Original Arrowtown miner dies

Mr Richard Joseph Cotter, one of the pioneers of Wakatipu, died at the residence of his son Mr T.J. Cotter in Arrowtown on Monday, in his 89th year (wires our Queenstown correspondent). Deceased was born at Queenstown, County Cork, Ireland. At the age of 17 he left his native land and made for the Californian diggings.

Some years later he was attracted to Australia by the gold rush and subsequently across the Tasman to the Otago goldfields, through which a living stream was pouring on the same quest. Mr Cotter reached Arrowtown the day after it was discovered by Fox, and there he had remained ever since, prosecuting his calling in several local mining areas. Deceased leaves a family of three sons and four daughters: Messrs T.J. Cotter (Arrowtown), R.J. Cotter (Dunedin), Jack Cotter (Winchester), and Mesdames Owen (Dunedin), Shea (Devonport), Simon McKenzie (Timaru), J.J. McBride (Queenstown) and Alex. Hamilton (Arrowtown). His wife predeceased him by six years. — ODT, 4.8.1920.

Knox Church, on the corner of Pitt and George Sts, Dunedin, on the occasion of its diamond jubilee. — Otago Witness, 17.8.1920. COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER

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