Samuel has a brother named William who was married in Leicester. According to the 1841 census William was living in Leicester with his wife and children. He is the only one in the family who was not born in Leicester. Two of William's daughters came to New Zealand and were married there. In New Zealand they are clearly identified with Samuel.
The argument for the family connection is based on three observations:
- Samuel and William are about the same age as George's younger bothers.
- I have been unable to find another pair of bothers named William and Samuel Hewlings in the readily accessible records.
- George Freeman Hewlings went to New Zealand with his wife and daughter.
The argument against a family connection is fairly strong:
- Samuel and William are common names in England. There is more than one Samuel Hewlings and more than one William Hewlings in the British Isles during the first half of the 19th century.
- Not everyone is recorded - not having a record does not prove a person didn't exist.
- Migrating to be near family is only one reason someone might move.
It is plausible William, Samuel and George Robert are brothers. It is likely. I can't prove it.
1Here is a very nice write up. (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nzlscant/hewlings.htm)
