I have 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 feel free to pass on suggestions and any information that may be
missing in this history. 

Initially I started looking into Alexander McLean and his arrival in South Australia, and his
marriage to Annie Baier and their 1st child and son Alexander Frederick and down that line. I have worked hard at building that side. It is at about this point after remembering that my father, Alfred James McLean, told me that my great grand father had spent time around the Gawler region, 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- . 

This history begins, at this point, with William McLean born in the late 1700's. I don't have much information on him, his wife Mary Calder, his son James and wife Janet McDonald, so the main history starts with Alexander McLean. Alexander McLean was born on October 01 1839 in the village of Daviot, Invernesshire, Scotland. He made his way down to Liverpool, with a Norman McLean and together they left for South Australia. Nothing is known on Norman McLean, but it is known that he was not a brother. It is likely that he is a cousin, as both he and Alexander are listed as being shepherds, from the same village. At the time of their journey, Alexander was 24 and Norman 23. They arrived at Port Adelaide, South Australia on the ship "Hougoumont" on September 16 1866. After going their separate ways, Alexander made his way to Gawler River to the north on the Adelaide Plains. He found employment with a landowner, a Mr James Sparshott. 

1st Marriage:

On May 01 1869, Alexander married Sarah Ann Long nee Sparshott, who had reverted to her maiden name and was married as Sarah Ann Sparshott. They were married at the residence of a Mr. Hillier of Kapunda, in the Barossa Valley region.  Alexander and Sarah had 3 children. Adeline (born July 26 1869 - May 13 1871 aged 22 months), Lydia(August 01 1871 - August 07 1871 aged 7 days) and James Sparshott (April 05 1873 - November 22 1925 aged 55 years). The 2 girls died in infancy several months apart. Sarah died on May 27 1873, almost a month after their 4th wedding anniversary and just over a month of the birth of their son, James Sparshott McLean, from chronic liver disease. Sarah and her 2 infant daughters, Adeline and Lydia as well as her daughter Eva Matilda Long (July 16 1866 - January 01 1881), are buried together in the Stonehill cemetery, Gawler River Rd., Gawler River, South Australia. 

2nd Marriage:
 
On July 14 1875, Alexander married Sarah Ann Heath (a cousin of Sarah Ann (nee Sparshott) at Ward Belt (Gawler area), South Australia. They had 4 children, Donald (July 15 1876 -), Margaret (August 23 1879 -), Sarah Ann (August 16 1881 - June 27 1950 aged 68 years)& Jessie (June 19 1883 - September 02 1958 aged 75). In about 1877, Alexander was starting to be on the move again as his 2nd daughter Margaret was born in Port Gawler and then the family moved back to Ward Belt, where Sarah was born. After this Alexander and Sarah Ann Heath, then made their way to Port Augusta and Quorn, South Australia. In June of 1886, Sarah had a serious accident after being run over by a train in the Quorn rail yards (newspaper stories of this can be seen on her page). Sarah is buried in what was called the Carlton Parade cemetery, but now known as the Stirling North cemetery at Port Augusta. After her death, it is not known how long, the 5 children stayed with Alexander between the time of Sarah's death and Alexander's remarrying.
It is known that James Sparshott McLean did stay with his maternal grandmother, as Sarah Sparshott had him educated at Gawler and at Roseworthy Agricultural College, where he studied Veterinary Science, and gained high honours. It is assumed at this point, the remaining children may have been given to the Heath family to look after. 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, born January 26 1891, from a previous relationship with an Ernest Gade. Nothing is known at this time as to what happened to the child of this previous relationship. I did find that an Ernest Gade had died in the Murraylands of South Australia at a place/state electorate of Hartley near the town of Callington, and it is lightly assumed this may be the same guy. Annie's father was a Frederick Baier, of whom nothing is known at this point. The Baier name is of Germanic descent but as mentioned nothing else is known. What is known is that Frederick Baier came to South Australia from one of the African countries in the north west around Nigeria, Cote D'Ivoire or Sierra Leone. He was listed as a Missionary . Annie was born in Quorn in 1866 and Annie's mother is not recorded. 

3rd marriage:

On December 26 1892 Alexander married Annie Edith Baier, with Alexander being 52 years and Annie 26 years of age, in Quorn, South Australia. Alexander and Annie had 2 children in Richmans Valley near Quorn. Alexander Frederick (November 25 1893) & Sarah Jane (November 17 1895). 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). It was there that the remaining children were born, Annie Edith (1898) Charles August (1900) & John Russell (1902). 

Alexander died in Claremont, Western Australia, on June 26 1912 aged 72. Annie died in Leederville, Western Australia on January 16 1951 aged 85. Initially there was some confusion about Annie's date of birth, but information came to hand that when they married in 1892, Alexander was 52 and Annie was 26, so her year of birth was 1866 and not 1860 as some records have shown. Both are buried in separate sections of the Karrakatta cemetery, Western Australia. 

From these 3 marriages, many branches of the family tree have grown. When Alexander was having children with Annie, he was being made a grandfather back in South Australia. 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.

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 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. 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 to add to this page. 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.​​