James MCLACHLAN

1842 - 1904  (62 years)

• Name	James MCLACHLAN
  Born	16 Jul 1842	Snaib (or Snebe or Shebe), Parish of Avondale near Strathhaven, Lanarkshire, UK
  Gender	Male
  General event	LIFE STORY: South Australian Chronicle - Saturday 29th April 1893, page 8 : Mr. James McLachlan, who has been returned with Mr. J. W. Castine to represent Wooroora, was born July 16, 1842, near Strathaven, in the parish of Avon dale, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was left without father or mother when six years of age, and was cast upon the world when ten years old to fight his own way in life. He engaged himself to a farmer at £2 per year and board, and this was about all the money he received till he was 15 years. He then engaged with a farmer for £3 per year and two months schooling, and the following year for the same amount with three months' schooling. He married on December 9, 1862, and left South Hampton by the ship Burlington for Fremantle, West Australia, on December 25 of the same year, arriving there on April 8, 1863. He engaged with Mr. Carrey, Government surveyor, and was in his employ - for six months. During that time Sir John Forrest came to learn surveying, and had to perform the duties of an ordinary axeman, which he did right well. As the country was poor, and the pay poorer, Mr. McLachlan thought he had better see some other part of Australia. He was then at Bunbury, some 100 miles from Fremantle. With his wife and a little baby daughter, four weeks old, he travelled on foot and took passage in the ship Gem for Port Adelaide, arriving there on January 27, 1664. On landing he thought South Australia a good country for a laboring man, and he still thinks so. On January 28 he engaged with Mr. Hackness, of Alma Plains, for £70 per year and stayed with him for five years, then starting farming for himself. Mr. McLachlan was president of the Alma Institute from 1888 to 1890, and president of the Alma Farmers' Union from 1889 to 1891, while he has been a member of the school board of advice for the district of Balaklava since 1891. He has been a councillor in the district of Dalkey since 1877, with one year out. He has been chairman eight years of that time, and is now chairman, while he has been a justice of the peace since 1878. He is in favor of the land and income tax; but would oppose any increase of the land tax. He considers it unfair to burden the land with any increase of taxation, and so is not in favor of the progressive land tax or the single tax. Should further taxation be necessary he would be in favor of some form of property and wealth tax, and he thinks water conservation should have first place. He is in favor of homestead blocks, a State bank, local option and Sunday closing, the extension of the sewage farm, wine depot, but is opposed to woman's suffrage.
  General event	Obituary : The Register, 7th Oct 1904 - page 4 News has been received in Adelaide of the death, at his residence, Owen, of Mr. James McLachlan, formerly member of the House of Assembly for Wooroora. He had been ill for some time. Mr. McLachlan was born near Strathavan, Lanarkshire, Scot land, on July 16, 1842. Since he came to South Australia in 1864 he had been engaged principally in farming operations. He was President of the Alma Institute from 1888 to 1890, and of the Alma Farmers' Union from 1889 to 1891. He was also at one time Chairman of the Dalkey District Council, and a member of the Board of Advice for the District of Balaklava for a number of years. He represented the District of Wooroora in the House of Assembly from 1893 until the dissolution of the last Parliament, and contributed several timely, incisive addresses, flavoured with a Scotch dry humour. Our Hamley Bridge correspondent wrote on Thursday: 'Through the death of Mr. McLachlan this morning one of the most useful and esteemed residents has passed away. For many years Mr. McLachlan was a prominent member of the Church of Christ, and early in September he attended their annual conference in Adelaide as a delegate. His health had not been good for three or four years, and lately he visited Scotland twice - partly seeking the benefit of a change of climate, but on the last occasion he returned far from benefited, he had not improved since, and lately suffered an attack of pneumonia. In Parliament Mr. McLachlan was respected by all parties, and did good service, although he had no sympathy with much talking, and preferred to work on in a quiet way.' He was twice married, and has left a widow and family. His eldest daughter is the wife of Mr. Donald Gordon, of Broadview, Georgetown. Before the Assembly adjourned on Thursday afternoon the Speaker (Sir Jenkin Coles) referred to Mr. McLachlan's death. They looked upon the former member, he said, as the embodiment of honour. They would all join with him in expressing the deepest regret at the occurrence. He proposed, with the approval of Hon members, to forward a letter of condolence to the family of the late gentleman. This announcement, was received with sympathetic cheers.
  General event	Sources : * Photo of J McLachlan in Jubilee book, p 34 * His life story - South Australian Chronicle ? Saturday 29th April 1893, page 8 :
  Notes for biography	Mock banquet: The Mutual improvement Society held its usual meeting on July 25 last, when the evening's programme took the form of a mock banquet. After the business was concluded Mr RJ Finlayson was voted to the chair. The following toasts were submitted:- * 'The King' ably proposed by Mr J McLachlan, which was enthusiastically drunk with musical honors * 'The Parliament' by Mr Donald Gordon, responder Mr James McLachlan, * 'Town and Trade of Owen' by Mr John Dillon and Mr B Ashman: * 'Our Society' by Mr S Fitzgerald and Mr R Richards * 'Football and Tennis Clubs' by Mr Recce and Mr S Lacy * 'The Ladies' by Mr RJ Finlayson and Mr Pinkney * 'The Press', by Mr SJ Watt and Mr F Bradford. Refreshments were provided by the lady members and others contributed to the enjoyment with music and song. (Kapunda Herald, 5th Aug 1901, p3)
  Notes for biography	1886	Owen, SA, Australia
  	James McLachlan was chairman and Donald Gordon was auditor for the Dalkey District in 1886.
  Immigration	Migration : On the Burlington ex South Hampton on 25th December and arriving in Fremantle, West Australia, on 8th April 1863.
  Residence	Residences : * Dunlop?? * Migrated from Scotland to Bunbury in 1863 * Moved to SA in 1864 * Established 'Dalkeith' around 1969.
  Died	5 Oct 1904	Dalkey
  Buried	Dalkey Farm
  	Buried at he Church of Christ at Alma South
  Person ID	I350	Alexander & Jessie
  Last Modified	9 Jul 2019

