Dying to get the facts straight

DON'T believe all you read ? especially if it's on a famous tombstone in Masterton's pioneer cemetery.
Fresh evidence has come to light after research by Wairarapa archivist Gareth Winter to show that the tombstone of Masterton's founding father Joseph Masters is a chapter of errors.
So much so that apart from the fact that it acknowledges his death, few other actual facts have been inscribed on the marble edifice.
Not only does the headstone have the wrong death date for Masters but also that of his first wife Sarah Bourton, his daughter Sarah Iorns and her husband Richard Iorns and probably that of Masters' second wife Sarah Bowler.
The string of mistakes was revealed when Mr Winter was doing research for a volume of Joseph Masters memoirs to be launched on Sunday, complementing the unveiling of a bronze stature of the town's founder.
Mr Winter said historians had been well aware that Masters' death date was wrong on the stone ? extending his actual life by a year and 10 days ? but the discovery of multiple mistakes had come as a shock.
"It's clear that Masters first wife's death date is wrong as it says she died in Tasmania in 1839 ? Sarah actually died in 1859, in Masterton."
As he delved further Mr Winter fingered the other errors.
Masters' son-in-law Richard Iorns, who incidentally was the first person buried in Masterton cemetery, lived a year longer than the headstone credits him with and his wife ? Masters' daughter ? lived six months longer than the date on the headstone.
She had re-married and bore 12 children to her second husband Henry Bannister.
Masters' second wife ? who just to confuse matters was also called Sarah ? is credited with dying on February 19,1880.
But the cemetery's burial register shows that she was buried on that day.
Mr Winter said the tombstone was erected about 1900, replacing a wooden marker.
"A family bible may hold some clues ? some of the dates on the headstone appear to have been wrongly transcribed from this."
The error- laden tombstone is something that should perhaps be referred back to Masters' descendants, said Masterton Mayor Bob Francis.
Mr Francis has had a sneak preview of the Masters book and said the mistakes on the headstone would not detract from an excellent publication.
"But it could be that the family would like to put things right at the cemetery if they feel strongly enough about it," he said.