Ōtautau - Later Town & District Settlers, John Swap & the family farm

Shared by
Central & Western Murihiku Southland Archive

Ōtautau - Later Town & District Settlers, John Swap & the family farm: PHOTO, L-R: Gordie, Bill (at back) & Wally Swap, in front - Wally’s son John; taken at Scotts Gap 'Glensheila' farm, originally property of John Swap, taken over by him in 1911. They ran cows and supplied the Dairy Factory. Swap Family Farm - 'Glensheila' BRIEF HISTORY - John Swap, had been born in Aberdeen, Scotland, and both he and his older brother Joseph, ended up immigrating to Aoteaora New Zealand, ending up in the fast growing agricultural centre of Ōtautau. More can be seen on John Swap and his family in their town years, under another entry in these Community Archives, which is numbered CWA.159.605.004 The first Pākeha or European owner of this land, after the Murihiku sale of 1853, was none other than Matthew Scott himself, the one who the local district of Scott's Gap, was named after! Scott had prior to this, had lease of the run the land sat within, which was no. 142. It might be shocking to us now, but back then the surveyors considered much of Murihiku Southland to be literal Waste Land. This view was backed up by many others, so there were Waste Land Leases largely consisting of vast Pastoral 'Runs' for nearly 100 years in some cases. The Scott’s Gap book on the district says that the Swaps moved to their farm property on the Merrivale Road in 1910. But an interesting thing about this particular property, which the family named "Glensheila", is that it was also reported elsewhere that Frank Duncan sold the property to John Swap. In reality he did, but it was to a different Swap family. But whatever the cause of the change of ownership from one Swap to another, John Swap became the Title holder in 1911 and the farm kept in the family for years. It had been William Ewen Swap, John's nephew and brother Joseph's son, who had owned it just before John did. Did he perhaps help him into it? It is likely we will never find the details, so it might remain a family mystery. The family were milking 65 cows and also ran around 250-300 sheep during the 1950’s. When electricity arrived in the district after the Monowai Electric Power Scheme was opened late in the 1920’s, the Swaps got their first electric milking machine. Many of the neighbours would take their cows to the Swaps Glensheila property for mating, as their herd is recorded as having been of ‘outstanding quality’. The Swaps sold their herd when they retired from dairying in 1961, and the purchaser of this was Gordon McKenzie of Mataura Island. They then added to their sheep herd instead. The Swap farm was sold to Flett’s in 1973. This was in been inherited by later members of that family. It was later sold to the Halder’s. Today (2023) it has become part of a larger Dairy unit. The Flett’s, the Coster’s and the Swap’s have had a long-standing and close relationship. Herbert “Herbie” Coster who later married Agnes Swap, inherited his father’s land on the flats, along with his brother Ernest “Ernie”. This was later sold to the Flett’s. The Flett’s were to also buy the SWAP family farm. The Flett’s and Swaps also served on the local Ōtautau Co-operative Dairy Co. Board together. Both families had early dairy herds, although the Swap family were first to buy land on the flats at Scott’s Gap. This farm was to remain in the Swap family ownership until 1973, after it passed through the hands of most of the 8 children that John Swap and his wife Alexandra, had produced. Alexandra and son William (Bill) were to inherit this first off, then as the family passed away, it was passed down to the surviving siblings until none were left except Agnes, who moved to town (Ōtautau). The family farm was situated about 1km past Allan Road on the right, going towards Tūātapere. One spinster sister was Elizabeth MARTHA often called Mart or even “Mattie” she worked on the farm and at the farm house, but died in her 40’s. Another spinster sister Marion, taught at Ōtautau School for some years before moving north to take up teaching at Oamaru and eventually teaching in Auckland, but she returned to help too on retiring, while Agnes left after marriage. Some of the older ones in town will also still remember Bill (William) and Gordie (Gordon) who were always on the farm. Bill was elected to the Ōtautau Dairy Factory board in 1945 and was still there a decade later, after being a supplier for many years. It is believed he held this position until not long before he passed away. Agnes who had married Herb Coster left for Mataura Island, but when he died at a young age, she came back to the farm with their young son Wallace and helped out the family, staying there until they were all gone. These ones made it all a real family affair, while Matthew Newsome Swap the eldest, followed his father into the Painting & Decorating Business, but in Temuka and another brother Wallace Swap, moved away and farmed with his family at Glenham. Neighbours recall how well the family worked together, how wonderful they all were, and all had lovely things to say about the family. Other neighbours recall that when the family first came to ‘Glensheila’ the ground was so bad and swampy they had to leap from one bunch of carex secta which is a large, fast-growing green wetland plant, just to get around! Later, when the flats were drained, these farms were able to become much more viable. When he died, John was listed as a Deceased Farmer. With his brother Joseph, they had both set up in building and related trades in Ōtautau, and often worked together on building and decorating projects (John being a painter) before Joseph passed and John moved the family to Scotts Gap. IMAGE: It is thanks to C & A Paterson who compiled the Scott's Gap book and their kindly openly sharing the information and photos within this, that we have the photo attached to the above record of the Swap family farm. Research from the "Between River & Stream" the early Ōtautau book project, will be shared on this site over the coming months. There will also be a much more detailed description of both the family and their descendants in the early Ōtautau book this summary comes from. But If you or anyone you know has any more information or photos to share or accounts of John & Alexandra Swap and family during the years, please do share this with us in the comments section. You can do this by making a comment in the space provided under the image page. Or you can make contact with us as per the archive front page. Note: these entries are compiled with information provided by donors with the records, from locally reported news, from national and occasionally international reports in publications, from personal records made by the people themselves - such as their electoral enrollments, wills, war records etc., also from government and council held records such as births, deaths and marriages or cemetery information, and lastly, from community memories, such as those passed on by friends, family and contemporaries. It is not always possible to verify memories from others, so please let us know if you believe we have any incorrect information. If you believe that any public or personal record information quoted is wrong, if you can provide proof of any alternative fact to us in a document showing evidence of the correct details, that would be very helpful to us. Thank you.