Mary Murray

Signed family name

Murray

Signed given name

Mary

Given address

Clarkesville

Sheet number

Town/Suburb

Clarksville

City/Region

Otago

Notes

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Mary Ann Hislop was born about 1845 in Peebleshire, Scotland – the daughter of William Hislop, a shepherd, and Margaret Anderson.

She emigrated to Otago with her family in 1858 on the Jura – they stayed for a short time at Caversham before moving to the Tokomairiro district.

They 'took up' land at Moneymore known as 'Cringletree Farm' and Mary married Hugh Murray, a farmer, on 25 February 1868 in the Tokomairiro Presbyterian Church manse.

They had four children and farmed at Clarkesville, south of Milton, where Mary signed the suffrage petition.

In 1898 the farm was sold and they retired to Rosebank near Balclutha where Hugh died in 1906.

After Hugh’s death Mary sold her property at Rosebank and built a new home in Milton. She died there on 3 March 1935, the same day as her sister (92 Mrs A Lowery) and is buried with Hugh in the Balclutha Cemetery.

Her obituary said 'she was a staunch supporter of the Toko Presbyterian Church, and in her younger days was an active worker in the P.W.M.U. She also took a keen interest in the activities of the Otago Early Settlers’ Association.'