Annie Schnackenberg
Annie Jane Schnackenberg ( Allen; 22 November 1835 – 2 May 1905) was a New Zealand Wesleyan missionary, temperance and welfare worker, and suffragist. She served as president of the Auckland branch of the Women's Christian Temperance Union New Zealand (WCTU NZ) 1887 to 1897, and national president for WCTU NZ from 1892 to 1901 – overseeing the final push for petitioning the government to grant women the right to vote in national elections. She also was a charter member of the National Council of Women of New Zealand. Early life Annie Jane Allen was born in Leamington Priors, Warwickshire, England on 22 November 1835, the eldest daughter of Elizabeth Dodd (1808–1881) and Edward Allen (1811–1891). Edward owned a farm and, according to the 1861 England census, together with his wife ran a draper business. Annie Jane Allen was a milliner. Her younger siblings were Mary Elizabeth Allen Hooper (1837–1933), Thomas (1840–1925), Eliza Allen Pegler (1843–1921), Edward Allen Jr. (1846–1936), and John (1848–1921). Migration to New Zealand and missionary work The family moved to New Zealand in 1861, travelling on the Black Eagle, and became pioneer farmers in the Mount Albert area of Auckland. Within days of her arrival, Annie signed up to teach in Wesleyan Mission schools on the west coast of the Waikato region at the mission station run by Rev. Cort Henry Schnackenberg (27 November 1812 – 10 August 1880). Eliza White, who had previously served at the Kawhia Mission, probably was part of her recruitment. Allen set out for Kawhia in November 1861, a difficult journey by bullock dray, canoe and foot which took two weeks. At Kawhia, she assisted Cort Schnackenberg (born 1812) and his wife Amy to save and educate the Māori people. The Inspector of Native Schools praised her work. Amy died of breast cancer in late 1863, and Cort proposed to Annie within months. They were married in Auckland on 12 May 1864. They had five children: Katrina Elizabeth (1865–1952), married 1890 John Edward Astley (1861–1962) Amy Isabel Mary (1867–1947) Edward Henry (1869–1953), married 1890 Elsie Jane Evelyn Allen (1876–1921), his first cousin Thomas Carl (1871–1953), married 1901 Amy Taylor (1877–1956) Lucy Jane (1872–1937), married 1899 Samuel Tatton Astley (1876–1956), John's younger brother From 1865 to 1872 they had three daughters and two sons. The Waikato War of 1863–1864 disrupted the mission's work, and a subsequent ban imposed by the Māori King Movement on European travel in the area decided the church authorities to move the mission further north to Raglan. They remained at Raglan until Cort's health failed in 1880. He died on board ship travelling to Auckland. Annie returned to live at her family's farmhouse with her children. Activism Schnackenberg became active in local church affairs, and became a leader of the Pitt Street Methodist Church by 1882. During this time, she would have met Elizabeth Caradus and other women later active in social reform for women. She was a foundation member of the Auckland branch of the Women's Christian