Originally transcribed as Elericke Betton
Biography contributed by Wendy Napier-Walker
Eberica Betten was born Eberica Abels Vohs or Voss on 17 February 1843 in Germany to Abel Janssen Voss and his wife Eberich Janssen nee Bents.
On 25 October 1869 Eberica Abels Voss married Jacob Betten, a carpenter of Norderney, Germany.
Eberica, Jacob and two children; Bernhard and Abel migrated to New Zealand on the ship Crusader which left London on 11 October 1872 and arrived in Lyttelton on 5 January 1873. By bullock wagon, they continued their journey and settled in Waimate.
Eberica and Jacob had a further six children in New Zealand.
A settlement of timber workers sprang up in the 1870’s near Waimate, named ‘Gerrmantown’. In 1878 it had 53 residents but after a bad forest fire that year most settlers moved to Christchurch. Those who stayed turned to sheep farming.
The 1881 electoral roll records Jacob Betten, Freehold property, Carpenter, part section 4311, house, Waimate.
Jacob Heyen Betten’s Memorial for Naturalisation is dated 19 September 1899. He took the Oath of Allegiance before Mr William Petit, JP on 23 September 1899. His Memorial states that he was aged '66 years last February' and had been in the Colony 26 years 8 months.
Jacob Betten died on 13 January 1903, age 70 years and is buried in the Waimate Old cemetery.
The 1911 and 1925 electoral rolls record Ebereika Betten, Widow, living at 25 Smith Street, Waimate.
At the time of Eberica’s death, she had lived in the one house for 57 years.
Eberica Betten died in 1930 age 87 years and is buried in the Waimate Old cemetery. Her death is registered in the name Eberickar Betten.
Betten street, Waimate is named after this family.
Sources
Ancestry Public Family Trees
Ancestry – New Zealand Electoral Rolls
FamilySearch – Jacob Heyen Betten
Geni Jacob Betten
Teara.govt.nz/en/germans/page-4
Timaru Herald 9 June 1930, pg 6
NZ DIA Death Index 1903/1524 Jacob Betten
NZ DIA Death Index 1930/4198 Eberickar Betten