Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Elizabeth Scott was born about 1845 in Sanquhar, Dumfriesshire, Scotland – the daughter of Walter Scott, a cattle dealer, and Janet Thomson.
Her mother died in the 1860s and the family emigrated to New Zealand about 1875.
Elizabeth’s sisters also signed the petition (See 143 Mary P Scott 143 Ellen P Scott and 143 Jessie Jane Scott)
She married Donald Gunn, a farmer, on 18 September 1878 and they had four children.
Elizabeth signed the suffrage petition at Broad Bay on the Otago Peninsula, along with her sisters, although their farm was at Sandymount.
In May 1893 Donald filed a 'suit for judicial separation' which was to be heard at the next civil sittings. This case was withdrawn as Elizabeth died on 4 August that year.
Donald died in 1913, they are buried with two of their children in the Broad Bay Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
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