Jane Pringle

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Jane Thornton was born about 1834 in Linlithgowshire, Scotland – the daughter of William Thornton, a farmer, and Helen.

She emigrated to Otago with her brother Thomas in 1858 on the Strathfieldsaye and after a few years working in Riversdale Jane married John Pringle, a fellow passenger.

They were married on 1 December 1862 in the Waihola Parish – they had six children and lived at Glenfoot Farm, Tokomairiro.

'It was a common experience for them to be confined to their homes at night by the presence of huge specimens of wild pigs, which descended from the gullies of Mt. Misery.'

Their portraits can be seen here; http://www.toituosm.com/collections/smith-gallery/wall-3/mr-and-mrs-john-pringle-nee-jane-thornton

Jane died at Glenfoot Farm on 20 March 1907. Her obituary said 'for some years she was a frequent and successful exhibitor in the dairy produce section at the Toko. Farmers’ Club annual show, but in later years her hobby had been the culture of flowers.'

She was described as 'one of the best class of pioneer women of Tokomairiro.'

John died in 1916, he is buried with Jane in the Fairfax Cemetery, Milton.

Sources

BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.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/