Person:Donald McLean (4)

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Donald McLean
b.2 Nov 1876 Glasgow, Scotland
d.27 Oct 1950 Vancouver, Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Parents and Siblings
(edit)
m. 5 Jun 1874
  1. Lachlan A McLean1875 - 1913
  2. Donald McLean1876 - 1950
  3. Dr. Hugh MacLean1878 - 1958
  4. Archibald McLeanAbt 1881 -
  5. Dr. John MacLean1883 -
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Facts and Events
Name Donald McLean
Gender Male
Birth? 2 Nov 1876 Glasgow, Scotland
Death[1] 27 Oct 1950 Vancouver, Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Burial? Petrolia, Lambton, Ontario, CanadaHillsdale Cemetery

Donald McLean was born in Glasgow, Scotland, coming to Canada at an early age with his family. The family settled in Marthaville in Lambton County, Ontario where the father was a market gardener. For two years Donald sailed the Great Lakes. He sailed for the Beatty line on the S.S. Monarch as a watchman.

In September, 1898, the Monarch sailed into Fort William, Ontario. Donald saw the railroad activity there. Immediately interested, he quit sailing and on September 26, 1898, he started with the Canadian Pacific Railway. He started as a wiper in the shops. That's the occupation noted on the 1901 census. In 1903 he was made an engineer and held that position until he retired in 1941. For many years he drove freight trains but for many years towards the end of his career made a regular night run between Ignace and Fort William. In 1939 he piloted a Royal Train carrying King George and Queen Elizabeth during a visit to Canada.

Donald never married. For many years he lived in the Fort William YMCA. After retirement, he traveled between there, Vancouver and visits to his brothers in California. In 1944 he wrote, "I spent my holiday between Hugh’s home and John’s and had a good time, they kept telling to spend my money and enjoy myself, each of them gave me money to spend although I told them I did not need it. I am not the spending type. The result was I had more American money coming back than I had going down. They both wrote me a couple of weeks ago asking me to go down there right away."

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References
  1. ↑ Tombstone inscription.

    Donald MacLean/ born in Glasgow, Scotland/ Nov 2, 1876/ died in Vancouver B.C./ Oct 27, 1950

  2.   Census of Canada, 1891
    District 81 page 48.

    appears in father's household, Marthaville, Lambton, Ontario, age 14/ says born Ontario

  3.   Canada. 1901 Census of Canada. (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada)
    district 44 page 19.

    lodger in the home of John Armstrong, in Fort William, Ontario/ working as a wiper/ birthdate 2 Nov 1876/ came to Canada 1887/ age 24

    1901 Census image

  4.   Canada. 1911 Census of Canada. (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada).

    in Fort William, head of household living with brother John, mother Margaret, and a cousin Susan McLean, who came to Canada in 1908, locomotive engineer

    1911 Census image (pdf)

  5.   Fort William Times-Journal
    Nov 30 1941.

    story on his retirement

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