James and Mary Wallis were Wesleyan missionaries and the first European Settlers in Raglan, New Zealand.
Early years and journey to New Zealand
Born on 18 April 1809 in Blackwall, London, James Wallis felt the call to ministry at a young age after a personal spiritual awakening. On 16 April 1834 - after being accepted for a position to the Pacific via the Wesleyan Missionary Society - he married Mary Ann Reddick (born 26 May 1802). A few weeks later they were aboard a vessel bound for Australia en route to the fledgling Mission at Mangungu, in the Hokianga, New Zealand.
After several months in Hobart, Australia, James and Mary arranged a vessel to carry them to the Hokianga Harbour, New Zealand whereby they arrived on 1 December 1834. Immediately upon entering the harbour mouth, their ship was caught by a gust of wind and laid “nearly on her beam ends and the rocks. Recovering from this danger the captain ran his vessel a mile or two up the river and dropped anchor at the pilot station . A few minutes after the anchor was down a large number of natives came on board whose wild antics and unitelligable jargon gave us an insight into the kind of people among whom out lot was to be cast for an indefinite time”
After several months at Māngungu Mission, where a new mission house was under construction, James was surprised at the practical nature of his work "A New Zealand Missionary was to be a man of all work". Eventually becoming frustrated at the lack of spiritual input he was able to contribute he pushed for a new mission base to be established under his leadership in the Kawhia and Whaingaroa (now known as Raglan) regions further south on the west coast of the North Island.
First years in Raglan
In April 1835, James and Mary Wallis, along with another missionary couple and a number Maori Chiefs from Hokianga arrived – via a three-day sailing journey at Kāwhia Harbour. The Hokianga Chiefs spoke in favor of the missionaries and a crowd of about 1,000 were present to celebrate their arrival.
While Mrs Wallis stayed at Kawhia with the other missionaries, James journeyed on foot to Raglan, a distance of about 30 km across very rough terrain with his local Maori guide who had been expecting his arrival - some 12 months previous, the establishment of a mission station had been agreed between Maori Chiefs and members of a Wesleyan reconnaissance tour of the region.... “Here [at Raglan] I was met with a warm reception from the natives who from various considerations welcomed me as their future instructor. A rush hut about eight feet by five feet was assigned to me as my residence.... Building of the Mission House was undertaken by some fifty or sixty men, only about a third of whom worked at one time all the rest looking on, and occasionally suggesting an improved style of architecture. In the course of a few weeks, the house was finished so far as labor was needed..... As soon as the house was habitable Mrs. Wallis was fetched by a dozen natives who carried her in a sedan of their own construction."
Immediately upon arrival - in between the practicalities of establishing a mission station complete with gardens and home, religious services began with the attendance of as many as 200 people at one time. Initially, services consisted of the reading of passages of Scripture and commentary by a Maori interpreter and assistant to Wallis who had been trained at Mangungu. It was not long before James and his Wife has a full grasp of the Maori language and could converse fluently without an interpreter. On 23 November 1835 the Wallis’ first child was born, Elizabeth Reddick, the first European born in the district.
The Mission to Raglan was successful in converting many local Maori people who were very receptive to the message of the Bible. By January 1836, several large and influential tribes had professed faith with the most notable conversion being that of the notable local warrior and chief Wiremu Neera Te Awaitaia.
This first Raglan Mission was established at Te Horea on the north side of the Raglan Harbor.
Tangiteroria
Around about May 1836, word was received from the London Secretaries of the Wesleyan Missionary Society that it had been agreed that the area south of the Manukau would be occupied by the Church Missionary Society and that all the Methodist Missionaries around Kawhia and Raglan were to withdraw. This news was a great shock to James and Mary – as well as local Maori as their work in Raglan was flourishing. On 1 June 1836, Wallis wrote: