Alexander McLennan - I6637 - Individual Information - Lynne and Grayemes Genealogy at Kinpendium

Alexander McLennan (I6637)

Name:
Alexander McLennan

Gender: Male

Birth: 1805 Plockton, Ross-shire, Scotland.
Death: 25 March 1881 "Caledonian Park", Orara River, NSW

Personal Facts and Details

Notes

Note

Alexander's death is reg. at Grafton # 7168/1881 McLennan, Alexander - Parent Donald - Died Orara.
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From “A History of Coutt’s Crossing and Nymboida Districts” – Vol One

In the early 19th Century immigration by families from the Highlands of Scotland was chosen as an escape from the economic depression of their homeland. The Rev. John Dunmore Lang was an outspoken advocate of free immigration and went to Britain to seek government assistance to have ships made available to bring selected Highland families to Australia, particularly those from overpopulated farming communities. Alexander McLennan attended lectures given by Rev. J. Dunmore Lang during his tour of the highlands and islands, and came to the conclusion that the new colony of New South Wales was the land of opportunity for industrious, hard working highlanders. So in 1837 Alexander decided to forsake immigration to Nova Scotia to join members of his family established there and to bring his young wife, Mary ‎‎‎(nee Matheson)‎‎‎ and child, Farquhar, to the colony.

Catherine, Alexander’s sister joined the immigrants who journeyed on foot, from Plockton, Ross-shire to Portree, Isle of Skye, where they were taken aboard the government chartered vessel “William Nicol” which was preparing to sail on 6th July 1837. It is noteworthy that this ship was about the same length as one and a half suburban passenger rail carriages of modern design. When the “William Nicol” left port it was carrying 148 adult immigrants and 180 children, plus officers andcrew including Dr. George Roberts and a Chaplain. Food was described as ample, space of 18 inches only was allowed each person. Dr. Robert’s knowledge and skilful attention given the highland folk during the voyage prevented diseases spreading throughout the ship, there being only 10 child deaths and one female adult death recorded when the “William Nicol” arrived in Port Jackson on 17th October 1837. It is well to remember that few spoke English and the ship’s Master, crew, and Doctor did not speak the gaelic, so communication was most difficult.

Alexander McLennan was engaged at ships side by John Dow Esq, a squatter of Invermein, on the Hunter River as a stockman at thirty pounds per annum and rations. This was considered well above the ruling wage at that time.

Sister Catherine was engaged as a housemaid at ten pounds per annum by H.C.Sempill Esq, a squatter of Belltrees, near Invermein.

Alexander gained great knowledge of the country and experience as a stockman in the wide open spaces of the colony and he became a teamster as an alternate form of employment. Firstly he continued working for Dow, then moved to Sandy Creek near Muswellbrook, where he was classified a “small farmer” for the Dumaresq family who had taken up the St. Heliers run some ten years previously. This family also had several runs north of St Heliers to Tilbuster in the New England area. Alexander was a teamster for the Dumaresq family delivering much needed supplies to the New England and after a short while he purchased a team and wagon and continued to carry Dumaesq supplies and on the return trip to the Hunter would be loaded with wool, grain and other produce. Many new settlers came north with the numerous teamsters who traveled the road.

Meanwhile, Catherine McLennan married William Freeman who was employed on Segenhoe Run, the marriage taking place in 1839 at Pages River ‎‎‎(Murrurundi)‎‎‎.

Alexander continued to look for land as a squatterage in the New England area. From documents we have been permitted to study we have been able to establish that with other teamsters, Alexander came to the Elbow ‎‎‎(Lawrence)‎‎‎ with produce from Tilbuster via Tenterfield for shipping to Sydney in 1842-43. This long journey was undertaken due to the impassable road from the New England to the shipping port of Morpeth.

In 1843 Alexander McLennan decided to secure land at the Guy Fawkes and he moved his family from Sandy Creek, St Heliers Run to a humble home, made of slab walls, bark roof and earthen floor at Glenfernaigh. Meanwhile William Freeman and his family secured land in the same area which they named “Greenwich”, this squatterage is better known today as “Wirrialpa”. Life for the women folk among the early squatters was not easy, but it is surprising with what endurance and heroism it wasborne. Life was not a hum-drum existence with the same round of duties from day to day but there were innumerable instances, tragic and humorous, which lent a spicy variety to life.

