Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Agnes McDonald was born about 1846 in Scotland – the daughter of James McDonald, a farmer, and Helen Brown.
She came to New Zealand with her family in the 1860s where she married Alfred Clode, a widower with one child in 1865.
Alfred worked as a carrier then a hotelkeeper - they had 16 children, one who died in infancy.
In the late 1880s 'when the railway was opened to Colac and the sawmilling started, the family removed there, being amongst the first settlers, where visitors to their well-known residence near the sea were always sure of a warm welcome.'
When Agnes signed the suffrage petition they were still living at Colac Bay.
Alfred died in 1911 and Agnes died at her home on 5 September 1915, they are buried together in the Riverton Cemetery.
Her obituary said she 'was a lady of a most kindly disposition and beloved by all.'
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
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/
Invercargill City Council https://icc.govt.nz