Biography

JESSIE SWANN

Burial register ID: 15298
Surname: SWANN
First name: JESSIE
Middle names:
Gender: Female
Age: 86 Years
Cause of death: Unknown
Burial type:
Date of death: 19-Jan-1934
Date of burial: 21-Jan-1934

Block: 165
Plot: 14
Inscription:

Bio contributor: Sharon Smith

Jessie Swann n&eacutee Wood

Jessie Wood was born Janet Wood, about 1851 in Colinton, Midlothian, Scotland, to Janet Wood n&eacutee Brydon aged 35 and William Wood aged 32. Her father’s occupation was carter and loadsman. William Wood and Janet Brydon were both born in Eddelston, Peebles.

Jessie had three brothers. James Wood b. 1853. Robert Wood b. 1855 and George Wood b. 6 June 1857. All children were born in Colinton, Midlothian, Scotland.

David Anderson Swann married Jessie Wood in Midlothian, Edinburgh, Scotland, on 10 June 1870, when David and Jessie were both 19 years old.

Jessie and David Swann had two children in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.

Their first, a son named John Finlay Swann born on June 12, 1871.

Their daughter, Mary McDonald Swann was born on May 20 1873.

David Anderson Swann and Jessie Swann emigrated to NZ on the ship Geraldine Paget, arriving in Canterbury on 27 Dec 1874. Accompanying them on the journey were their two children: John Swann 3 years and Mary Swann 1 year old. Jessie Swann was listed as 26 years old. David Swann was listed as 26 years, and his occupation was listed as a Lancashire Sawyer.

David and Jessie Swann went on to have seven more children in NZ

Jane Swann b.1877. Margaret Anderson Swann b. 10/01/1880. Catherine Neaves Swann b.16/07/1882. Agnes Swann b.1885 . David Anderson Swann b.1887. Constance Muriel Swann b.1891. George Swann b.1894

The Swann family residence was listed in several different sources as 13 Helena Street, Caversham, Dunedin. The family of 11 resided in the same house from the 1880’s. David passed away in this house in 1816.

Jessie was a well-known suffragette and as such has a write up in the NZ biographies.

After that time, Jessie Swann moved to 25 Helena Street, to live with her daughter Constance Muriel Skinner and her husband John Mercer Skinner.

There she resided, until her death at the age of 86 years old, on 19 January 1934. She is buried with David and one of their daughters, Jane Swann, who died at the age of 24 years old, at the Northern Cemetery, Block 165, Plot 14.

There are 3 Interments in this grave:

Surname First names Age Date of death Date of burial
SWANN DAVID A 68 Years 17-Oct-1916 20-Oct-1916
SWANN JANE 24 Years 07-Sep-1903 09-Sep-1903
SWANN JESSIE 86 Years 19-Jan-1934 21-Jan-1934