Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Mary Murray was born about 1843 in Scotland.
She married John Wight on 28 May 1870 in Aberdeenshire and soon after their marriage they emigrated to New Zealand.
The family settled in Milton where Mary signed the suffrage petition and John worked as a roading contractor.
They had six children, two who died in infancy, and when their daughter Margaret married in 1907 they were living at 'Braehead' at Fairfax, near Milton.
In 1911 the property was sold and they moved to live in Wanganui.
Before their departure a 'farewell social' was held in the Tokoiti Hall with speeches and dancing.
Mary died at their home in Whanganui on 25 July 1916 and John died the following year, they are buried together in the Aramoho Cemetery, Whanganui.
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
Whanganui District Council https://wdc.whanganui.govt.nz/
Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.
Community contributions