Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Jessie Kitchin was born in 1863 in Elgin, Scotland – the daughter of John Kitchin, a carpenter, and Elizabeth Dunbar.
She came to New Zealand in the 1880’s where she married Rev. John Alexander Asher on 26 March 1891 at Richmond Grove in Invercargill.
They had seven children, one who died in infancy, and when Jessie signed the suffrage petition the family were living at the Manse in East Gore.
They moved to Napier around 1900 where Jessie died on 30 September 1929.
Her obituary said “during her long association with St Paul’s Church she took an active interest in its welfare. In various Guild works her efforts were untiring and to every good cause she devoted herself in any way possible.” ”She was ever of a kindly and unassuming disposition and her efforts for all deserving causes were labours of love.”
John died in 1946 – they are buried together in the Old Napier Cemetery.
Sources:
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/