  
  

  Father	Peter MCLACHLAN,   b. 1806
  Mother	Mary MCPHERSON
  Married	12 Feb 1829	Kilbrandon & Kilchatton
  	NOTE: This might not be our Peter and Mary because K&K is about 200kms from Avondale where all their children were born. However, there are three indications that it could be them:- * The timing of the banns/wedding had them both aged 23 years old - which is reasonable. * The timing of their marriage was 2 or 3 years before the birth of their first (surviving) child. * The 1841 census has them living in Avondale but having been born in another county. So it is possible that they moved from one parish to the other soon after their marriage.
  Residence	They might have been living in the parish Kilbrandon & Kilchattan at the time of wedding. They lived for many years in Snaib Row (Avondale parish) because all their children were born there.
  Family ID	F379	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Catherine MCCOLL,   b. 1842,   d. 18 Jun 1871  (Age 29 years)
  Married	9 Dec 1862 or 1st Feb 1862	Dunlop, Scotland, UK
  	Parish Church in Dunlop
  Children	+ 1. Annie MCLACHLAN,   b. 9 Oct 1863, Bunbury, WA, Australia ,   d. 28 May 1934, Jamestown, SA, Australia  (Age 70 years) + 2. James MCLACHLAN,   b. 9 Mar 1871, Alma, SA, Australia ,   d. 1 Dec 1956  (Age 85 years)
  Last Modified	29 Apr 2018
  Family ID	F117	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 2	Fanny Maria COPE,   b. 1860,   d. 13 May 1933  (Age 73 years)
  Married	5 Feb 1878	James' residence at Dalkey, East
  Wedding	Wedding : Fanny was 18 years old and James was 35 years old at the time of the wedding.
  Children	+ 1. Mary MCLACHLAN,   b. 21 May 1883, Dalkey   2. Fanny MCLACHLAN,   b. 27 Feb 1889, Dalkey ,   d. 16 Aug 1976  (Age 87 years) + 3. Jessie MCLACHLAN,   b. 7 Jun 1891, Dalkey, SA
  Last Modified	25 Apr 2014
  Family ID	F118	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		James McLachlan snr
  		Gordons & McLachlans about 1896 * Annie & Donald Gordon (with children James, Ethel, Katherine & Linley) * Annie's parents (James & Catherine McLachlan) * Donald's nephew (Lav)
  		Sunday school teachers at a picnic about 1905 - including David Finlayson and someone named McLachlan. * This might have been with the Owen Church of Christ. * The caption with this photo was "Amongst the teachers are: Mr A Rodgers, Mr D Mclachlan, Pastor Finlayson, Mrs J Laurie, Mr S Grant, Mr W Rodger and Mrs Pitman". * It is most likely that Pastor' Finlayson was David Finlayson because he was a key figure in church activities. He was 60 years old in 1905. Or it could have been one of his three sons who were in their late 20s at that time. * Who was 'Mr D Mclachlan'? Could it have been James McLachlan who also very active in this church - but he died in 1904. James had an older brother, Duncan, but we have no indications he migrated from Scotland to South Australia. Or could it have been James's only son by the same name? James jnr would have been 34 years old and was the Distict Clerk in Owen in 1905.

