Death of a Kaeo colonist

Ever since I visited Kaeo Public Cemetery in Winter this year I've been trying to figure out who this headstone belongs to. The name and date etc are very hard to see but after spending some time googling tonight I've finally worked out who the owner is. Richard Edward Gibbs was one of the old original colonists of Kaeo born on the Isle of Wight in 1838 and was employed in his father's grocery business until he emigrated here to New Zealand on the ship "John Duncan" in 1860 when he became a bushworker at Whangaroa for approx 2 years.

In 1872 he became a postmaster to the area and dealt in kauri gum but sadly 4 years later on the 6th June 1876 was a victim of drowning while he was taking a shipment of it to Whangaroa when his boat upturned. Richard was also the local Baptist preacher during the early days of Kaeo being formed and superintendant of the Sunday school which he was instrumental in starting.

Article from Daily Southern CrossVolume XXXII, Issue 5207, 20th June 1876, page 2

He was survived by his widow Miriam, 1 daughter Caroline and 3 sons; Richard who became a captain in the Salvation Army in Stratford, Taranaki, William who became a farmer in Paparoa and Edward who became a captain in the Salvation Army in Melbourne. 

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