Hi there I'm looking for information on my g-g-g-great Grandfather Thomas Maxwell and his forebears (about whom we know nothing at all).  Much of the information our family has with regards to Thomas is sketchy and often contradictory.  He would have probably been born in the latter half of the 1700s sometime, but we have no idea when exactly - and early 1800s is possible depending on which other details are correct.  He came to New Zealand from Scotland by way of Australia i.e may have lived in Australia for a time; possibly a connection in Scotland to Edinburgh and/or a "Maxwell Downs".  He arrived in NZ sometime in the first half of the 19th C, may have been as early as 1810, maybe 1817, maybe 1837 (latter date seems unlikely).  He was thought to have been a Scion of an old family who had some connection to Edinburgh Castle, although this detail could be fanciful (one source said he was "born in Edinborough [sic] Castle") but at any rate his family were thought to be wardens of a castle estate (does this make sense?).  He may have come to NZ on a whaling ship according to one source but there don't appear to be any confirmed records.  While in NZ we know he was a ship-builder and a trader, built one of the first, if not the first sailing ship of European dimensions in New Zealand, he may have also had a shop and a post-office in Kaikohe (Northland Peninsula) in the early 1800s sometime (although what use a post office in Kaikohe in the early 1800s would have been I'm not sure, so again this could be inaccurate).  He later met and married Te Ngeungeu Irirangi from the Ngai Tai people, and is recorded as having purchased lands in the Maraetai (in South East Auckland) & Hauraki Gulf regions including Motutapu Island.  He also traded in timber during his time in the Auckland/Hauraki region, and may have built a ship called the "Sarah Maxwell" (presumably indicating some connection to his life back in Scotland - perhaps his mother, a sister, or previous wife?).  He was known as "Pakeha Maori" ie a caucasion (Pakeha) who lived according to Maori culture and protocol, prior to British colonisation.  He and Te Ngeungeu had six sons (not sure in what order) called Ropata (Robert), Hori (George), Hone (John), Patariki (Patrick) Hemi (James) and Anaru (Andrew).  I do know that Andrew Maxwell (better known as Anaru Makiwhara) was the youngest, from whom I am descended, as he was born posthumously in 1842.  Thomas Maxwell may have also been known locally as Taamati Makiwhara.  The family lived for a time at Matuku Bay on Waiheke Island in the Hauraki gulf.  He built a ship there called Matuku (some other sources say it was the Sarah Maxwell) and set sail either for Scotland or Australia (accounts vary again) but the ship was wrecked between Australia and New Zealand and he (and possibly two sons) were drowned in 1842.  I'm sorry this information is so patchy, but if anyone can help make some links back to Thomas and his family & ancestors from Scotland that would be wonderful, our family has been trying to put the pieces together for several generations now.  I can help with Te Ngeungeu's side if you're also a descendant, there are numerous descendants of the Makiwhara/Maxwell family in NZ, mainly from Patariki & Anaru, any help with details of the other 4 sons would also be helpful and I can help with various other bits and pieces if you're a relative - most of what we have is far more accurate and reliable than these 2 generations in particular.  Email would be preferred - m.rowland@mediatrix.co.nz