John and Annie Howell

Great great grandparents, John and Annie Howell. Annie was washed up on Revell Street, in a ship wrecked entering Hokitika, late 1860's and became a dancing girl. She married John in Ross in 1871. John was a 45 year old goldminer. Annie was 19. John and Annie moved to Capleston and John bought land at Boatman's Creek. As well as continuing to goldmine, John ran cattle on the property and also trained horses. One of the horses he trained was the great Carbine, owned by a man in Kumara. Carbine later won the Melbourne Cup in 1890. Annie was a very versatile woman making all of her own bread, all of her own and her families clothes, (including lace), made wine and vinegar. During World War I Annie often travelled to Reefton to collect material to make patchwork quilts, to raise money for the Red Cross. They had two children who survived, John and Grace.