The Tree - Person Sheet
The Tree - Person Sheet
NameJane Nathan
Birth4 Feb 1832, Surrey, England
Baptism24 Apr 1836, St George the Martyr, Southwark, Surrey, England
Death1 Sep 1912, Wanganui, New Zealand
FatherHenry Nathan (ca1814-)
MotherJane Hearn (ca1814-)
Misc. Notes
Name, born in London in 1832, arrived in Wanganui in 1841 after coming to New Zealand on the ship “Slains Castle”, from Pamela Booth’s book, “Blink Bonnie”, published March 2010. Pamela’s great-great grandparents were Robert Clark Higgie b.1855 and Jane Hearn Rapley.

Estimated year of birth of 1833, first arrived in Wellington on 25 January 1841, having sailed from Gravesend on 14 September 1840, found in April 2023 from:
https://www.geni.com/projects/New-Zealand-Settler-Ships-Slains-Castle-1841/39173

The passenger list from the same webpage:
- Nathan
— Henry Anthony aged 26
— Jane (nee Hearn) his wife aged 26 (6 months pregnant with Thomas Wellington Nathan)
— Jane his daughter aged 7

Result from birth search of children on New Zealand BDM website in April 2023:
1856/4692. Rapley, James. Mother: Jane. Father: James
1858/6233. Rapley, Thomas Wellington. Mother: Jane. Father: James
1860/7735. Rapley, William. Mother: Jane. Father: James
1861/8382 (27 September 1861). Rapley, Jane Hearn. Mother: Jane. Father: James [Married Robert Clark Higgie in 1883]
1863/11278. Rapley, Emily. Mother: Jane. Father: James
1864/10187. Rapley, Mary Ann. Mother: Jane. Father: James
1866/15138. Rapley, NR. Mother: Jane. Father: James
1871/19515. Rapley, NR. Mother: Jane. Father: James
1873/913. Rapley, NR. Mother: Jane. Father: James

Year and country of second marriage from search on New Zealand BDM website in April 2023:
1878/965. Bride: Jane Rapley. Groom: George Wilson Ormsbee

Full date of marriage of 15 April 1878 from further searching in April 2023 on BDM Search by incrementally changing the date range for the marriage.

Date of birth, date and place of baptism from England Birth and Christenings records found in April 2023:
Name: Jane Nathan
Birth Date: 4 Feb 1832
Baptism Date: 27 Apr 1836
Baptism Place: St George the Martyr, Southwark, Surrey, England
Father: Henry Nathan
Mother: Jane

Jane moves to Wellington, reading from Pamela Booth’s book, “Blink Bonnie”:
Jane managed the “Prince of Wales” hotel in Wanganui with her [first] husband James Rapley who had previously served with the 65th Regiment. They leased the “Prince of Wales” hotel from Janes father [Henry Nathan]…. In 1886 Mrs Jane Ormsbee [remarried in 1878] moved to Wellington and managed several hotels there.

Date and place of death from obituary in the Evening Post dated Tuesday 3 September 1912 and found in July 2023:
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19120903.2.137
On Sunday [1st September 1912] there passed away at Wanganui Mrs. Jane Ormsbee, widow of the late Mr. G. W. Ormsbee and daughter of the late Mr. Henry Nathan, one time Mayor of Wanganui. Mrs. Ormsbee was seventy-eight years of age. She arrived, after a six months' voyage in 1841, in the Slains Castle. For years she kept the Prince of Wales's Hotel in Wanganui, but in 1886 she came to Wellington, and lived here until a month ago, when she paid a visit to her daughter, Mrs. C. H. Chavannes, sen., of Wanganui, and there her death occurred. Mrs. Ormsbee was twice married, Mr. Rapley, who died in 1877, being her first husband. Mr. James Rapley, of the Customs, Wellington; Mr. Thomas Rapley, of Wellington; Mr. William Rapley, Inspector of Factories, Dunedin; Mrs. Robert Higgie, now of Wellington; and Mrs. C. H. Chavannes, sen., of Wanganui, are her children.

Obituary found in the NZ Truth 7 September 1912 and found in July 2023:
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTR19120907.2.20
Died recently at Wanganui, Mrs Jane Ormsbee, relict of the late George Wilson Ormsbee, at the age of 78 years. Deceased, who arrived In New Zealand in 1841, was the daughter of Henry Nathan, one of Wanganui's earlier Mayors. Deceased, who was twice married, leaves three sons and two daughters, all of whom were, born in Wanganui: Mr James Rapley. of the Customs, Wellington; Mr Thomas Rapley, of Wellington, recently organiser of the Liberal Party: and Mr William Rapley, Inspector of Factories, Dunedin: Mrs Robert Higgie (now of Wellington); and Mrs C. H. Chavannes, senr., of Wanganui. Deceased was a sister of Mr Anthony Nathan (Mayor of Taihape); Mrs Thomas Bush, of the Union Clothing Co., Wellington; Mrs Susan Coker and Mrs James Morey (New Plymouth), and of Mr William Nathan (assistant engineer of the Public Works Department, Pahiatua): and George Nathan (Public Works Department, Hawke's Bay). Messrs Thomas Nathan (of Palmerston) and Jos. Nathan and Mrs Norah Gardiner, are deceased. Mrs Ormsbee leaves 23 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Spouses
Death1877
ChildrenJane (Janet) Hearn (1861-1930)
 Mary Ann (1864-)
Marriage15 Apr 1878, New Zealand
Last Modified 10 Jul 2023Created 6 Aug 2025 using Reunion for Macintosh