Biography contributed by Rosa Opie and Katherine Blakely
Mary Jane Jones was born in Geelong, Victoria, Australia in 1851 – the daughter of George Jones, a bootmaker, and Ann Eliza Adams. (See 43 Ann Eliza Jones)
Mary’s family came to New Zealand in the mid-1860s where she married William Hood on 20 December 1877 in Timaru – her sister Susannah (See 43 Mrs Cooke) also married the same day.
Mary Jane married William Hood in Timaru on 20 December 1877. They had six children within 11 years of their marriage - twin girls Inez Adeline and Irene Emmeline (both passed away at under 1 year old), Eva Winnifred, Irene Josephine, Arnold Hastings Rudolph and Wilfred Merton Stanley.
Mary and William’s first two children were born in Christchurch, and between 1879 and 1880 the couple moved to Oamaru where the following four children were born. While in Oamaru, William worked as the manager of the Oamaru Mail, under his brother in law George Jones Jr., who was the owner.
Mary Jane died on 22 March 1940, at the age of 88 in Auckland. Her husband, William died two years later, on 26 April 1942. They were married for 62 years. Both were cremated, and their ashes scattered in Waikumete Cemetery, Mt Eden.
Sources
Ancestry.com.au
Births, Deaths and Marriages Online
Family Search
PapersPast