Mary WILSON / MACPHERSON
Born 5 April 1819 in Alvie, Inverness, Scotland [398]
Daughter of Lachlan WILSON and Elspet MACPHERSON [398]
Resided with her parents and siblings at Toll Barr in Alvie, Inverness, Scotland where her father worked as the Toll-Keeper [398]
She had ten younger siblings named Marjory, John, William, Jane, Jean, Alexander, Donald, Margaret, Betty and Christina [20] [398]
Married Duncan MACPHERSON on 13 January 1845 in Alvie, Inverness, Scotland [398]
It's likely that Duncan was a close or distant cousin, as they both had Macpherson and Mackintosh ancestors from Alvie [398]
Their first child Aeneas, named after her father-in-law, was born in Alvie on 22 October 1845 [138]
When Aeneas was not quite three months old they departed London, England on the ship Isabella Watson on 18 January 1846 [399]
The three of them were among 203 immigrants making their way to South Australia on the 514-ton sailing ship [399]
After a four-month voyage via the Cape of Good Hope, they arrived in Adelaide, South Australia on 14 May 1846 [399: 16-May-1846]
After two years in South Australia, where their second son Lachlan was born, they left for Western Australia [119]
They departed Port Adelaide on 29 April 1848 on the Titania and arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on 17 May [160]
Titania was a sailing ship carrying mostly cargo - the four of them being half of only eight passengers [160: 24-May-1848]
In 1849 she was living with her husband and sons on Erindine Farm in Toodyay, where her husband was a Labourer [15]
Later that year her husband sub-leased Byeen Farm, which they farmed until being evicted in 1867 [127: pages 86, 182]
She resided with her husband and children on Byeen Farm in the Newcastle-Toodyay district 1849-1867 [127: pages 86, 182]
Her son Aeneas died in 1866 at the age of 20 years and nine months as a result of "a short and painful illness" [160: 1-Aug-1866]
In 1868 shifted with her husband and surviving children to pastoral leaseholds near the Mulliah / Yarra Yarra Lakes [120: 9-Jan-1930]
Resided with her husband and children in what was to become the Carnamah district 1868-1888 [120: 9-Jan-1930] [138]
They initially resided for a short time within a three-room stone cottage near the Mulliah Yarra Yarra Lakes [P10]
Later resided for many years at Carnamah House, now known as the Macpherson Homestead, on Carnamah Station [P10]
The Governor of Western Australia visited their station and stayed overnight at their homestead in November 1869 [322: 20-Nov-1869]
She would have likely kept in touch by letter with her parents in Scotland for almost 40 years [P1]
Her father died in 1871 at the age of 84 and her mother, known as both Elspet and Elizabeth, at the age of 89 in 1885 [28]
Mother of Aeneas, Lachlan, John, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Margaret, William, Donald, Alexander and George [15] [119]
Her first daughter named Elizabeth died in infancy and of her remaining nine children only Lachlan and John married [119]
Died 13 June 1888 in Carnamah; buried at the Culham Cemetery in Toodyay, Western Australia [138]
Her body was transported to Toodyay to be buried alongside her eldest son Aeneas who had died in 1866 [119]
Her husband and children William, Alexander, George and Margaret were later buried within the same family plot at Toodyay [119]
A large memorial stone was erected to her memory in the top corner of the Alvie Churchyard in Alvie, Inverness, Scotland: [220]
"In Memory of Mary beloved wife of Duncan Macpherson of Carnamah, Western Australia and eldest [220]
daughter of the late Lachlan Wilson of Alvie; Born in Alvie 5th of April 1819; Died at Carnamah W.A. 13th of June 1888" [220]
Wilson, Macpherson and Donald streets in the Carnamah townsite were named after her, her husband and their son Donald [P1]
From The West Australian newspaper, Thursday 21 June 1888:
News and Notes
"Our Victoria Plains correspondent, under date June 18, writes: I regret to have to record the death of Mrs. Duncan Macpherson, of Carnamah, which occurred last Wednesday, after only four days' illness. The remains are being taken to the Toodyay Valley cemetery for interment. Deceased leaves a large family and a numerous circle of friends to lament their loss."
From The Inquirer & Commercial News newspaper, Friday 22 June 1888:
Deaths
"MACPHERSON - On the 13th inst., at Carnamah, Mary, the beloved Wife of Duncan Macpherson, aged 69 years, deeply regretted by her sorrowing family and a large circle of friends; 40 years resident in the colony."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Mary Wilson / Macpherson' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 26 December 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/mary-wilson [reference list] |
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