Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Jane was born about 1830.
She married James Dutton in the 1860s, either in Australia or on Stewart Island.
They had three daughters - in the early 1870s the family moved from Stewart Island to the Owaka district where James opened the first saw mill in the district.
In 1877 their 11 roomed house was destroyed by fire - fortunately it was insured.
They were still in Owaka when Jane signed the suffrage petition.
James died in 1905 and Jane died on 25 September 1909 at the 'Bridge', Owaka, they are buried in the Owaka Cemetery.
Jane’s obituary said she 'came to Owaka in the early sawmilling days, and, like most of the early settlers, she had to rough it. Mrs Dutton for some years acted as nurse in the district, and there are many who can testify to receiving kindness at her hands...She was known for her bright Christian character, and when there was no regular services in the district in the early days she gathered the children of the mill hands together for Sunday School.'
Jane’s portrait can be seen here: https://www.nzmuseums.co.nz/objects?accountId=3021&query=dutton&view=lightbox
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
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