Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Elizabeth Ross was born about 1826 in Caithness, Scotland – the daughter of William Ross, a crofter, and Helen.
Elizabeth emigrated to New Zealand in 1851 on the Clara accompanied by two of her brothers.
She married Robert Sutherland on 10 July 1856 in Dunedin 'after the wedding, by way of honeymoon, with swags on back, the newly married couple tramped – there was no means of conveyance – from Dunedin to the new whare which Mr Sutherland had erected at the east end of the Warepa bush.'
They 'at once proceeded to carve out a home and a living' and had five daughters.
Elizabeth signed the suffrage petitiona at their home in Waitepeka as did her daughter Elizabeth. (See 106 L Sutherland)
Robert died in 1895 and Elizabeth died at her daughter’s home on 1 July 1912, they are buried together in the family grave in the Warepa Cemetery.
Her obituary said she 'was of a most generous disposition, and always ready and willing to assist her neighbours and friends in time of trouble.'
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
NZ Yesteryears http://www.yesteryears.co.nz
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/
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