The McLennans were very hospitable people and travelers and friends alike came frequently to the homestead for food and overnight accommodation. The homestead was approximately halfway between Armidale and the Clarence. It was also a popular stop over for the police troopers in the charge of Constable A.B. Walker where they knew there was always lodgings and plenty of free fodder for their mounts. Constable Walker is reputed to have shot the notorious bushranger, Thunderbolt ‎‎‎(Frederick Ward)‎‎‎ at Uralla in 1870. Ministers of all religions were welcome at Glenfernaigh and non-denominational services were held there at which baptisms and marriages were celebrated and religious instructions were given and appreciated.

Wheat was grown at Glenfernaigh until rust made it uneconomical, then maize took its place. The women ground the grain in a small hand mill for use as flour in the home. Potatoes and other vegetables grew plentifully there but supplies from the stores took a long time to arrive. An orchard supplied fruit of all kinds and honey was always available from hives which were kept in the orchard.

In the winter Mary McLennan, her daughters and also their neighbours made a lot of butter and this was salted and put in casks to be kept. Cheese was produced throughout the year. Sufficient pigs were slaughtered and made into bacon to last through each winter. As it was very cold in the winter at Glenfernaigh the cattle would go away into the thick scrubs and not return again until the warmer weather came again.

For some time the merchants and residents of the New England District had spoken with many of the teamsters who knew the area well and asked for opinions whether a short road could be established between Falconer and the Clarence. Through optimistic foresight and faith in their observations when traveling through the forests on horseback, Alexander McLennan and William Freeman went to Falconer and met with an interested party of businessmen and squatters. Following a few days of talks it was agreed that together with James Hooke, the businessmen’s representative, and 3 drays loaded with wool from the squatters with the drivers representing their owners, Alexander and William with a dray each loaded with road making equipment and supplies set out in 1846 to establish a short ‎‎‎(commercial)‎‎‎ road from Falconer to the Clarence, leaving the old Craig Line at the Guy Fawkes. The work was hard and many hazards were overcome, the drays often had to have a tree tied behind them to helphold the vehicles on the steep down grades, this being known as a “drag”.

The “cut” or roadway was to be 25 feet wide wherever possible and by avoiding the gullies and keeping to the ridges the party cut their way through virgin forest for about four months, when just before reaching Nymboida on a high range betweenWest Camp ‎‎‎(Horton’s Creek)‎‎‎ and the village, the men were held up by extremely wet weather and running short of food, they were forced to kill one of their bullocks for meat, its name was “Lofty” and the spot is still known as Mount Lofty. Unfortunately the meat had to remain unsalted as the supply of salt in the camp had long since gone, naturally most of it went bad. Nevertheless “poor Lofty” tided them over the worst of the period while waiting for the water in the flooded Nymboida River to drop. The plight of the road making party attracted the attention of a resident on the opposite bank of the river and in a shouted conversation made their position understood. The outcome was half a sheep being sent over in a washing tub, being controlled by a native who swam across with it.

James Hooke left the rest of the party and continued on to his run at Buccarumbi, while the men and their drays continued to the Clarence where they were able to deliver their loads in good order and condition, just five months after leaving Falconer.

This somewhat primitive roadway won from virgin forest was the foundation of the Armidale to Grafton road as we know it today.

When the Robertson Land Act was passed James Aitken, a longtime acquaintance of Alexander McLennan persuaded him to select land next to “Bushy Park”, no doubt being of the opinion “that better the devil you know than a stranger”. Alexanderselected portions 24 and 27 in his own name and portion 25, Parish of Elland, in that of his youngest son, Roderick.

In the mid 1860’s Alexander and Mary McLennan and their two youngest daughters, Jessie and Mary left Glenfernaigh to take up their selection on the Orara. A bullock dray conveyed their belongings, whilst Alexander, Mary and the two girls rode, accompanied by a pack-horse. They came the first day to Shea’s at Clouds Creek, then to their son Farquhar’s home at Blaxland Creek and the third day to their new home. The dray of course was much longer on the road. There was no bridge at Coutt’s Crossing then and the McLennans came by way of Poley Bridge on the Rushforth road. It may be of interest to know there was then a bridge there and what is now known as the Rushforth road was then the main road from Armidale.

Alexander McLennan was born 1805 near Plockton, Ross-shire, Scotland, the son of Donald McLennan. He died at “Caledonian Park” on 25th March 1881, aged 75 years.

Mary McLennan nee Matheson was born 1815 near Plockton, Ross-shire, the daughter of Alexander Matheson. She died at her home on 3rd August 1898, aged 83 years.

They are both buried in the Presbyterian section of the Bent St Cemetery in South Grafton.

