Surname: MCGLASHAN
Given Name(s): John

Occupation(s): Ship Commander/Farmer

Birth Details
Birth County, Region, Province: Argyll
Birth Country: Scotland, UK

Death Details
Death Town: Mannum
Death State/Territory: South Australia
Death Country: Australia
Death Date: 1919

Immigration Details
Air/Port Landed: Port Adelaide
Ship/Plane: Oaklands
Year Arrived: 1879

Surname: MCKELLAR
Given Name(s): Catherine

Occupation(s): Home Duties

Birth Details
Birth Town: Cairnbaan, Kilcalmonell & Kilberry
Birth County, Region, Province: Argyll
Birth Country: Scotland, UK
Birth Date: 1839

Death Details
Death Town: Mannum
Death State/Territory: South Australia
Death Country: Australia
Death Date: 1920

Immigration Details
Air/Port Landed: Port Adelaide
Ship/Plane: Oaklands
Year Arrived: 1879

Family Stories

Life in Australia:

An extract of John's obituary in the "Adelaide Chronicle" dated 25th October, 1919 follows: John McGlashan was a native of Strachur, Argyllshire, Scotland. At an early age he adopted the sea as a profession and after several voyages, full of adventure to the West Indies and other foreign parts, was at an early age appointed to the command of vessels trading to various parts of the British Isles ...My father and his cousin recall being told that John had been a pirate! I think it is possible that at some time, John was a Privateer. The Oxford English Dictionary makes reference to privateers from the 17th to the late 19th century: "An armed vessel owned and officered by private persons, and holding a commission from the government, called "letters of marque", authorizing the owners to use it against a hostile nation, and especially in the caputure of merchant shipping. Privateers were little scrupulous as to what kind of victim they pounced upon."John and Catherine emigrated "for health reasons", departing from Greenock on 19th June, 1879 for Port Adelaide, South Australia. Their infant son died prematurely born on board the "Oaklands". The family initially travelled to Dalkey, a district in the Western District of Victoria, just across the border from Naracoorte. The "Adelaide Chronicle" resumes:...."After a short period spent in the Dalkey district, where he gained farming experience, he then secured land in the newly opened Hundred of Younghusband, where with the assistance of his wife and sons, he set to clearing the virgin dense scrub preparatory to sowing a crop. John continued farming operations there for 24 years before he retired and went to live in his residence on the Cliff View property approximately 14 miles up stream from Mannum, where he lived for 7 years before moving into the township of Mannum, where he lived for 7 years until his death in 1919 at the age of 82 years. The deceased was keenly interested in education matters and was one of the few residents who undertook the financial responsibility of erecting a substantial school building at Younghusband. The deceased has left a widow, five sons, and four daughters. Mr McGlashan was for over 40 years connected with the Ancient Order of Foresters". My work, "The McGlashan" book has full details and photographs of this family, including many altercations between John and the Mannum Council over fencing and access roads. Mrs. Audrey Fisk, Foresters Heritage Trust, Southampton advised me that no central records of membership were ever kept by the Ancient Order of Foresters but were the responsibility of each Court (branch), and these have not survived. However, at Lochgilphead, along the coastline just south of Strachur, Court "Royal Crown" No. 6313 was formed in 1876. Its membership grew rapidly and, in fact, doubled in the year before John McGlashan left for Australia. In 1876 he was just young enough to become a member (not older than 39). The Adelaide "Chronicle" report says he was "connected with the AOF for over 40 years", not a member for 40 years, which would tie up with this. "I suspect he maintained his original membership with his parent Court, something not by any means unknown. In any case he would have been too old to take out membership in Australia. Again, I suspect that he may have been a founder of the Court in Mannum, "Albert" No. 6592, founded in 1882. He would have had to be an Honorary Member. There should be reports in the "Chronicle" over the years reporting on the anniversary celebrations of the Court, in which his name might be mentioned. There were 65 Courts in the Adelaide District in the 1880s".The Order, one of the largest of many Friendly Societies, with roots far back in the eighteenth century, reached a peak of significance in the late nineteenth century. In the harsh social and economic climate of the day men needed to club together for mutual support in times of sickness and distress. Many of the financial needs which used to face the ordinary working man, and which the Order tried to meet, have in the present century been taken over and met by the State, but in no small measure the need for mutual self-help in sickness and death is still with us and the Order continues to flourish. Membership had nothing to do with trees or forests, but had everything to do with practical responsibility towards one's family and towards other members of the Order who fell on hard times.

Life Before Australia:

John was the son of Finlay and Janet McGlashan (nee McNicol) and grandson of Archibald MacGlashan and Catharine McNiccoll, who married in 1800 at Stralachlan, Argyllshire. Catherine McKellar's father, Peter was a Sheriff's Officer. He married Catherine McGregor at Glassary, Argyllshire in 1824. John and Cathrine's son, Peter was born before the couple married. They were both 22 years old. Strachur was John's usual residence and Stralachlan, Cathrine's. John's occupation was listed as "tailor", but when his son John was born in 1863, his occupation clearly shows "sailor". The 1849/9 Population Census of the United Parishes of Strachur and Stralachlan carried out by a Minister of the Church of Scotland indicates that young Cath McKellar "cousin", then aged, 9, was residing in July, 1848 with Lachlan McGrigor, shepherd; Catherine McGrigor, wife, and sons Donald and Peter all at Mid Letters Stralachlan. Perhaps young Cathrine was giving home help to her relatives, or that her mother had died, and the children were "farmed out" to relatives. Her mother is listed as deceased on Cathrine's marriage licence in 1862, and was last known to be alive in 1843 when daughter, Mary was born. Before Catherine married in 1862, she followed Lachlan and Catherine McGrigor when they moved to Sunfield, Strathlachlan. Years later, Cathrine was to name her property in Mannum, South Australia "Sunfield Farm". The civil registry of her son, Peter's birth describes Cathrine as a "domestic servant of Leanach, Stralachlan".

Descendants

Children
MCGLASHAN, Peter 1 MCGLASHAN, Catherine 10 MCGLASHAN, William Ernest 11
MCGLASHAN, John 2 MCGLASHAN, Lachlan 3 MCGLASHAN, Mary Cowan 4
MCGLASHAN, Donald 5 MCGLASHAN, Catherine 6 MCGLASHAN, Ann 7
MCGLASHAN, Janet Nicol 8 MCGLASHAN, Stillborn 9

Grandchildren
MCGLASHAN, Jean 2 MCGLASHAN, John Eric (Ricky) 2 MCGLASHAN, Robert 2

Great Grandchildren
MCGLASHAN, Gavin 2 MCGLASHAN, John Gardner 2

Great Great Grandchildren
MCGLASHAN, Bruce 2 MCGLASHAN, Gail 2 MCGLASHAN, Jill 2
MCGLASHAN, Ross 2

Great Great Great Grandchildren
DODD, Hayley Sharon 2 DODD, Kane Michael 2

NB: Superscript behind each descendant name represents the lineage number of that descendant.
This family information was last updated by GAIL DODD on the 24 January, 1999.