Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Mary Griffen was born about 1851 in County Kilkenny, Ireland.
She emigrated to New Zealand where she married Patrick Peter Purcell, a miner and storekeeper, on 26 January 1876 at St Patrick’s Church in Greymouth.
They had a daughter in June of 1877 and later that year in October Patrick committed suicide – apparently due to financial difficulties. Their daughter Mary died in January 1878 – she is buried with her father in the Karoro Cemetery.
Mary signed the suffrage petition in Greymouth shortly before she married, merchant, Felix Campbell, a widower with five children.
Mary died on 30 May 1911 and Felix died in 1922 – they are buried with Felix’s first wife in the Karoro Cemetery.
Her obituary said she 'was a friend to all, and by her loving kindness made many a path smooth. In the rough days of the Coast her kindly advice and cheering smile urged many to do better. She was a lady of exceptional qualifications. She could win hearts where many would fail....She was generous to a degree, and her charity was the kind that the right knoweth not what the left did.'
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/