Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Margaret Pow was born about 1842 in Stirlingshire, Scotland – the daughter of George Pow, a tailor, and Elizabeth Reid. (See 52 Elizabeth Pow)
She emigrated to Otago in 1858 on the Jura and the family settled in Dunedin.
Margaret married James Cowan, a farmer, in 1867 and they had four children.
When Margaret signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Waitati, north of Dunedin.
James died in Dunedin in 1915 and Margaret died on 17 September 1925.
Her obituary said she 'was of a retiring disposition, and was much respected for her sterling character'.
She is buried with James in the family grave in the Northern Cemetery.
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
NZ Yesteryears http://www.yesteryears.co.nz
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.
Community contributions