Elsie was born in Scotland. There is a record of her christening on 10 Sep 1835. Not much is known of her early life, excepting the recollection of an elderly aunt who remembered her working in a match factory in Aberdeen as a young woman. Her marriage was recorded on 25 Jun 1856 at the Congregational Church in Inverury. She was 20 and was employed as a domestic servant. Her husband Donald was 19 and a gardener at Keithhall. One of the witnesses at their wedding in June of 1856 was George Skene, possibly a relation on her father's side. (George Skene was the name of her grandfather) Elsie's emigration to Australia was not without hardship.
She lost one child en route, and two others while living in a harsh environment. She gave birth to four more children in the Wairarapa area. She had a total of ten children. There is a birth record for a Georgina b. 13 April 1857 at Banchory, Devenick, Kincardine with parrents by the same name but there is no further record of this offspring. Elsie and her husband were true pioneers. They lived in the area of Kopuaranga and together cleared and established Myrtle Farm. Life continued to present challenges. Her husband Donald worked as a contractor and spent long periods away from home clearing a road through the Forty Mile Bush. Their sons may have been a little short on paternal attention. Elsie was rumored to have a still back in the native bush. She and her sister-in-law would disappear to tend to the home brew and come back a few days later feeling no pain.
It would seem that Elsie was very proud of her heritage. Our family was always aware of her connection to the Bruce clan and its place in Scottish history. Her grandfather and great grandfather had both been magistrates in Inverury. Her brother William had also become a prominent leader in the Mormon Church in Severn, Utah. Elsie died of a sudden stroke and bronchitis at age 70. She was separated from Donald at the time of her death.
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