Alexander and Mary’s children were ;

1. Farquhar McLennan born in Scotland c 1834 m. 1857 ‎‎‎(registered at Grafton -1813/1857)‎‎‎ to Mary Ann Austen. He died in 1910 ‎‎‎(registered at Grafton - 13412/1910)‎‎‎

2. Donald McLennan born 1838 at Sandy Creek m.1. 15.12.1859 ‎‎‎(registered at Grafton - 1710/1860)‎‎‎ at South Grafton to Ann McPherson, m.2. 1875 ‎‎‎(registered at Grafton - 2649/1875)‎‎‎ to Mary Weatherstone. He died in 1891 at Mudall Station of which he was manager ‎‎‎(registered at Nyngan – 11385/1891)‎‎‎.

3. Flora Ann McLennan born 1840 m.1861 ‎‎‎(registered at Armidale – 1179/1861)‎‎‎ Richard Henry Vivian Graham. She died in 1920 ‎‎‎(registered at Lismore – 14610/1920)‎‎‎.

4. John McLennan born 1842 m..1871 ‎‎‎(registered at Grafton – 2307/1871)‎‎‎ to Ellen Agnes McKanna. He died in 1924 ‎‎‎(registered at Grafton – 2506/1924)‎‎‎.

5. Alexander Matheson McLennan born c 1843 and died 1860 aged 17 years. He is buried at Glenfernaigh. He was a stock keeper for his father at the time of his death.

6. Kenneth McDonald McLennan born 1845 m.1886 ‎‎‎(registered at Grafton – 5161/1886)‎‎‎ to Allegea Gray. He died in 1907 ‎‎‎(registered at Grafton – 13684/1907)‎‎‎

7. Christina McLennan born 1849 m. 1866 ‎‎‎(registered at Armidale)‎‎‎ 1352/1866) at her parents home at Glenfernaigh to Thomas Maxwell. She died aged 76 years on 8.2.1926 and is buried in the Presbyterian section of the Bent St Cemetery in South Grafton. ‎‎‎(registered at Grafton – 4373/1926)‎‎‎.

8. George Murchison McLennan born 1851 m.1875 ‎‎‎(registered at Grafton – 2745/1880)‎‎‎ to Ellen Hawthorne. He died in 1885 from injuries and exposure when his horse fell during a hailstorm at Bushy Park ‎‎‎(registered at Grafton 10055/1885)‎‎‎.

9. Roderick McLennan born 1854. He is said to have moved to the Richmond River. ‎‎‎( two possible marriages ??? 3675/1880 at Inverell to Ellen Godwin or 7614/1885 at Tweed Heads to Marian Jane Dodds)‎‎‎

10. Jessie Elizabeth McLennan born 11.5.1856 at Glenfernaigh m.1883 ‎‎‎(registered at Grafton – 4823/1883)‎‎‎ to William Yardy. She died aged 81 years on 21.12.1937 and is buried in the Presbyterian section of Coutt’s Crossing Cemetery ‎‎‎(registered at Grafton – 26615/1937)‎‎‎

11. Mary Ann McLennan born 2.4.1858 at Glenfernaigh m1. ‎‎‎(registered at Grafton – 2694/1876)‎‎‎ to Laurence McKanna, m2. to William George Perry. She died aged 70 years on 3.3.1928 and is buried in Kempsey Cemetery ‎‎‎(registered at Kempsey – 2837/1928)‎‎‎.

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	Events of close relatives
Birth	1805 Plockton, Ross-shire, Scotland.
Marriage	17 March 1833 (Age 28) Mary Matheson - Plockton, Scotland
Death	25 March 1881 (Age 76) "Caledonian Park", Orara River, NSW
Last Change	22 August 2009 - 18:54:05 Last changed by: Lynne

Multimedia Object	Alexander McLennan.jpg Format: jpg Image Dimensions: 445 x 635
Multimedia Object	Alexander McLennan death Format: jpg Image Dimensions: 2550 x 3300 Type: certificate Note: Death Certificate courtesy of Stephany Smith.
Multimedia Object	Alexander & Mary's Headstones Format: jpg Image Dimensions: 640 x 497 Note: Dorothy Griffey has bought to my attention, the incorrect year of death on Alexander's headstone ie 1880 instead of 1881 as per death cert.
Multimedia Object	Alexander & Mary's Marriage Registration. Format: jpg Image Dimensions: 727 x 1117 Note: Courtesy of Mick Reed.
Multimedia Object	Courtesy of Mick Reed Format: jpg Image Dimensions: 350 x 1188
Multimedia Object	Alexander's death notice Format: jpg Image Dimensions: 383 x 115 Note: Courtesy of Mick Reed.