Contributed by her great great granddaughter-in-law, Helen M. Laney
Jessie Ross, née McLennan, was born circa 1839/40 in Applecross, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland. Her father was Murdo McLennan and her mother was Jane Allan. She had at least five siblings.
On the 6 August 1858, in the Parish of Inverness, County of Inverness, Scotland, Jessie McLennan married Alexander Ross who was the son of John Ross and Jane MacKay. They had a family of five who were all born in Rossshire, Scotland: Jane Ann (1859-1946), John (1860-1943), Hughina (1866-1949), Mary Ann (1868-1945), and Jessie (1873-1945).
On 24 June 1876, Alexander, Jessie and their five children left Glasgow, Scotland, as assisted emigrants on the ship Invercargill and arrived at Port Chalmers on the 24 September 1876. According to a newspaper of the day they were the first immigrants to arrive since March that year.
By 1878 the family were living in Enfield near Oamaru (aka Teaneraki) and the three youngest were attending Teaneraki School. On the 1893 & 1896 Electoral Roll Alexander is listed as a ploughman.
Alexander died in 1906 and on the 1911 Electoral Roll, Jessie and her youngest daughter were living in Ouse Street, Oamaru.
On the 23 December 1920, Jessie died at the home of Mrs W. P. Anderson, Till Street, Oamaru. She was suffering from senile decay so perhaps Mrs Anderson was a ‘caregiver’ as she was no relation to Jessie.
Jessie is buried in Oamaru Old Cemetery along with her husband.
The signature of Jessie’s daughter-in-law, Bridget A. Ross is also on Sheet 296.
References
Birth, marriage & death certificates
Passenger list for Invercargill from early Settlers Museum, Dunedin (Now Toitu)
Waitaki District Council Cemetery records
Oamaru Mail & North Otago Times
Image
Jessie Ross née McLennan (Family collection)