Record No. 35 The Family of Alexander ALLAN & Mary McKINNON << Parents Link >> Photo Link ALEXANDER ALLAN (28.2.1865 - 7.6.1924) & MARY MATILDA McKINNON (30.7.1878 - 24.12.1964) Married Creswick, Victoria, Australia 1874 Born Ballan, Victoria, Australia 19.4.1905 Leongatha, Woorayl Shire, Vic. 6061 Died Melbourne,Victoria, Australia Mardan 3634, Victoria Leongatha, Woorayl Shire, Vic Buried Leongatha, Woorayl Shire, Victoria, Aust *** FAMILY HISTORY *** Alexander ALLAN was the 2nd child of David ALLAN and Isabella ROBERTSON. Born in Creswick he grew up on the family farm and had a solid education. In 1886, he and older brother Andrew borrowed £200 each from their father. Together they took up selection. of 155 acres (Allot. 1 07D) in the newly opened Kooroornan District near Leongatha, situated in the dense South Gippsland forest about 120 km South-East of Melbourne. They toiled for 20 years to clear the immense virgin scrub. Letters by Alex back to his family in Newlyn portray Andrew as the lesser of the two workers, and Agnes LESTER (Andrew's close friend and later wife) to be spiteful towards Alex.( Alex's son David stated that Agnes reckoned she picked the lesser of the two brothers, and for this reason she was cold towards Alex.) Alex and Andrew's uncle Peter ROBERTSON regularly used to come to help out on the farm cutting bracken and similar little jobs. Peter's daughter Isabella ROBERTSON married John PINCHEN, and these PINCHENS in Yarraville, Victoria corresponded with Alex ALLAN their cousin for many years. One of their daughters Edith (married Henry RAYNOR) had at least 2 daughters born in Jumbunna, near Korumburra. Andrew bought out Alex's share in the 1890's, and Alex had already selected a forfeited property of 180 acres, 2 miles eastwards in Mardan South. This property was to be known as "Inverlair". Bushfires over most of Victoria in 1898 left the countryside a charcoal mess. It was this year that Alex ALLAN was Woorayl Shire President. In 1902 Andrew ALLAN married Agnes LESTER (formerly from the Creswick Area). They had no children. It was at this time that the brother's partnership ended. In 1905 Andrew died of internal strain from fighting fires(Common in those days). Ultimately the original land that both brothers worked on went to the LESTER family. All that now remains from the original selection is a plaque erected by the LESTERS, by a single pepper tree. Not long after, Alex married Mary McKINNON. Alex was a sober and conscientious man. He was on the original Leongatha High School Council, and shire councillor for many years. In his early years he was member of both the Newlyn, and Leongatha Debating Societies. A learned man by all reports, he read classics of literature although he was no more than a (dairy) farmer like his ancestors. He brought up 6 children all of whom attended Leongatha High School. He died in 1924. The family stayed on at Inverlair with John(Jack) and Richard working the farm.Mary McKINNON went to Melbourne with her daughter Isabel, and died on Christmas Eve 1964. Of their children, David was a teacher and had no children. Isabel married Stan MILNER. ( His sister Ethel MILNER married Isabel's uncle James McKinnon). Robert who was also a teacher had one girl, and a boy who died at 22, Marjorie married but had no children. She was one of the earliest female tram drivers in Melbourne. Obituary

*** 6 Children ***

-- 1 -- David Alexander ALLAN (23.1.1906-6.8.1990) & Leslie Bennett(1919-) Married Leongatha, Victoria Born Creswick, Victoria 14.5.1941 St. Kilda, Victoria Died Elsternwick,Victoria Springvale Crematorium Buried Australia

-- 2 -- Isabel Mary ALLAN (17.1.1907- 24.1.2003) & William Stanley Milner(1.2.1892-31.12.1984) Married Mardan, Woorayl Shire,Leongatha, Victoria -4283 Born Leongatha, Woorayl Shire, Victoria 22090-11 13.5.1954 Melbourne,Ausralia Died Blackburn, Victoria Carlton North Buried Victoria Stan had 3 children from a previous marriage (Joan, Judith and John)

-- 3 -- John McKinnon ALLAN (19.5.1908-7.8.1958) & Irma Enid Hobson(23.6.1912-) Married Mardan South, Woorayl Shire, Victoria (12655) Born Taiping, Malaysia 3.7.1939 Leongatha, Woorayl Shire, Victoria Died Melbourne Leongatha, Woorayl Shire, Victoria Buried Victoria

-- 4 -- Richard ALLAN (15.9.1910-12.12.1979) & Francis Imelda McCartin (9.4.1908-16.8.2000) Married Mardan South, Woorayl Shire, Victoria (28615) Born Leongatha, Woorayl Shire, Victoria 1.1.1938 Leongatha, Woorayl Shire, Victoria Died Traralgon Hospital, Victoria Mardan South, Woorayl Shire, Leongatha, Woorayl Shire, Victoria Buried Leongatha, Woorayl Shire, Victoria Victoria

-- 5 -- Robert ALLAN (3.1.1915-28.9.1973) & Marjorie Whitla(9.1.1913- 9.1.1997) Married Leongatha, Woorayl Shire, Victoria Born Ballarat, Victoria 20.11.1942 Beaumaris, Melbourne, Victoria Died Ashburton, Melbourne, Victoria Auburn, Melbourne, Buried Victoria

-- 6 -- Marjorie Jean ALLAN (4.1.1918-14.6.1968) & Laurie Martin Married Leongatha, Victoria Born McRae, Victoria, Australia Died Armadale, Melbourne, Victoria Carlton, Melbourne Buried Victoria