Julia Brodie BOWER ⁵⁷

  General Notes:

John Ramage and Julia Brodie Bower (Contributed by Glenys Kirby)

Julia Brodie Bower (Great Great Grandmother) was the eldest daughter of, Hugh and Agnes Bower. Julia was born in Dunedin and when she was two weeks old moved to Greenfield with her parents. Later she lived at Aberturff the family farm. Julia's early memory of Balclutha was when it was little more than a big swamp.

On the 30/12/1875 at the age of 19 Julia married John Ramage at Aberturff. The Rev C.W Dewsbury a Wesleyan minister officiated.

John Ramage was the eldest son of Thomos Ramage and Margaret (nee) O'Gorman. John was born in Fifeshire Scotland in 1849. In 1860 he sailed with his parents on the Storm Cloud to settle in N.Z.

After finishing his education he was apprenticed to Messrs. Park and Curle, plumbers and tinsmiths of Dunedin and he claimed to be the first colonial journeyman in the Province of Otago.

In 1867 John commenced business for himself in Great King Street Dunedin. In 1874 he moved his business to Balclutha where for many years carried out one of the most largest Plumbing and Tinsmith establishments south of Dunedin.

As a tradesman he patented a number of inventions including one for an improved acetylene gas generator, which he manufactured and later sold the North Island rights to a company.

A photograph shows most of the family standing in front of their shop.

John took a keen interest in local politics and was first elected to the Borough Council in 1880 and with many intervals of retirement, held office over many years. He also occupied the Mayoral seat for a term. / [p. 61]

John was also a well known Christie Minstrel performer. In later years he was a strong advocate of the Temperance Movement and was a staunch advocate of prohibition.

Julia Ramage died in Balclutha at llam on Saturday the lOth February l9l7. For the last five years of her life Julia had been practically an invalid. I have been told that she suffered from kidney disease. She was able to walk around the house but when venturing outside was taken in an invalid chair. It was the shock of her second daughter Margaret's death two weeks previously that saw Julia take to her bed and four days later she died.

John died three and a half years later. John and Julia are buried at the Balclutha Cemetery.

Obituary of Julia Brodie Bower (Married John Ramage)

Death Ramage. On February 10, 1917 at her residence, Clyde Street, Balclutha, Julia Brodie Bower beloved wife of John Ramage aged 59 years.

Obituary Mrs John Ramage

Another old identity of Balclutha, the fourth since the New Year, passed away on Saturday afternoon in the person of Mrs. John Ramage, who had lived nearly all her 59 years of life in this neighbourhood. The deceased lady had been practically an invalid for five years, but of late had been able to walk about the house, although her outings had been taken in an invalid chair. She had been suffering from a complication of ailments, and the news of her second daughter's (Mrs Cross, of Christchurch) death about a fortnight previously gave her a great shock, and she took to her bed four days previous to her demise, and never rallied, passing away at a quarter past 11 on Saturday.

The deceased was the eldest daughter of the late Mr. Hugh Bower, who came out in the ship Larkins in 1849 (a year after the pioneer ships of the Otago Settlement). She was born in Dunedin, and came with her parents to this district when but a fortnight old. They went to Greenfield, and afterwards settled on the farm known as Aberturf, near Manuka Island, above the township of Balclutha.

In 1876, when but 19 years of age, the subject of this sketch was married to Mr John Ramage, tinsmith, of Balclutha, and the whole of her wedded life was spent in Balclutha, where she was highly esteemed and respected by all who had the pleasure of her acquaintance. Hers was a nature largely diluted with the milk of human kindness and having experienced many of the trials and troubles of the early settlers she was always sympathetic with those on whom fortune was apt to press hardly. She had vivid recollections of Balclutha in its early days, when it was little more than a big flax swamp.

A husband and seven of a family are left to mourn a good wife and mother. The children, all grown up, are Mrs Plater (Auckland), Mrs L Kirby (Balclutha), Messers Thomas and Hugh (Balclutha), lan (Napier), and James and Frank (who both went with the 1st Battalion of the Rifle Brigade, and now are in France).

The funeral is today at 2 pm. / [p. 62]

Death Ramage. At his residence. Taradale, lan, third son of the late Mr & Mrs John Ramage, Balclutha and loved brother of Jim, Napier, and Mrs Les Kirby Owaka. Deeply mourned

Death Ramage. On August 18 1925 at his residence, 29 Carrington Road, Moari Hill, Francis Marshall Bower Ramage (late of Balclutha). Dearly beloved husband of Agnes, aged 83 years. Deeply mourned

Margaret Gorman Ramage (Generation V)

MARGARET GORMAN RAMAGE (Contributed by Glenys Kirby)

2nd daughter of Julia and John Ramage and married Edward Cross in 24/12/1903

Margaret grew up in Balclutha. At the age of 16 she was converted to the Salvation Army under the Guidance of Captain Jim Walker. Her work saw her involved with young people. She was the Y.P.S.M in Dunedin, Rangiora and Sydenam.

Margaret suffered from a prolonged illness and died on the 25/1/1917. Apparently 5he had a beautiful singing voice and the last song she sang was 'The Holy City'

An obituary article written by C.H. Lord

SISTER MRS CROSS. SYDENHAM

"Another of our noble army of women warriors, Sister Mrs Cross, after a severe and prolonged illness, entailing very much suffering, has been called to higher service. The call came on the morning of January the 25th, and found her ready. Brother Cross rose early, having had a very restless night. He said to her, 'The dawn is breaking.' She said 'Yes Dad, the day is breaking for me. I'm going home today; you must not go to work to-day Ted, Jesus is coming for me.' Sometime later her two boys were brought in. She called them in and gave them each her parting message.

She said to her husband, "Tell them there is no dark valley, nothing to fear, it's all light. I see the beautiful city. It seems a long way off, but it's coming nearer, so beautiful, all light, and Jesus is coming for me, I see him. He's coming nearer, nearer. I can't quite reach him, but he's coming"

'Shortly after she passed the border and went into the city of light. Sister Cross was converted as a girl of 16 at Balclutha, under Captain Jim Walker. She has always been a worker among the children. At Rangiora she was the Y.P.S.M and succeeded in raising a good Y.P Corps, also at Dunedin, and later at Sydenham as long as her strength would allow. She had a beautiful voice, the last song she sang being 'The Holy City'. She was a devoted wife and a good mother. Brother Cross has sustained a very heavy loss, but God is supplying the needed comfort. We commend him and his two dear boys to our Heavenly Father, who is to wise to err, and in the sweet bye and bye there will be a blessful reunion at the right hand of God'.

A beautiful memorial service was held on Sunday night, when eight young people came forward for salvation, two of them being from Sister Cross's class, a fitting tribute to the memory of one whose life was spent in the interests of the young". by C.H. Lord

Descendants of the Marshall family and Bower family : a collection of notes / compiled by Rod Asher with contributions from several family members. - Nelson : The Author, 2000, p. 60-62.

Julia married John RAMAGE, son of Thomas RAMAGE and Margaret O'GORMAN, on 30 Dec 1875 in Aberturf ³.^,57 (John RAMAGE was born on 9 Dec 1849 in Fifeshire, Sct ³ and died on 5 Sep 1920 in Balcluth, Otg, Nz ³.)