Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Margaret McLaren was born about 1850 in Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland – the daughter of James McLaren, a shepherd, and Jean McDonald. (See 98 Jane McLaren)
She had a son in 1871 before she emigrated to Otago with her family in 1874 on the “Tweed”.
Margaret married James Alexander Jones on 29 March 1876 in Dunedin.
They had eight children, one who died in infancy and one who died in childhood.
When she signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Broughton St, Kaikorai.
James died in 1938 and Margaret died at her daughter’s home on 26 July 1940 – they are buried together in the Palmerston 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
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/
Waitaki District Council https://www.waitaki.govt.nz/our-services
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