Judy Marsh said her mother, Lesley Wardell, who died eight years ago, had done a lot of research into the family history and she felt "a certain sense of responsibility" to transform her work into something more permanent.
The two families came together when Cecil Wardell and Rose, nee Anderson, who lived on neighbouring stations in North Otago, married.
When Cecil's father died the pair moved to Dunedin where they established the Wardells grocery store. The High St - or then George St - outlet opened in 1889 and closed in 1979.
The Anderson family were champion dog trial breeders, trainers, competitors, judges and administrators, and there are several national title-holders in the family.
The family tree has been traced back to their 17th-century origins in Ireland and Scotland.
The descendants of both families regularly met for reunions and other events, Ms Marsh said.
The book about the family history, titled High Street Shopping and High Country Farming and written by Dunedin author Ian Dougherty, was launched at a family gathering at Glenfalloch Gardens in Dunedin yesterday.
About 100 family members attended.
