Mrs R. Donn

Signed family name

Donn

Signed given name

Mrs R.

Given address

Bank St, Timaru

Sheet number

274

Town/Suburb

Timaru

City/Region

South Canterbury

Notes

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Jessie Craigie was born on 14 May 1841 in Perthshire, Scotland – the daughter of James Craigie, a farm labourer & carpenter, and Agnes MacFarlane. (See 274 Mrs Agnes Craigie)

She emigrated to Canterbury in 1862 on the Echunga accompanied by her sister Jane.

Jessie married Robert Donn, a farmer, on 10 November 1863 in St Mary’s Church in Timaru. They had 11 children and lived in the Timaru area.

Robert was declared bankrupt in 1879 and the family spent a few years in Temuka before returning to Timaru where Jessie signed the suffrage petition.

Robert died at their home in 1916 and, in May 1931 Jessie celebrated her 90th birthday. She was 'presented with a beautiful bouquet by a small great-grand-daughter'.

She died on 31 March 1938 and is buried with Robert in the Timaru Cemetery.