For most of my life, I believed I had a clear understanding of where I came from. My family history seemed well-documented — a familiar tale of farming roots and enduring traditions passed down through generations. But everything shifted the day I received my MyHeritage DNA test results.
Sharon Harper
I received an estimated second cousin match to someone named Eric. I initially assumed it was through the Taranaki side of my paternal family. But then Eric’s wife contacted me, and we worked out that Eric and I shared great-grandparents… but when I found out who Eric’s grandfather was, I was floored. His name was Wiremu Richards, and I’d never heard of him. My maternal grandfather had a half-brother we had never known about.
Eric and his wife traveled to our home in Warkworth to meet me. There was a lot to learn, and a lot to take in!
Wiremu, Sharon’s long-lost great-uncle. Photo enhanced and colorized by MyHeritage
As it turns out, Wiremu was the son of my great-grandfather, Ricky (also known as Richard or Riki) Richards, and his Māori wife at the time, Marara Hikora Hauwhenua. He was born in 1873, well before Ricky married my great-grandmother, Mary Ann Cusack.
With this revelation came a whole new branch of family I had never known existed. Wiremu had children with several women, and now I suddenly had many more cousins, ranging in age from their 90s to their 60s. To my astonishment, at least one of them attended the same high school as me at the same time — and I never knew we were related.
A warm and unexpected reunion
Since making the discovery, I’ve met up with one of these cousins, her oldest brother, and another of her siblings. It’s been an absolute delight reconnecting and learning about our shared history. I’m also now in touch with many other descendants of Wiremu.
One of the most memorable moments was meeting Fred and Lena — grandchildren of Wiremu. Fred is in his 90s, and Lena is around my age — we even attended the same high school in the early ’70s! Meeting them in Thames around 2017 was an incredibly meaningful experience, like finding pieces of a puzzle I didn’t know were missing.
Sharon with Lena and Fred
Hidden histories and family silences
Looking back, there were moments from my childhood that now make more sense. My mother was in complete denial about having any Māori relations. I vividly remember a time when my kids were young — a woman turned up at my mother’s door claiming they were cousins. My mother wouldn’t have a bar of it.
It’s sad in a way, knowing how much was left unsaid or unacknowledged. Discovering this history has helped explain some of that mystery, but also raised new questions — particularly about Ricky himself.
The mystery of Ricky Richards
To this day, we don’t know when or where Ricky Richards died. There are rumors of him being seen with a blonde barmaid in Wellington, and official records of police searches for him in Australia in an effort to secure child support for his family in New Zealand. But no definitive record of his death or burial has been found.
Ricky Richards, Sharon’s great-grandfather
During his marriage to Mary Ann Cusack — known in the family as Granny Richards — they lived in Karangahake. Tragedy struck during that time when two of their sons died in a fire, reportedly after locking themselves in a shed while playing with matches.
For some years, they were also licensees of hotels in early Thames, during the bustling gold rush era. From what I can gather, Mary Ann ran the establishments while Ricky enjoyed the guests. There are several records of her being taken to court for her behavior or language, but reading between the lines, she seemed to be the one trying to maintain order and uphold the rules.
Sharon’s great-grandmother Mary Ann
Later, they had a farm at Hikutaia outside Thames, where their sons became farmers. My grandfather Mossy — one of Ricky and Mary Ann’s sons — had a farm at Kopu, and both of my mother’s brothers also became dairy farmers.
Since this discovery, my world has expanded in ways I never expected. Meeting this extended family has been a wonderful, deeply connected experience. I had always felt there were missing parts to my life. Now, many of those pieces are falling into place.
Many thanks to Sharon for sharing her incredible story with us. If you have also made an incredible discovery with MyHeritage, we’d love to hear about it! Please send it to us via this form or email it to us at stories@myheritage.com.
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Source: My Heritage