Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Maude Madeline Benson was born about 1852 in England.
She emigrated to New Zealand and she married Duncan McDougall, a baker, on 3 August 1876 in North Otago.
They had six children and lived in Ashburton, Timaru, Dunedin and Invercargill before coming to Cardrona where Maude signed the suffrage petition.
In 1896 Duncan was declared bankrupt after which the family moved to Gore where, in 1903, Duncan was again declared insolvent.
After this the family was again on the move living in Winton, Bluff and Orepuki .
Maude died in Orepuki on 28 December 1926 and Duncan died in 1934, they are buried together in the Riverton Cemetery.
Maude’s obituary said she 'was ever ready to lend a helping hand to those in sickness or distress and her kindly nature will always be cherished by a large circle of friends'.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Southland District Council https://www.southlanddc.govt.nz/
Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/
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