Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Mary McDonald was born on 16 September 1855 in Ayrshire, Scotland – the daughter of William McDonald, a plowman and Agnes Cumming.
She emigrated to Otago with her family in 1863 on the Victory and she married John Gormack/Gormick, a farmer, in 1877.
They had 12 children, one who died in infancy and when Mary signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Wairuna, South Otago.
In 1909, due to John’s ill-health, they sold the farm and bought the Clinton Temperance Boarding House.
John died soon after in 1910 - Mary sold the boarding house in 1911 and moved to Dunedin.
Four of her sons served during the First World War - one died in action.
Mary died at her home in Dunedin on 10 December 1918, she is buried with John in the Clinton Cemetery.
Her obituary said she 'was of a kindly disposition, and was greatly respected'.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Balclutha Geneaology Society http://www.balcluthagenealogy.org.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