OBITUARY

Southland Times, Issue 21822, 27 September 1932, Page 3

OBITUARY

MRS JEANNIE MACPHERSON.

(Contributed).

The death of Mrs Jeannie Macpherson on September 21 at Invercargill in her 86th year leaves a blank in the church and community as well as in her home. She possessed a fine constitution and it? was only in the last week or so of her life that she was laid aside, and even so, the final call was unexpected. The deceased lady was born in Old Cumnock, Ayrshire, Scotland, the fifth of the eight children of Andrew and Ann Reid Ronald. Her parents removed to Southend, Argyllshire, when she was two years old. Early bereft of her mother she was brought up by her maternal grandparents and by them given an exceptionally good education at Irome Academy, Ayrshire. Later she returned to her father’s house in Southend from whence she was married to Mr Duncan Macpherson in 1870. Deciding to proceed to New Zealand Mr and Mrs Macpherson and their infant son left Greenock in the Sir James Nicol Fleming, reaching Bluff in 1872 and proceeding to Waianiwa to the home of Mrs Macpherson’s brother (William Ronald). They later lived for a time at “Kilbride,” the property of Mr John Blue, who at that time was with his family living at Woodlands. Meantime a farm which they named “Annfield” was bought. By dint of hard work and considerable expenditure the farm was eventually converted into a valuable property. Although coming to the district after “the tent and slab hut” era, Mrs Macpherson exhibited the finest traits of the pioneer women and made an ideal helpmate to her husband, joining heartily in the toil and self-denial necessary to the securing of a competency. Another property was acquired at Spar Bush, and eventually “Annfield” was sold and the home established there. Mr Macpherson died on October 2, 1014, but his widow lived on in the old home till recently when she was residing in Timaru for a time with her eldest son. Latterly her home was with her daughter, Mrs John Blue, Northend, Invercargill. In 1920 Mrs Macpherson in congenial company revisited her native land. To her it was a time of constant delight, and she was never wearied in recounting her many happy experiences and in again visiting the scenes of her youth, particularly in Ayrshire and Argyllshire. An ardent admirer of the Scottish National Bard she was quietly proud of the fact that the Reids and the Ronalds from whom she was descended, flourished at the same time, and in the same little bit of Scotland- and prouder still was she of the reverent admiration expressed by the poet for one of the family of whom she was a namesake—Jean Ronald—in the following lines:— “There’s one they ca’ Jean, I’ll warrant you have seen As bonny a lass, or as braw, mon, But for sense and guid taste, she’ll vie with the best, And a conduct that beautifies a,’ mon.”

These lines could have been well applied to the subject of this notice as those who had the honour and privilege of her acquaintance can well testify.

Mrs Macpherson’s brothers, the late Messrs William and Robert J. Ronald, and only sister, Mrs Margaret McDermid, were old and respected residents of Waianiwa and Wairio respectively. The members of the family left are Mr Dugald Macpherson (Invercargill), Mrs John Blue (Northend, Invercargill), Messrs Andrew, James and Daniel (Waianiwa) and John (Lochiel). Two daughters died some years ago. The funeral left the house of Mr John Blue on Friday, September 23, for Wallace--lown (new) cemetery. The service at the house was conducted by the Rev. C. J. Tocker and at the graveside by the Rev. John Chisholm. The pall-bear-ers at both house and cemetery were 'the songs, grandsons, nephews and sons-in-law of the deceased.