Springgay, 1938; 6 years in Ruatoria; in Upper Hutt 1951 they set up Springgay's Funeral Service; John died 1963; the business was sold in 1995.
9. Laura (17/1/1912 - 21/10/1993); married Mangaroa farmer Ray Whiteman, 1935.
10. Carl Eric (23/11/1914 - 1926); died of haemophilia, aged 12.
11. David Harry (29/3/1917 - 1936); died of haemophilia after falling off a farm truck.
12. Ronald, stillborn.
13. Albion Felix ('Tom'; 29/3/1921; still living in 2013?); drafted into the army at 20; overseas service at 21; first in Egypt, then Italy, 1944; wounded by friendly artillery October 1944; returned to NZ Feb 1945. Never married; lived with sister Alma, and after various jobs worked 20 years with Steelcase Engineering.
When Carl died in 1941, his executors - Sydney and Hector Poulson and James Hazelwood - had to prove that they and their kin were not Alien Enemies as defined in a 1939 Act of Parliament, possibly because Carl's entry into New Zealand was undocumented.
Photos
Details
Marriage
HusbandCarl Julius PoulsonWifeSarah JohnsonDateAugust 8, 1899LocationWellington Registry Office
WifeSarah JohnsonDateAugust 8, 1899LocationWellington Registry OfficeCarl Julius Poulson and descendants (August 8, 1899). Upper Hutt Libraries, accessed 03/05/2026, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/21843