Jane Ford

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Jane Todd was born about 1852, probably in East Taieri, the daughter of Margaret Shand (See 136 Margaret A Todd)

Her mother married Charles Todd in 1857 and Jane took her stepfather’s name.

She married James Guthrie, a school teacher, on 23 August 1872 in the Balclutha parish and they had 10 children, one who died in infancy.

The family lived in Balclutha and Moa Flat before moving to Arthurton, situated between Gore and Waipahi, where James died in August 1888.

Their 10th child was born two months later.

Jane moved to Tahatika, a settlement near Owaka, where some of her family were living and she bought Janefield farm.

On 27 November 1891, at the North Dunedin manse, 40-year-old Jane married John Ford, a 27-year-old farmer from Owaka.

They had four children, one who died in infancy and one who died in childhood and lived at Tahatika where Jane signed the suffrage petition.

In 1913 Jane and John purchased the 'Coffee Palace' a private hotel in Owaka which they ran until 1930.

Jane died at Owaka on 24 September 1933 - her obituary said she 'took a keen interest in church work and all matters of local interest, having been at one time president of the Tahatika Ladies’ Guild. She was also a certificated nurse and attended ambulance classes at Owaka. In all cases of illness in the district her services were always available and greatly appreciated. During the war period she rendered invaluable service to the returned soldiers, and was also the first president of the Owaka sub-branch of the Plunket Society.' She 'had a kindly and sympathetic nature that endeared her to a large circle of friends'.

John died in 1949, he is buried with Jane in the Owaka Cemetery.

Sources

BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/

Family Search https://www.familysearch.org

Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz

Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/