he first married evelyn francis graham in sydney on 1 june 1926 and they had one child, a son. they divorced in 1948. on 18 may 1948 he married henrietta merenia meteherangi manawatu in 1948. manawatu was of ngāi tahu and rangitāne descent. they had two daughters and a son; one of the daughters was irihapeti ramsden, a leader in the field of maori health. their eldest daughter was adopted by te puea herangi until her death in 1952. they divorced in june 1953.