Mrs W. Sutherland

Signed family name

Sutherland

Signed given name

Mrs W.

Given address

Lawrence

Sheet number

Town/Suburb

Lawrence

City/Region

Otago

Notes

Originally transcribed as Mrs H Sutherland

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Elizabeth Ross was born about 1847 in Dornoch, Sutherlandshire, Scotland – the daughter of Alexander Ross, a merchant and farmer, and Mary McKay.

Her family emigrated to Australia sometime after 1851 and, in February 1856, they came to Otago on the Gil Blas.

The family settled at Tokomairiro near Milton in South Otago and Elizabeth married William Sutherland, a tailor and also a native of Dornoch, in 1872.

They had no children and when Elizabeth signed the suffrage petition they were living in Lawrence in Central Otago.

Elizabeth died at her home on 5 August 1919 and William died four days later, they are buried together in the Lawrence Cemetery.

Her obituary says she 'was a quiet, unassuming woman, with a pleasant, kindly disposition, and was greatly loved by all with whom she came into contact. She was a fine type of Christian womanhood, and in the earlier days took a keen and active part in the work of the Presbyterian Church'.