Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Laura Beaver was born about 1855 in Poland – the daughter of Henry Bibergiel Beaver, a doctor, and Bertha.
The family emigrated to Australia then came to New Zealand in December 1868 landing in Port Chalmers on the Otago.
Laura married Benno Neuman/Newman on 19 January 1876 in Dunedin.
Benno worked as a pawnbroker then later as a commercial traveller.
They had four children, one who died in childhood, and when Laura signed the suffrage petition, the family were living in George St, Dunedin.
Laura’s sister Marie also signed the petition. (See 99 Marie Arndt)
In the 1910s the family moved to Wellington where Benno died in 1917.
Laura died on 11 January 1919, she is buried with Benno in the Karori Cemetery, Wellington.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Record http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Wellington City Council https://wellington.govt.nz