Ebenezer Hamlin (1844 – 4 June 1900) was a

member of parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

in New Zealand, and an independent conservative.

Early life and family

Hamlin was born in Orua on the

Manukau Harbour The Manukau Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in New Zealand by area. It is located to the southwest of the Auckland isthmus, and opens out into the Tasman Sea. Geography The harbour mouth is between the northern head ("Burne ...

to the Rev James Hamlin, a missionary who had arrived in New Zealand in 1823 with the

Church Missionary Society The Church Mission Society (CMS), formerly known as the Church Missionary Society, is a British mission society working with the Christians around the world. Founded in 1799, CMS has attracted over nine thousand men and women to serve as mission ...

. He was the ninth and youngest son of the reverend. He fought in the

New Zealand Wars The New Zealand Wars took place from 1845 to 1872 between the New Zealand colonial government and allied Māori on one side and Māori and Māori-allied settlers on the other. They were previously commonly referred to as the Land Wars or the ...

in the 1860s, and was a Major in the Territorial Army. On 28 April 1868, Hamlin married Sarah Grace Barriball, the daughter of Charles Barriball of

Waiuku Waiuku is a rural town in the Auckland Region in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located at the southern end of the Waiuku River, which is an estuarial arm of the Manukau Harbour, and lies on the isthmus of the Āwhitu Peninsula, wh ...

, at her father's house near Waiuku (Barriball Road in Waiuku commemorates the location of the family's land).

Political career

Electors from Waiuku presented a requisition to Hamlin in November 1869 to stand for election in the Raglan electorate for the

Auckland Provincial Council The Auckland Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. Area The province covered roughly half of the North Island of New Zealand. It was the largest of the six initial provinces, both ...

, which he accepted. Three representatives were elected on 20 December, and of four candidates,

Joseph May Joseph May is a British-born Canadian actor, who has appeared in television and film. He is best known for his role as Andy Button in the television series ''Episodes'', Paul who was the boyfriend of Sam Colloby, in '' Casualty'', Luke in ''I Liv ...

came first and Hamlin came second. Hamlin remained a member of the provincial council until the abolition of provincial government in 1875. He represented the South Auckland seats of Franklin in the New Zealand House of Representatives from

1876 Events January–March * January 1 ** The Reichsbank opens in Berlin. ** The Bass Brewery Red Triangle becomes the world's first registered trademark symbol. * February 2 – The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs is ...

1881 Events January–March * January 1– 24 – Siege of Geok Tepe: Russian troops under General Mikhail Skobelev defeat the Turkomans. * January 13 – War of the Pacific – Battle of San Juan and Chorrillos: The ...

; and then the replacement electorate of Franklin South from

to 1890. He then represented the reconstituted Franklin electorate from 1890 to

1893 Events January–March * January 2 – Webb C. Ball introduces railroad chronometers, which become the general railroad timepiece standards in North America. * Mark Twain started writing Puddn'head Wilson. * January 6 – Th ...

when he retired. He was never defeated. He served as Chairman of Committees from 1882 to 1890.

Death

Hamlin died at his residence in the

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...

suburb of

Remuera Remuera is an affluent inner city suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is located four kilometres southeast of the city centre. Remuera is characterised by many large houses, often Edwardian or mid 20th century. A prime example of a "leafy" sub ...

on 4 June 1900, and he was buried in the St Mark's Church cemetery, Remuera. He was survived by his wife, three sons, and seven daughters.

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hamlin, Ebenezer 1844 births 1900 deaths Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives New Zealand MPs for North Island electorates People of the New Zealand Wars New Zealand Army officers Members of the Auckland Provincial Council 19th-century New Zealand politicians