the jones/clarke family researching my undisguised family history lauren vick
TRANSCRIPT
Clarke Family• First protestant clergy from Scottland to arrive in New Zealand
• Pastor George Clarke named “protector of the aborigines” (obviously unsuccessful)
• Son (also Pastor George Clarke) – first white speaker of the Maori language• Royal legal negotiator and translator of Maori language• Only advocate of Maori land rights/interests in British government
(somewhat less unsuccessful)• “New Zealand famous” quote- “If fight we must, let us fight like
gentlemen” (he was extremely British)
Becoming “Educationists”
• George founded the Tasmania Council on Education and leader of the Literacy and Debating Council in his parish
• “Honored and beloved by all and never losing his appeal to the young people” – Wikipedia (100% unbiased)
• A founder of the University of Tasmania – University Chancellor (1890-1907)
Fun fact: the ONLY university to offer a doctorate in Wool Science!
“New Zealand Famous”*
• Legal articles, like the Treaty of Waitangi:gave Maoris rights of British citizenship with local self-governance, recognized tribal ownership of land(Parlament back in England took this as a guideline..)
• Notes on Early Life in New Zealand, Early Tasmania, Short Liturgies for Congregational Worship (at page turner!)
• His granddaughter was an author too! She wrote a series of YA stories about some feisty\ New Zealand flappers and their crazy hijinks
• The Clarke family homestead & educational farm and Clarke church are now historical landmarks and national museums
*Similar to “Delaware Famous,” if Delaware had 10 sheep for every person
“The Clarkes were a very kind, intelligent, empathetic, creative people. It has been down hill for us ever since…”
Lorna Clarke my grandmother
Bruce Jones• Mother (a Maori) died in childbirth
• Father remained an American divorcee, moved to Philadelphia, started new family
• Bruce and his brothers raised by their grandmother
• She was in a tragic when he was 6, bedridden for 8 years, brothers were orphaned when Bruce was 14
• Boys moved into Wellington YMCA, became very independent
Getting to America
• Bruce and his brothers worked as farm laborers for 5 years as they waited for American visas (this farmer had a young daughter named Lorna)
• Bruce did not qualify for a visa, because he was born in Tasmania, so he worked on a steam ship that took him to Manchester, England, then another to Nova Scotia
• He Illegally entered the U.S. through Niagra Falls.Later took a train to Mexico and re-entered illegally again
• Worked as self-taught farm animal doctor, Purina farm chow salesman, and race horse trainer
Back to NZ
• Joined the Australian – New Zealand Army Core at the start of WWII
• Brothers were fighter pilots, Bruce (a pacifist weighing 108 lbs) never shot a gun. But worked as a cartographer and navigator. He was the only survivor.
• He visited his friends the Joneses on R&R, remeeting Lorna. They wrote to each other throughout the war and he carried her picture
Getting Back to America
• Commanding General gave Bruce papers giving him a visa to enter any allied nation post-WWII
• Asked Lorna to marry him and come to America with him
Proposal
“He said to me ‘marry me. I will make it worth your while.’ I said not with that kind of proposal!” – Lorna
He later made a more formal offer, the eloped and he went to get them visas.
Lorna arrived to America on the very first war bride ship following WWII.