Odelia Johnson [Dihars]

Oteria (Odelia) DiHars was born in a place called Wade, NZ. Actual date is unknown, maybe 1850 to 1860.

Oteria, the second daughter of Louis DiHars (ie Irihapeti’s sister!) married William Fairfax Johnson in 20-Jan-1871 in Te Papa.  Oteria and William had 15 children:

1. Emily Fairfax Johnson, born 26-Jan-1872;
2. Selina Jane Johnson, born 27-Oct-1873 in Okura, Waihi;
3. Charles Fairfax Johnson;
4. Walter John Young Johnson, born 11-Nov-1876;
5. Charles Fairfax Johnson;
6. Fairfax Dihars Johnson, born 25-Oct-1879 in Te Wairoa, Tauranga;
7. Mary Eliza Johnson, born 21-July-1881 in Wairoa, Tauranga;
8. Ellen Johnson, born 1883, married Alfred William Potier;
9. Rosaline Ngapire Johnson;
10. Joseph Fairfax Johnson;
11. Henry Fairfax Johnson;
12. Emily Fairfax Johnson, born 1891;
13. Elizabeth Fairfax Anderton, (my "Nana") born 1892;
14. Fairfax Johnson, born 1895 in Ongaonga, married Thelma Robinson;
15. Roy William Johnson.

What an extraordinary life Oteria must have lived!  Her mother Erena was born in 1825.  Oteria was the second child, and her first was born at the start of 1872.  Presumably she was born in between, say, 1850 (although some info indicated "1860"). So she was probably under 22 when she had the first of 15 chidren over the next 27 years!

Note that there are several children with the same name.  The reasons are tragic - an indication of high mortality rates in those harsh times.  

Their third child, Charles died at a mere 38 months old (in 1878).  Exactly five months later, Oteria gave birth to their sixth child - he was named after the son they had just buried.

Then their seventh child, Fairfax Dihars Johnson died a few days short of his ninth birthday in 1888.  Oteria had two daughters shortly after that (Emily and Elizabeth) but the next son was named Fairfax after him. 

And you will notice the first born was named "Emily Fairfax", as was the 12th child. The first "Emily" died in 1889 at age seventeen (a mere ten months after they had lost Fairfax), while the twelfth child was born some 21 months later - clearly the second Emily was named in memory of her younger sister.  

Oteria died on 26-September-1912 in Waimata (Waihi), and she was buried the next day in Waihi Cemetary (note, not sure if this is the same cemetary as Louis and Erena Dihars). William was to outlive her by 26 years, passing away in 1938, aged 88.