Family

Alexander McLean married Ann Robertson in 1856 in Dry Run, Shoalhaven, NSW. They lived in the Shoalhaven area for many years and had their children there. This page is the account of Alexander McLean's other family and what became of those descendants. We share the common ancestor of Alexander McLean and thus have our name from his family before him.

Ancestors

Descendants

Allan McLean (1858)

Allan rowed with his brother Alex when they were younger then moved away to teach. Understood to be a marvellous teacher and when he passed there were letters from judges and all respected members of society to his family.

Alexander McLean (1860)

Alexander (aka Alex, Alec, Aleck, Alick) McLean

Alex Jr helped to run the farm as a child. He was said to be very inventive by nature. Initially he rowed with his brother Allan but Allan eventually had to move away to teach. Alex convinced a young boy working on the farm to join him, it was Jim Stanbury who he began to row with and it is said they built their own rowing skiffs. Jim Stanbury was the sculler who overtook John McLean as the Champion of the World. Alex McLean Jr was known in rowing circles as a shoalhaven sculler and mentioned in a few races on his own and with Stanbury. There is a news article which mentions that an Alexander McLean was a witness during a Court Case between John McLean and another Sculler. It is believed this is Alexander McLean Jr. who was there as he was present in the sculling community of the time and region. His testimony states he is 'not a relative of the plaintiff' however it is assumed that this illegitimate child was never discussed between Alexander McLean Snr and his children

After Jim Stanbury won the World Championship, in 1893, he went to America and Canada to try and make money through a tour of rowing over stakes. He took with him, Alexander McLean, a sculler from the South Coast and Shoalhaven. They left for San Francisco on February 20th 1893. They were next found to be at an International Regatta in Austin Texas in June 1893 where Stanbury and McLean didn't do very well. This led Stanbury to head home while Alexander McLean apparently headed to BC, Canada. He lived in Vancouver for some time and then moved 'up North' possibly to Alaska. Family anecdotes mention him being involved in the biggest gold dredge but unknown what capacity. He wa salso said to be married. In 1901 in a Canadian Census he is mentioned as British (Crossed out) Canadian. He was mentioned in 1906 as being killed in an ice climbing accident in Alaska but this was later proved false as he wrote home declaring he was safe. At the time of his mother, Ann's, death in 1914, he was listed as a 'resident of Canada'**.

Janet Isabella McLean (1862)

Never got married. Was apparently a very different person and didn't get along too well with many. Lived at the farm Violet Bank in Shoalhaven for most of her life. Died in the 1930's

Hector McLean (1864)

Robert McLean (1867)

Mary Flora McLean (1872)

Margaret Kate McLean (1877)

John McLean (ii)