Father

It is not known for certain who John McLean's father is. In an attempt to figure that out, I have outlined all the information we have below.

On John McLean's death certificate, John McLean's oldest son, Charles signs off that John's parents are mentioned as Christina Lamond and Alexander McLean.

A mysterious Alexander McLean was taken to court byBased on the fact that was a small town of less than 300 people at the time (source: Shoalhaven City Council), the only Alexander McLean we can prove to be in the Shoalhaven around this time is Alexander McLean #1 listed below. DNA test results were not able to confirm this though. See below.

What we know about the father

See below for sources listed in (italics).

• ~October 1854 - December 1854

  • An Alexander McLean is attending Dr Aldcorn's residence after being injured where he meets Christina Lamond. (2)

• ~December 1854 - January 1855

  • McLean sleeps with Lamond twice during this period and is seen in bed with Christina Lamond in January 1855. (2)

• ~September 1855 - October 1855

  • John McLean is born. Later documents state it was Sept 17, but no proof given. No Birth record. On Tuesday Feb 5th, 1856, Christina Lamond states that "The child was 4 months old last Sunday" but she doesn't recall the exact date. (2)

• Tues February 5th, 1856

  • Court of petty sessions in Numba determines that Alexander McLean is the father and he is ordered to pay 1 shilling per day for 12 months. (2) (Note: 20 shillings in a pound).

• Tues June 17th, 1856

  • Bernard Brown pays Christina Lamond money from Alexander McLean. She is living around Greenwell Point at this time. (1)

• Sat February 7th, 1857

  • Bernard Brown is paid by Alexander McLean up until Dec 31st, 1857. He suspects that is all she will get. No mention of location, but appears to be Shoalhaven due to mention on same page of "Dry Run". (1)

• Weds October 21st, 1857

  • Court of petty sessions meets at request of Christina Lamond to request further child support from the father. Session is postponed. (2)

• Weds 4th November, 1857

  • Agreement made between lawyers for McLean to provide Lamond (now McDonald) with 3 shillings per week for 2 years. (2)

That is all we know for sure. The rest is just trying to put people in the vicinity of these facts around the same time as they occurred.

Alexander McLean #1

The Alexander McLean, son of Allan and Janet, brother of Donald and others, who later married Ann Robertson.

• Fri, 13th October, 1854

  • An Alexander McLean (listed next to a Donald McLean, Alexander's brothers name) is listed as being in the Shoalhaven donating to the "Famished Jews of Palestine". This puts Alexander McLean #1 in the Shoalhaven area around the time of an Alexander McLean being admitted to Dr Aldcorn's. Not sure that him donating to this charitable cause says anything at all about whether he deserted his wife or not? But it places him in the area at least.

• Fri 26th Jan, 1855

  • An Alexander McLean (listed again next to a Donald McLean, Alexander's brothers name) is listed as being in the Shoalhaven donating to the "Society of destitute children". Also on the list is Bernard Brown, the name of the man who wrote the diary collecting money from Sandy McLean.

• Thurs 3rd May, 1855

  • An Alexander McLean (listed again next to a Donald McLean, Alexander's brothers name) is listed as being in the Shoalhaven donating to another charitable cause. This time, it was listed next to a James Lammond, who is also found in Bernard Brown's diaries as someone who Bernard Brown comes across in his travels collecting child support moneys from Sandy McLean.

• 08 May 1857

  • Job listed as Farm Labourer (Source: Shoalhaven Family History Society)

• Oct 1, 1857

  • Marries Ann Robertson in Numba, Shoalhaven (Source: Newspaper)

• 28 Feb 1859

  • Job listed as Farm Labourer (Source: Shoalhaven Family History Society)

Putting them together:

Each time Alexander McLean #1 seems to be in the right place at the right time. Not conclusive, but pretty coincidental.

Mapping of the Area

The map below shows the proximity of Alexander McLean's home, and the place where he was building his boat, the Janet McFarlane, at the time, with Dr Aldcorn's residence in Mayfield. It seems that a plausible explanation is that it is in fact Alexander McLean #1 and that he was injured at his home or while building the boat, then went to stay at the nearby Dr Aldcorn's house after a minor injury.

DNA Test Results

A direct descendant of Alexander McLean #1 and a direct descendant of John McLean took DNA tests to check if we were related. This came back negative. The two individuals and their lineage back to their respective Alexander McLean is as follows:

M. McLean (b 1988) (GEDmatch Kit #M090748) and A. McLean (b 1950) (GEDmatch Kit #A698991) were compared with 0 shared segments.

• Largest segment = 0.0 cM

• Total of segments > 7 cM = 0.0 cM

• (2181) No shared DNA segments found

• 428027 SNPs used for this comparison.

D. McLean (b 1961) (GEDmatch Kit #M092604) and A. McLean (b 1950) (GEDmatch Kit #A698991) were compared with 0 shared segments.

• Largest segment = 0.0 cM

• Total of segments > 7 cM = 0.0 cM

• (2181) No shared DNA segments found

• 427845 SNPs used for this comparison.

The next test will be to reach out to another relative of John McLean (b 1855) to see if they are willing to do the test to try get a little "further up the chain".

Alexander McLean #2

This Alexander McLean is highly unlikely due to him being based in Sydney, but documenting the disambiguation here for later. He was a grocer, married to an Isabella McLean and lived on King St in Sydney.

