Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Jane/Jean Steven was born on 23 June 1857 in Wick, Caithness, Scotland – the daughter of William Steven, a shepherd, and Margaret Bruce.
Jane emigrated to Otago in 1880 on the Dunedin accompanied by her brother John.
She went to North Otago and worked for her uncle David Bruce until she married David Mitcheson Dennison on 6 November 1881.
They had seven children and when Jane signed the suffrage pettion the family were living in Begg St, Musselburgh, Dunedin and David was working as a coalman.
David died in 1910 when their youngest child was seven-years-old and Jane died on 12 July 1931 - her obituary says she was a 'well-known and respected resident.'
They are buried in the family grave in the Southern 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
Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/
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