Gisborne woman hoping to return 1800s Bible to Dannevirke descendants of Bror Erik Friberg

The bible is heavy, according to Dorothy McCullough.

A Gisborne woman is hoping to get in contact with the descendants of a man who came to the Dannevirke area 150 years ago.

Dorothy McCulloch is keen to trace the descendants of Bror Erik Friberg, who died in Norsweood in 1878, to return a Bible she believes belongs to the family.

She said the Bible was originally found by a lady who had come across it when cleaning out her father's house.

Her father had been a church minister.

"Obviously someone had put the Bible in his keeping," she said.

She had no idea how long it had been in the former minister's possession.

The Bible was described as very heavy, with writing that looked to be from another country.

The page of the bible clearly shows Friberg's name. Photo / Supplied

McCulloch said the writing was difficult to read but some of the names of the children and their marriages were clear.

One child listed apparently married a Wilding in St Lukes Church in Havelock North in 1922.

Another page showing the names of children and marriages, although the writing is difficult to read at times. Photo / Supplied

According to Te Ara, Bror Erik Friberg was born in Sweden in 1839.

He married Cäcilie Elisabeth (Cecilia Elizabeth) Böhme in 1866 and the couple emigrated to New Zealand.

Friberg began working for the Hawke's Bay Steam Boiling Down Company in Napier in 1867 where he stayed for three years.

In 1871, he began working as a recruiting officer for the Immigration and Public Works Department and set sail for England.

He returned on the Høvding with mainly Norwegian settlers in September 1872.

In 1876 he moved with his family from Waipukurau to the Makotuku settlement.

He died in February 1878, leaving behind his wife and five children.

If anyone has any information on the family, please contact the Dannevirke News on 027 2792 970.