• Feb 6, 1855

• Alexander McLean #2 having issues with his wife

• Feb 24, 1855

• Alexander #2's wife leaves him

• Apr 13, 1855

• Alexander McLean #2 having issues with his son

• Sep 11, 1855

• An Alexander McLean is listed in the NSW Police Report, as wanted for desertion of his wife and family. This is just a few days/weeks before John McLean would have been born. But the fact that it aligns with King St and being a grocer in Sydney means it is unlikely we are talking about the one related to John McLean (Source: NSW Police Report)

Sources:

1. Bernard Brown's Diaries

2. Bernard Brown was a Police Constable in that time period, later became an Auctioneer and also was a Magistrate. In the 1850’s though, he also served summonses, and acted as Bailiff in the courts. It seemed he was the go between with people, collecting money and paying the other people.

   1. Tuesday 5th February 1856

      1. "Court of Petty Sessions got through the cases but it got to be late. McLean ordered to support Christina Lamonds Child for a year at 1s/pr day. Paid up to this day."

Numba Bench Books

A book was kept with notes from trials that had taken place. This file was found in 1856 where Christina Lamond sued Alexander McLean for child support.

Numba Bench Books

5th February 1856

Lamond v. McLean

Affiliation

Christina Lamond sworn says- I was at Dr. Aldcorn's as servant, and McLean came there as an Invalid. He made up to me, and when he had been coming there for about a month he seduced me under a Promise of marriage. When he was making the promise he first gave me his left hand I said I would not take that hand, and he then gave me the right hand and took God to witness that he would marry me at the ended [sic] of three weeks. About a month after this McLean had connection with me again. I had no connection with any other person. McLean now before the Court is the father of the child- A boy. I spoke to McLean about 6 weeks before the birth of the child about supporting it, and he said it was not his- Since the child has been born I have written twice to McLean, for support, but never got any answer from him.

By Mr. Owen Esqr I cannot recollect the dates I had connection with McLean nor the date when the child was born. The child was 4 months old last Sunday.

Sworn before us

Witness M. D. Meares

Christina her X mark Lamond

Andr. Aldcorn J.P.

Allen [sic] Lamond sworn says. In January 1855 I have known Sandy McLean to be in my sisters bedroom between 12 & 1 o/c at night. I have often seen him about Dr. Aldcorn's when we lived there, at different hours of the night. And on one occasion I saw him in my sisters bed. My sister was in the bed at the time. This was also in Jany 1855. I did not speak to McLean about his conduct. I have often heard McLean and my sister speaking in her room at night. I never knew my sister to have any other sweetheart but this man.

By Mr. Owen. A man named Andrew Noble was at Dr. Aldcorn's sometimes about this period. I saw him there once at night. He may have been there oftener [sic] without my Knowing it. I was standing in my own room. I heard my sister talking. I went forward & saw Mclean & her in the bed. I never heard my sister say any thing about marrying Andw Noble. There was no one else in the room when they were in bed to my Knowledge. There was a light burning.

Sworn before Allan [sic] Lamond

Andr Aldcorn J.P.

Pleads not guilty

Ordered to pay Seven Shillings a week for 12 months-- to be paid monthly.

At a Court of Petty Sessions held on Wednesday the 21st October [1857] present A. Aldcorn and J. L. Biddulph Esqrs]

Christina Lamond’s application against Alexander Mclean for a further order for his illegitimate child was postponed to the next court.

Andr Aldcorn J.P.
J. L. Biddulph J.P.

At a Court of Petty Sessions held on Wednesday the 4th day of November 1857, A. Aldcorn Ken Mackenzie and A. de mestre Esqr.

McDonald v. McLean

Renewal of Affiliation order

Mr. Owen on the part of the defendant objects to the reception ot the evidence taken for the original affiliation order, and consider that the whole case should be reopened de noro see over the page

McDonald v. McLean see last page

By consent an arrangement is made for the payment of three shillings a week for two years as a final order. To be paid (the whole sum) in Cash together with 28/6 costs.

Ken MacKenzie J.P.

Andw Aldcorn J.P.

A. de Mestre J.P.

OzHistoryMine

OzHistoryMine is an old site only viewable via archive.org This one artifact may not prove anything but useful to note.

1855-1856

A Donald McLean listed as a voter on electoral list in Broughton's Creek? May not be the same. Listed as Voter no 127 - leasehold at Broughton's Creek (Source: OzhistoryMine Shoalhaven Electoral list)

Newspaper listings

1. These are other newspaper listings showing individuals whereabouts and happenings gathered from nla.trove

   1. Newspaper Subscription Lists

      1. These lists were a sort of public receipt showing that someone had donated to a charity or charitable fundraiser.

         1. Fri, 13th October 1854 - this puts Alexander McLean in the Shoalhaven area around the time of an Alexander McLean being admitted to Dr Aldcorn's. Not sure whether him donating to charity says at all about whether he deserted his wife or not? But it places him in the area at least.

1. Maps

   1. NSW Government, the National Library of Australia, and other sources on the internet have some copies of maps that can prove useful in this investigation.

   2. R.J. Walliss - Excerpt from "Greenwell Point—An early Shoalhaven Port”

      1. Full Article in the Greenwell Point Gazette Aug 2006. More details as well.

1. Birth, Death, Marriage Records

   1. John McLean's death certificate