From IGI records, Robert Henry King (1848 - 1892) was christened in Nobber, County Meath, Ireland on 8 October 1848 ², the son of James King and Margaret (unknown). Note however, that while the IGI record is similar to the family history, it should be treated with caution until firm proof is found.

It is not known how or when Robert emigrated from Ireland to New Zealand, but it was before 1875 when he married in Reefton.

Robert married Seabee Adelaide (Florence) Tennant (abt 1855 to 1940) at the Church of England Parsonage in Reefton, Westland, New Zealand on 22 October 1875.

Seabee was the daughter of Samuel Tennant and Elizabeth (Giers or Ciers) of Scotland. See the Tennant Family History for more details.

Robert and Seabee had 7 children.

They lived at first in Reefton and moved to Greymouth by the early 1880s.

Robert worked as a guard on the Railways and was a member of the Greymouth Fire Brigade when the following photo was taken in 1884.

Robert died on 26 December 1892 in Greymouth of "concussion of the spine". There are a number of family stories relating to his death:

One family story regarding his death is that he was quite an athlete and that he was murdered by being hit on the head and robbed of money held in his possession after an athletics meeting.

Another version researched by Annette Kerr is that he may have been a bookmaker with a lot of money on him as the Reefton races were the next day. The bookmakers who went to Reefton and were returning from the Westport races had an accident when a wheel came off the cart they were on, and one was killed (This was a few days after Robert died).

Rewa Stericker heard the scuffle happened in a hotel.

A newspaper article in the Grey River Argus 27 December 1892 says "Mr Robert King, formerly a guard on the railway, died somewhat suddenly yesterday morning. It appears that while out on Saturday evening, he fell on a stone and hurt himself about the small of the back or the region of the kidneys. He attached no importance to the matter, but the next day he felt very ill and took to his bed. A doctor was called and he prescribed what was necessary but the condition of the patient became suddenly worse and he ceased to know people and gradually faded away, dying about 10am yesterday morning. The deceased leaves a wife and six children (the paper is wrong - there were seven) to mourn his loss and unfortunately they are in very poor circumstances. He had been a resident of Greymouth for many years past. It is supposed that he injured himself internally when he fell."

Robert is buried in an unmarked grave (plot 386 in the Anglican section) at Karoro Cemetery in Greymouth.

Seabea married again after Robert's death in 1892. Her second husband was Albert Stillman (1872 - ) and they were married at the Church of England Parsonage at Reefton, Westland. Ruby and Albert had 2 children.

Seabee moved to Christchurch and was living there at 99 Salisury St when she died on the 21st August 1940. She is buried at Bromley cemetery in Christchurch in Block 17, Row I with her daughter Ethel.