Person:Alexander McLean (1)

Scotland

In the 1841 census for the parish of North Uist, Alexander McLean's profession is listed as "smith". According to Bill Lawson, a researcher in the Western Isles, Alexander was commonly called in Gaelic "an Gobha Ba'n" meaning the fair Blacksmith or fairhaired Smith. His first wife, Rachel McDonald, died before 1841, leaving him with two children. Only one child, his oldest, Neil, then aged 4, appears in his household on this census.

The island of North Uist was suffering economic upheaval in the mid-1800's. It's main industry, the collection of kelp from the sea, collapsed at the end of the Napoleonic Wars, some starvation was occurring, landholders were pushing the population off their tenancies, and towards the end of the 1840's there were incidents of rebellion. Prefacing the 1841 census of the parish of North Uist are these remarks: "The greater part of the population of North Uist are employed in Agriculture & the manufacture of Kelp, very few of them can be said the be in the habit of moving from their ordinary place of residence... There has been no Emigration from this Parish for the last six months, but for some years past about 300 souls have annually emigrated from this Island to Cape Breton Nova Scotia, there will be about the same number going there from the different Districts of the Parish in the month of July next"

Emigration to Canada

According to Bill Lawson, smithing would have been regarded as a skilled trade at this time, meaning that Alexander may have been less subject to forced evacuation. Relocation for him would have most likely been a choice.

Passenger lists for two 1849 passages from North Uist exist today in the Clan Donald Centre. Alexander, his second wife, Catherine, and several children are listed. They sailed from Glasgow, Scotland, on August 13, 1849, on the vessel Cashmere to Monreal, Canada, arriving there on Sept 13, 1849.

Resettlement in Ontario, Canada

In 1849, Alexander is reported to have purchased land in McGillivray Township. McGillivray was then in Huron County, but later boundary realignments placed it within Middlesex County. Several other North Uist families also settled in this area. He is said to have established a blacksmith business in the city of London until 1854, when he moved onto the farm, and built a shop there. In Canada, three more children were born. His wife Catherine died within the decade of their resettlement in Canada.

1. ↑ Ontario, Canada. Ontario, Canada, Deaths and Deaths Overseas, 1869-ongoing. (Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Archives of Ontario).

   Alexander McLean /died 27th January 1877 /Male /Age 74 /Prof Farmer /Born North Uist, Scotland /Cause of death Pulmonary Consumption/ duration: several years/ Informant: Rev. John Rennie, Ailsa Craig/ when registered: 22nd December 1877/ Religion: Presbyterian

2.   Scotland. Census Office. Census returns for North Uist (parish 113), 1841-1891.

   Alexander is listed as a 35 year old Smith in Maleglet, in a household with one son, aged 4

3.   List of North Uist passengers from Lord MacDonald’s estate who sailed to Quebec from Greenock on the Cashmere of Glasgow in 1849.

   Alexander, his second wife Catherine, Euphemia McLean, aged 20, and 6 children are listed.

4.   Tombstone inscription, Nairn cemetery.

   Alexander/ died Jan 27, 1877/ ae. 74 yrs/ his wife Catherine/ died Mar 12, 1859/ ae 38 yrs Also has inscriptions for several children and grandchildren