Jimmy the Needles treasure - New Zealand

Lammerlaw

Tenderfoot
Mar 1, 2011
8
1
Dunedin, Otago
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Jimmy the Needle or James Saunders - Loder was an old time whaler. He was sent to the Australian penal colonies in the early 1800s, probably late 1820s to early 1830s. In any case he was in New Zealand by 1838 and in the year 1840 was reported to be at the Waikouaiti whaling station and later the same year at the Moeraki whaling station. He purchased land near Moeraki but later moved to North Otago.
In the year 1862 he fell from the back of a horse while crossing the Waitaki river and was drowned. Now it stands to reason that there would be around 25 years between a generation but my grandmother was his grand daughter. When he died everyone knew that Jimmy the Needle was extremely rich and had a soft spot for gold coin. He also kept good records. My grandmothers mother told her that when she was young and her father died they found all his accounts records but no sign of the money and it was known that he had hidden it. My grandmother died 135 years after her grandfather but in turn she told me about the coins. Ten Thousand pound in gold coins hidden in North Otago near Oamaru - still lying there waiting to be discovered perhaps one day. This is probably the equivalent of about twenty thousand US dollars and all in gold!
This account has never been told outside the family I do not think until I told a few individuals. Jimmy the Needle was given his nickname when he was whaling as all whalers had nicknames - his was based on two major factors - he was tall and thin with disproportionately long legs and secondly he was described as 'cute, sharp and sly in his dealings'
 

K

Kentucky Kache

Guest
Good firsthand treasure story, but I don't think I would have given it out to the public, especially if I lived near there.
 

Crow

Silver Member
Jan 28, 2005
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Hello Lammerlaw

Thank you for the interesting post. It appears that there was some wrangling over his estate by the two famlies that was his decendants. It would be interesting you for to find out where he last lived at the time of his death.

Regards Crow
 

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Lammerlaw

Lammerlaw

Tenderfoot
Mar 1, 2011
8
1
Dunedin, Otago
Detector(s) used
Garret Deepseeker, Minelab Xtreme, Goldbug
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Kentucky Kache - It doesnt matter as I am certain that although I would know as close as anyone to where it is I am sure I wont be finding it. It is easy for me sitting in an arm chair to visualise going and getting it with my Minelab detector but nothing is ever that simple...I have found that out a thousand times over Gold mining over the years.

I dont know about wrangling over his estate though I do know that one son did well out of it but no person actually found the gold coins so they still lie there somewhere

This is the sort of treasure we do have in New Zealand for those lucky enough to find them
 

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worldtalker

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May 11, 2011
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Lammerlaw said:
Kentucky Kache - It doesnt matter as I am certain that although I would know as close as anyone to where it is I am sure I wont be finding it. It is easy for me sitting in an arm chair to visualise going and getting it with my Minelab detector but nothing is ever that simple...I have found that out a thousand times over Gold mining over the years.

I dont know about wrangling over his estate though I do know that one son did well out of it but no person actually found the gold coins so they still lie there somewhere

This is the sort of treasure we do have in New Zealand for those lucky enough to find them
Which one is the Treasure ??? God Bless HH Chris
 

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OP
Lammerlaw

Lammerlaw

Tenderfoot
Mar 1, 2011
8
1
Dunedin, Otago
Detector(s) used
Garret Deepseeker, Minelab Xtreme, Goldbug
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
worldtalker said:
Lammerlaw said:
Kentucky Kache - It doesnt matter as I am certain that although I would know as close as anyone to where it is I am sure I wont be finding it. It is easy for me sitting in an arm chair to visualise going and getting it with my Minelab detector but nothing is ever that simple...I have found that out a thousand times over Gold mining over the years.

I dont know about wrangling over his estate though I do know that one son did well out of it but no person actually found the gold coins so they still lie there somewhere

This is the sort of treasure we do have in New Zealand for those lucky enough to find them
Which one is the Treasure ??? God Bless HH Chris

I guess they both are!
 

Crow

Silver Member
Jan 28, 2005
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ONES THAT GO BEEP! :-)
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Hello Lammerlaw

The gold is nice but the greatest treasure of all is family.

Here is something that might be of interest in regards to James Saunders (Jimmy the Needle)

Papers Past; North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3983, 17 June 1885, Page 2

TIMARU. June 16.
In the Supreme Court a curious case is being heard. It is one which Saunders brought against Cabot — an action to compel performance of an agreement. The plaintiffs (two sons of the late James Saunders, alias " Jimmy the Needle," formerly a ferryman at Waitaki, by his wife Wixon, a Maori) allege that in 1859, Cabot, a farmer in Timaru, sold town section 19 to deceased for L3O; that he subsequently burned the agreement and had held possession of the section, now of great value. It is sought to compel the defendant to carry out the agreement and restore the land with all the profits, rents, etc., since accrued. The case in proceding.

The Supreme Court has been occupied all day with the case Saunders and another v. Cabot, a claim for restoration of land or its equivalent. The case ia a most complicated one, as the transactions dated back as far as 1859. It will be continued to-morrow, when the breach of promise case, with L7OO damages, Costigan v. Douglas will also be taken.

Hope there is some thing there that might be of some interest.

Crow
 

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Lammerlaw

Lammerlaw

Tenderfoot
Mar 1, 2011
8
1
Dunedin, Otago
Detector(s) used
Garret Deepseeker, Minelab Xtreme, Goldbug
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hello Lammerlaw

The gold is nice but the greatest treasure of all is family.

Here is something that might be of interest in regards to James Saunders (Jimmy the Needle)

Papers Past; North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3983, 17 June 1885, Page 2

TIMARU. June 16.
In the Supreme Court a curious case is being heard. It is one which Saunders brought against Cabot — an action to compel performance of an agreement. The plaintiffs (two sons of the late James Saunders, alias " Jimmy the Needle," formerly a ferryman at Waitaki, by his wife Wixon, a Maori) allege that in 1859, Cabot, a farmer in Timaru, sold town section 19 to deceased for L3O; that he subsequently burned the agreement and had held possession of the section, now of great value. It is sought to compel the defendant to carry out the agreement and restore the land with all the profits, rents, etc., since accrued. The case in proceding.

The Supreme Court has been occupied all day with the case Saunders and another v. Cabot, a claim for restoration of land or its equivalent. The case ia a most complicated one, as the transactions dated back as far as 1859. It will be continued to-morrow, when the breach of promise case, with L7OO damages, Costigan v. Douglas will also be taken.

Hope there is some thing there that might be of some interest.

Crow

I was just rereading what had been written here many moons ago - and when I read the last contribution you made I saw clearly a wise old Indian - strange - I am part NZ Maori but my ancestors were here before the Maori and said that they came from a great land far to the East and that makes it South American, arriving here via Easter Island though of course that was not the name they gave - they said they came form Patu-Nui-O-Aio - my ancestors were witch doctors or 'priests' - I have no idea why I saw an Indian when I read the above - just me I guess.

Yes that is the Jimmy the Needle I am descended from. My daughter holding the gold nugget is quite a tearaway and just kayaked down the stairs of her flat and went through the wall...but you can see the imp in her in her photograph!
 

Aug 23, 2013
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Hello Lammerlaw

An interesting story and family history you have.

James Saunders first came to New Zealand in a whaler from Sydney bound for New Bedford called the Marianne captained by Barnabas Gardiner in 1823.

Corp
 

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