|
SIZE OF FAMILY The following is a retype of an original copy of an article. The name of the paper and the edition has not been noted on the clipping. Henry BUDDEN died in 1902. " "A few months before the late
lamented Mr Henry Budden died he was collecting some interesting data
regarding what he believed was the largest family in the colony, the Wiltons,
with whom the Buddens are connected. Mr Budden referring to the death of Mr
Elijah Wilton in April last, evidently intended forwarding to this journal an
account of the numerous descendants when his data was complete, but his
untimely demise prevented him from finishing the interesting task. He had
written on April 6tth (though the communication never came to hand and was
found among his papers) :-"Would the record of a good colonist (as far
as family is concerned) be of interest? I see a notice in your issue of the
5th instant re the death of Mr Elijah Wilton. I am much interested in this
family, believing it to be the largest in Mr Ernest Wilton, photographer, who has lately married and residing in Nelson, is a grandson." Mr Urban Wilton Budden and other members of the Budden Family at Riwaka have now completed the investigations, and ascertained from all the Wiltons their "strength of forces." It is found that the number of Wiltons related to each other at present in the colony is no less than 477. The first generation number 7 ; the fourth 3. There have not been any second marriages. If all colonial families increased as the Wiltons have done there would be no need to deplore the somewhat slow rise in the population of a new country." A projection of family size was undertaken
in 1986 by a professional mathematician using recognised statistical methods
on the known family members for
each branch at the time. The descendants of Robert and Elizabeth WILTON
were above 10,000 as a conservative estimate. |