Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Elizabeth Mary Dray was born in 1865 in New South Wales – the daughter of Edward Dray and Elizabeth Jane Conelly.
After her father’s death in 1877 the family moved to Dunedin and when Elizabeth signed the suffrage petition they were living in Forth Street near her aunt. (See 172 Mrs Moyse)
Elizabeth married John Benson, a farmer, in 1899 and they had five children.
John died at their home in Pine Hill in 1925 and Elizabeth died on 6 July 1955 – they are buried in the family grave in the Andersons Bay Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
NSW Government https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/