Mary Ellen FARNEY was born in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1846
She was a daughter of Barbara Farney (1822-1898) who later married Robert HUNTER and settled in Kaiapoi, Canterbury

Mary Ellen married Thomas Harford DILLON in 1863 at the Kaiapoi Registry Office
- he was a son of Thomas DILLON and Eleanor 'Ellen' NOWELL of Bath, Somerset. Thomas, (father) having been born during the voyage of the ship FIFESHIRE to Nelson in 1841, halfway across the Indian Ocean. He had been named after the ships Captain Harford ARNOLD

the 13 children of Mary & Thomas
1864-1864 Alfred Dillon
- died an infant

1865-1865 Ellen Dillon
- premature baby, died aged 14 days

1866-1942 Thomas Dillon
- he married Elizabeth Valentine ERRINGTON
- Thomas died age 76

1869-1932 Arthur Dillon
- he died aged 63 of suicide

1871-1872 Robert Dillon
- he died aged 1 as a result of an accident

1873-1891 Katherine CLara Dillon
- died aged 18 due to illness

1875-1939 Herbert Dillon
- never married
- died aged 64

1878-1953 Frederick Dillon
- married Evelyn Kate MASON in 1903
- he died aged 75

1879-1951 Jessie Margaret Dillon
- married John ROBERTSON in 1902
- she died aged 72

1881-1948 Percy Dillon
- he married Martha Annie MCDOWELL in 1908
- he died aged 67

1883-1935 John Stuart Dillon
- he married Everil Isloa GREEN in 1915
- he married Annie Mary WHELAN in 1928
- no children of either marriage
- he died aged 52

1885-1962 Atanley Elliot Dillon
- he married Violet Emily GAYNE in 1915
- he married Elizabeth Amelia WILLIAMS in 1922
- no children of either marriage
- he died aged 77

1886-1961 Ellen Mary 'Daisy' Dillon
- she married Robert McLaren MAULE in 1907
- she died aged 75