Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Margaret McLellan was born about 1842 – she married William McPherson, a farmer, in 19 November 1869 in West Taieri.
They had, at least, six children and when Margaret signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Woodside, West Taieri.
In 1907 'a very pleasing and successful ladies’ social was held in the Mission Hall, Woodside...to give a practical expression of esteem and gratitude to Mrs William McPherson, who from the early days of Woodside until the present has moved in and out of the homes, rendering assistance in times of sickness and trouble'. She was presented with 'a handsome silver-mounted purse of sovereigns, her initials being engraved on the plate'.
Margaret died at Woodside on 20 July 1917.
In 1922 William and his family moved to nearby Maungatua where William died later that year.
Where they are buried is unknown.
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/
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