Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Rebecca Jane Nicholson was born in 1851 in Scotland – the daughter of David Nicholson, a rent agent, and Margaret Carruthers.
Her mother died in 1866 and, in 1872, Rebecca emigrated to New Zealand on the “William Davie” accompanied by her older sister Elizabeth and younger brother Andrew.
Rebecca married James Fraser, a tailor, on 9 September 1874 in Dunedin.
They lived in Milton until 1885 when they moved to Dunedin.
They had five children, two who died in infancy before James died at his home in March 1887.
Their last child, Sophia, was born later that year in September.
When Rebecca signed the suffrage petition she was living in Forth Street, Dunedin.
She died on 14 April 1902 and she is buried in the family grave in the Northern Cemetery.
Sources:
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/
