Biography contributed by her great great granddaughter, Helen M. Laney
Barbara Porteous, née Brown, was born circa 1821/22 in Old Monkland, Falkirkshire, Scotland. Her parents are unknown – Brown being the most common surname in Scotland.
On the 29 August 1840, in the Parish of Old Monkland, County of Lanark, Scotland, Barbara Brown married Robert Porteous who was the son of Thomas Porteous and Mary Meikle. They had a family of twelve who were all born in Lanarkshire, Scotland: Isabella (1841-1866), Unnamed son (1842?-?), Marion Meikle (1844-bef 1851), Mary (c1845-1920), Margaret (1847-1930), Thomas (c1849-?), Jane (Jeanie) (1852-1951), Janet (Jessie) (1855-1924), Elizabeth (1857-1926), Barbara (1860-1861), George (1862-1913), and Barbara (1864-1954).
On 30 September 1875, Barbara and Robert left Scotland as assisted emigrants on the ship Nelson and arrived at Port Chalmers on the 26 December 1875. Their four youngest children, Janet, Elizabeth, George and Barbara came with them. Isabella, the unnamed son, Mary Meikle and Barbara had died before they emigrated. Mary and Thomas were married by then and stayed in Scotland. Margaret and Jane (Jeanie) were living in the United States of America. Later on George went to Australia and died there.
The family settled in South Oamaru. Robert was listed as a labourer on the 1881 Electoral Roll and worked on the construction of the Oamaru breakwater. He died in 1884 and is buried in the Oamaru Cemetery. Barbara continued living in South Oamaru near her daughters Janet and Barbara.
In 1920 Barbara Porteous was living with her daughter, Elizabeth, at "Ettrick Vale", Queens Flat, Ngapara near Oamaru. She died there on 17 March 1920 aged 98. The cause of death was senile decay.
Living issue according to her death certificate were 3 females, 64 years, 62 years & 58 Years. That would have been Janet (KEEN), Elizabeth (ORR) & Barbara (WEBB). Also living at that time would have been her daughters Mary (GREIG) who died in October 1920 in Scotland, Jane (Jeanie) (WALKER) who died in 1951 in the USA, and Margaret (Maggie) (WALKER/MENELEY) who died in 1930 in the USA. Sadly it looks as if the family had lost touch as they are not mentioned.
Barbara is buried in Oamaru Old Cemetery.
The signatures of Barbara’s daughters, Janet and Barbara, are also on page 294 and her daughter, Elizabeth’s signature is on page 299. They all signed the 1892 petition as well.
References
Birth, marriage & death certificates
Passenger list for Nelson from the Hocken Library
Waitaki District Council Cemetery records
Oamaru Mail & North Otago Times
Image
Barbara Porteous (Family collection)
Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.
Community contributions