Bible find prompts family reunion - of a sort

The Bible was found amongst the belongings of a former church minister who had it in his safekeeping. Photo / Supplied

A family Bible left in the safekeeping of a former church minister has now found its way to descendants of the original owner.

The Bible was given to Gisborne woman Dorothy McCullough by the daughter of the minister when she was cleaning out his house.

McCullough then contacted Hawke's Bay Today last year, hoping to return the Bible to the family.

A page showing the family register and Bror Erik Friberg's name. Photo / Supplied.

The Bible was owned by Bror Erik Friberg who, according to Te Ara, came to New Zealand in 1866 and then left for England in 1871, working as a recruiting officer for the Immigration and Public Works Department.

In 1872, he returned to New Zealand, bringing with him Norwegian settlers.

Friberg moved from Waipukurau to the Makotuku settlement in 1876 where he lived with his wife and five children until his death two years later.

The register shows children's names and marriages. Photo / Supplied

The descendants now live in other areas of New Zealand.

McCullough said one of the families had visited her in Gisborne.

She said they had taken the Bible and intended to share it with the rest of the family, hoping to reunite Friberg's descendants.

She believed the Bible would probably be passed on to a museum.

One of those who initially contacted the Hawke's Bay Today last year said the find had prompted a family reunion of sorts and had helped her get in contact with other descendants she hadn't known about.