Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Sarah Matthews was born about 1850 in London.
She emigrated to New Zealand in 1873 on the William Davie and the same year she married James Collie, a farmer.
They had five children and also adopted a son.
When Sarah signed the suffrage petition the family were farming near Winton in Southland.
They retired to Riverton, Southland where James died in 1912 and Sarah died on 5 November 1923.
Her obituary described her as one of the district’s 'oldest and respected residents.'
They are buried together in the Riverton Cemetery.
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
Southland District Council https://www.southlanddc.govt.nz/