The author of this site has been working on our family history for some time. I have spent hours searching and researching things and correcting mistakes as I have gone along. I hope you enjoy reading our family history. Please free to pass on suggestions and any information that may be missing in this history.

 

Initially I started out looking into Alexander McLean and his arrival in South Australia, and his marriage to Annie Baier and their 1st son Alexander Frederick and down that line. I have worked hard at building that side. He arrived in South Australia on the ship "Hougoumont" on 6 September 1866 aged 24 years. He also arrived with a Norman McLean.  I have since found out that Norman McLean was not a brother, but still looking into them related, both were listed on the passenger list as Shepherds from the village, Daviot and Dunlichty, Inverness, Scotland, so it is more than likely they were related. 

 

It is at about this point that I decided that I would look back a little further into the family tree. I have at this time gone back to Alexander's grandparents who were William McLean (no dates) & Mary Calder 1781-1861. Alexander's parents were James McLean 1818- & Janet McDonald  1818- . Alexander had 3 brothers: John 1842- , Donald 1845- & James 1848- 

 

Alexander had 2 previous wives and families whilst in South Australia's Gawler and Gawler River area of Adelaide. His 1st wife was Sarah Ann Sparshott was born on December 16 1837 and died May 27 1873 aged 36 years. They married on May 01 1869. They had 3 children. Adeline born July 22 1869 and died May 13 1871, Lydia born August 01 1871 and died August 07 1871 & James Sparshott born April 05 1873 and died November 22 1928

 

Alexander then married Sarah Ann Heath on July 14 1875. It was in Quorn that Alexander and Sarah Ann McLean (nee Heath) had settled when she fell ill and died in Port Augusta, South Australia on June 24 1886 aged 31 years. They had 3 children in Ward Belt, near Gawler, South Australia. Donald born in July 15 1876, Margaret born August 23 1879 (no further info for both at this time) and Sarah Ann born August 16 1881 died Tailem Bend, South Australia June 27 1950. It is assumed that the surving children of these marriages, stayed in the Adelaide area with maternal relatives at some point after Alexander and Sarah Ann Heath moved to Port Augusta & Quorn. It is known that James Sparshott McLean did remain with his maternal grandfather, as he was educated in Gawler during his early years and then at Roseworthy Agricultural College, where he studied to be a vetenary surgeon. He also went to Victoria where he entered a Melbourne university on further studies in his chosen field. He gained high honours in both places. It is known that Sarah Ann McLean married in Norwood (eastern suburb of Adelaide), South Australia and eventually found her way to Tailem Bend, South Australia. Tailem Bend is south east of Adelaide on the way to Melbourne, Victoria.

 

Then comes the side of Alexander's history that I had concentrated on in the 1st instance. Earlier on this journey I discovered several versions of Annie Edith's maiden name, but this has now been confirmed as Baier and not Byer/Beyer/Bier. This is confirmed with the naming of her father, Frederick Baier. Alexander then met his 3rd wife Annie Edith Baier, who had one child, Annie Edith Gade, from a previous marriage/relationship with an Ernest Gade. Nothing is known at this time as to what happened to the child of this previous relationship. Annie Edith Baier is also linked to an Alfred Hudson by marriage but nothing further is known. Alexander and Annie were married on December 26 1892 in Port Augusta with Alexander being 48 years and Annie 26 years of age. They were living in Richmans Valley when their first 2 children were born. Alexander Frederick, born November 25 1893 and Sarah Jane, born November 17 1895. Annie Edith Baier was born in Quorn, South Australia in 1866 to a Frederick Baier with no mother recorded.

 

It was after the birth of these 2 children that Alexander started looking for another place to move to and he had decided that life might be better in Western Australia. I have found ships manifests of Alexander leaving Adelaide from Port Adelaide, South Australia, as a passenger on board the sailing vessel, "Innamincka" and arriving in Albany, Western Australia, on February 07 1896 and again leaving Adelaide as a passenger on the sailing vessel, "Marloo" and arriving in Albany on June 10 1896. Annie left Port Adelaide, with 2 children, 1 male (Alexander Frederick) and 1 female (Sarah Jane) as passengers on the sailing vessel, "Bullimba" on December 18 1897, arriving at Albany. (no date found to this point) As mentioned earlier it is assumed that the children from previous marriages may have stayed with maternal relatives in the Adelaide region, as none of the surviving chldren appear on the sailing manifest of the ship that took Annie and 2 children to Western Australia, and also as some records show they died in South Australia. Also, Annie Edith Gade did not make the trip to Western Australia. She had either died or stayed with her father.    

 

I am aware that other members of the family may have or are still working on the family history as well, if that is the case, you may have info that I have not and vice versa. Please feel free to contact me. My details are on the contact page.​​

 

I have done this history a little different to family trees, as I have been endeavouring to place as much information as I can in relation to each family member, and each section can be added to as more information becomes available. Now that I have decided to look further back, there will be changes accordingly. Because the site is getting bigger, I have created subpages to cover the 3 marriages of Alexander. Each main page starts the new "family" and it's growth.

 

I will also be working in with Kerry Davis, who is the grand daughter of Sarah Jane Johnson nee McLean, 2nd child and 1st daughter to Alexander and Annie Edith Baier. Kerry has been working on the Johnson Family tree.

 

Again, if you have any suggestions to improve on this, please contact me via my information on the Contact page​. At this point in time I don't have any pictures of Alexander & Sarah Ann formerly Long, nee Sparshott, Alexander & Sarah Ann Heath or Alexander & Annie to add to this page, I know there is at least one of Annie somewhere and hopefully that may become available. I will add pictures of other family members, and also headstones as I find them, so please send me your pictures either by snail mail or email and I will add them here in the appropriate sections. For those that send by snail mail, I will scan them and then send them back to you.​

 

If you know any member of the family who has Awards/Citations, such as service awards e.g VC, DCM, DSC, etc. or just the Australian Defence Force Service medal and associated civilian equivalents, Order of Australia etc. please let me know also. These are now and will be of interest to future generations.​

 

Please keep me informed of all events, so that this family history will be kept up to date.​​​

 

Acknowledgements:

 

I must give thanks to Aunty Elaine and my dad for the information they have given me in helping to create this family history. I have to thank my brother Steven McLean and my nephew Micky Brown for their suggestions which I had not fore thought when creating the pages and what info should be included.  Micky suggested the Schools so all could see where we were all educated around this great country. You will see that it has been expanded a little to include year and Univeristy attended. Steven suggested Personal Achievements which you will see as Per/Achievements. Any further such suggestions will be gratefully received and acknowleged Thank you guys :) August 17 2013: Grateful thanks to my father Alfred James McLean for making pictures of Alexander Frederick & Ivy Maud McLean (nee Smith) and a picture of the complete family crest available for use on the site. Thanks to my brother Peter for helping dad get them to me 15:53 same day, and as I just found out, my brothers' partner Brett as it seems he did most of the work :)