Person:Lachlan McLean (4)

Lachlan McLean was the oldest son of five boys born to Archibald McLean and his wife Margaret Nairn. He was born in 1875 in Glasgow, Scotland. The family emigrated from Scotland to Ontario in 1887.

In 1913 he was in Weyburn, Saskatchewan where, according to his brother Donald, he "arranged to build a factory and got into a couple of good real estate propositions and had he lived no doubt would have made a lot of money". But after having been there a couple months, he was struck by pain after running home from church in the rain. Writes Donald: "it was so severe they sent for doctor, he did not examine him very carefully, said it was just Belly Ache, gave him pills and a heavy dose of salts the very worst thing that could be done. On Monday morning he was no better they called in another doctor. He diagnosed the trouble as Appendicitis not dangerous." Two brothers, John and Hugh MacLean, who were doctors also settled in Saskatchewan, were called. Writes Donald: "Lachie asked him to call John, who is settled in Swift Current. John was too late for the flier, the fast train, it had just gone, so he did not get to Weyburn until Tuesday morning at 11:25. The doctor met the train and took John in Automobile to house. As soon as John examined him he pronounced it a serious case of ruptured appendix and peronitis and phoned the Hospital to have things made ready for an operation. John had two other doctors called in they said it was appendicitis but did not think it was ruptured. Lachie was operated on before 1 o’clock and it was just as John said, ruptured appendix. Hugh was on way over from Regina but too late to see operation, John did not think it safe to wait for him. John stayed with Lachie until Friday and he seemed to be improving and in good spirits so he went back to Swift Current, leaving the CPR doctor in charge. On Saturday night he received a Phone that Lachie had taken a bad turn. John and Hugh both went to him called the Best Doctors from Moose Jaw & Regina, wired us and we went up then called in the best surgeon in Western Canada, Dr Blenchford of Winnipeg. They couldn’t do anything for him, his bowels refused to work, everything was done that we could think of, he had to go. He was conscious up till the last two days before he died. The minister spoke to him he told the minister he was prepared to die. Three hours before he died he asked Mother to sing the hymn they sang for Father. Mother asked which one was that, he said Nearer My God to Thee, and asked her to sing, she tried, he then sang it himself. Kissed us all good Bye and said he would meet us in Heaven."

1.   Tombstone Inscription.

   Lachlan A. MacLean/ born in Glasgow Scotland 1875/ died in Weyburn Sask, 1913