William Stark was born at Mataura 14 April 1884 and left school to take up a position as driver for the N.Z. Express Company at Gore.
At some point William took over the Stark Coalpit from his father James. (More research here).
William eventually left Gore to take up farming and to this end worked upon a number of farms in Eastern Southland and, later, near the coast of Eastern Otago. He also did various labouring jobs in and around Dunedin.
It was in Dunedin that he met and married Eva Maud Bryce, a mother of one child, Gordon, at Dunedin 30 June 1909. Eva Maud Bryce’s father had migrated from Galashiels, Scotland, when aged (2 or 12) years with his parents on the ship “Robert Henderson” in 1864.
After their marriage, William returned to a farming job at Owaka. They had nothing to set up home with and spent some time living in a tent. While still wishing to pursue his desire for farming, he also worked at various labouring job’s which took him and his family to Christchurch about 1915.
In later years, the lad, William Bishop, married William Stark’s niece Eva – the daughter of John McKinnel and Elizabeth, nee Stark.
About 1917, he moved to the Wairarapa and eventually became a share-milker on Quentin Donald’s estate at South Featherston running approximately 120 Ayrshire cows and supplying the local cheese factory.
On his retirement, he moved to Carterton and farmed about 5 acres for a number of years before shifting to a property near the centre of Carterton. The family became active members of the Salvation Army in Carterton.
William died at Carterton 12th June 1951.
| Child | Born | Married | Children | Died | Comments |
| Stanley Gordon | 1909 | 1929/ 1952 | 1/ – | 1984 | Stuart/ Sanders |
| Isabella Fisher | 1910 | 1927/ ? | 3/ – | 1987 | Rees/ Earnshaw |
| Christina Bryce | 1911 | 1929 | 6 | 1997 | Blandford |
| William Horace | 1912 | 1932 | 7 | 1984 | Robinson |
| Eva Maud Myrtle | 1914 | 1932/ 1952/ 1968 | 1/ -/ – | 2000 | Neill/ Millward/ Robinson |
| Neville Ian | 1920 | 1942/ 1996 | 5/ – | 2006 | Fairbrother/ Living |
| Robert Donald | 1922 | 1942 | 6 | 1987 | Hart |
| Betty Florence | 1924 | 1944 | 5 | 1991 | Chapman |
Left to Right
Betty, Robert, Neville, Eva, William, Chrissie, Isie, Gordon