  
  

  Documents » Slide Show		James McLachlan & Fanny Maria Cope - married 5th Feb 1878 in Dalkey East Groom: aged 35, born c1843, widower, son of Peter McLachlan Bride: aged 18, born c1860, single, daughter of William Henry Cope Place of wedding: Residence of James McLachlan Dalkey East
  		WW - James McLachlan - died 5th Oct 1904 at Dalkey Age 72 yrs, born c1842 Residence: Dalkey Place of death: Dalkey
  		WW - James McLachlan - died 5th Oct 1904 in Alma Place of death: Dalkeith Farm Cemetery: Alma South Church of Christ Born: 16th July 1842 Snebe, Parish of Avondale near Strathavon Arrived: 1863 WA & 1864 SA
  		James McLachlan & Catherine McColl - marriage on 9th Dec 1862 in Cambusnethan parish Place: 24 Hill Street, Wishaw Groom: age 20 yrs, agricultural labourer, bachelor, of Drumloch Glassford (signed) Parents of groom: Peter McLachlan, quarry labourer, deceased. And Mary McLachlan, daughter of Mr L McPherson, deceased Bride: age 18 yrs, dairy maid, & domestic servant, spinster, of Fifth part?? Dunlop (her mark) Parents of Bride: Donald McColl, road?? lawyer?? And Ann McColl, daughter of Mr L Steel After banns, according to the forms of the United Presbyterian Church Officiating: Peter Brown, minister, United Presbyterian Church, Wishaw (signed) Witnesses: Peter McLachlan (signed) & John Watt Registered: 10th Dec 1862 at Wishaw Cambusnethan, Thomas B Gibson, Assistant Registrar Tect??
  		James McLachlan - photo & biography
  		Dalkey Church of Christ Mentions of Donald Gordon, Jame McLauchan and David Finayson

  
  

  Stories

  2.70 - James McLACHLAN (snr) & Catherine, nee McCOLL James was born in Lanarkshire in 1842. He married Catherine and they migrated aged 20 and 18 years. He pioneered South Australian farmland around Alma and Owen and was a leader in the church and the community. He was a municipal counsellor for many years and was in the South Australian parliament for nine years. James and Catherine had two children – Annie in 1863 and James jnr in 1871. Catherine died a few months after giving birth to James jnr. James second marriage was with Fanny Cope and they had three children. James died in 1904 at the age of 62. (Biography by Don Gordon in June 2019)