Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Margaret Janet Hunter Gillies was born about 1839 in Rothesay, Buteshire, Scotland – the daughter of Alexander Gillies, a cooper, and Mary Duncan.
She came to New Zealand with her family in the 1860s and they settled in Otago.
Margaret married James Crawford, Inspector of Public Works, at Bay View Cottage, Port Molyneux on 23 August 1869.
They had seven children - the eldest died at birth and when Margaret signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Mornington, Dunedin.
James died at their home in 1900 – he is buried in the Southern Cemetery.
After James’ death Margaret went to live with her daughter in Masterton.
She died there on 13 July 1913 – she is buried in the Archer St Cemetery, Masterton.
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/
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/