Allan McFarlane
Allan McFarlane | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Caithness, Scotland |
| Died | March 11, 1864 (aged 71) |
| Occupation(s) | Pastoralist, legislator |
| Years active | 1839–1864 |
| Known for | Member of the South Australian House of Assembly for The Murray and Mount Barker; proprietor of Wellington Lodge station |
Allan McFarlane (10 April 1792 – 11 March 1864) was a Scottish pastoralist and legislator who represented the constituencies of The Murray and subsequently Mount Barker within the South Australian Colony.
His son, Allan McFarlane sen. (1829–1908), took over management of Wellington Lodge station, while his grandson, Allan McFarlane jun. oversaw operations at Jockwar Station near Tailem Bend, thereby preserving the family's involvement in pastoral enterprises.
Life
McFarlane emigrated from Caithness, Scotland with his wife Margaret (née Horne), arriving in South Australia aboard the Superb on 29 October 1839. Notably, Margaret’s brother Donald Horne was a distinguished Writer to the Signet.
Prior to December 1858, he held the position of Justice of the Peace and was appointed Special Magistrate in 1864.
In 1862, McFarlane secured a victory in the by-election for The Murray seat in the South Australian House of Assembly, succeeding Dr. David Wark. He narrowly surpassed Henry Kent Hughes by a margin of 20 votes to 18, within an electorate exceeding 200 voters. After an electoral redistribution later that year, much of his former constituency was incorporated into Mount Barker, where he was elected alongside John Dunn.
He became proprietor of Wellington Lodge station and played an active role in the Mount Barker Agricultural and Horticultural Society. Additionally, he represented Mount Barker on the Country Committee of the R.A.& H.S.
McFarlane passed away at his home, Ruthyn Lodge, located in Kensington.
Family
The family surname appeared variably as McFarlane or MacFarlane for many years; however, descendants ultimately standardized it as "McFarlane." Occasional misspellings such as "Alan" are typographical mistakes.
The children of Allan McFarlane and Margaret (née Horne) (1795–1878) included:
- Elizabeth Williamson McFarlane (1817–1887), who married David Begg, a surgeon practicing in Tirhut, India.
- Patrick McFarlane (1820–1855), who died in Tirhut, India.
- Margaret Horne MacFarlane (1821–1901), spouse of Northern Territory pioneer William Giles Jr.
- John Horne McFarlane (1823–1866), who died in Melbourne.
- Benjamina Horne MacFarlane (1826–1905), married Dr. Andrew Chalmers.
- Allan McFarlane (1829–1908), husband to Susanna Hector; he managed "Glensloys" and "Wellington Lodge" stations and introduced innovations such as land reclamation techniques, water storage tanks, compressed-air shearing equipment, and wind-powered sawmills. He was a respected breeder of merino sheep and an early advocate against rabbit pests. Allan was also engaged in local governance and recreational organizations. Their offspring included:
- Susanna Hector McFarlane, who married George Arthur Jervois.
- Margaret Matilda McFarlane, married Albert Edward Bowman; they operated Bethanga Park station in Victoria.
- Elizabeth Begg McFarlane, married Michael Seymour Hawker; they lived at Aldgate.
- Alice McFarlane, spouse of Dr. Robert Stewart from Hindmarsh.
- Isabella McFarlane, married Alexander Benjamin Henderson.
- Lucy McFarlane, married Edward Leslie Gordon.
- Allan McFarlane Jr., married Janie Thomson.
- Donald Hector McFarlane, married Doris Elizabeth Forrest.
- Gordon Hector McFarlane, married Doris Philippa Hawker.
- Sir Donald Horne MacFarlane (1830–1904), a merchant and parliamentarian who resided in South Australia for thirteen years.
- Isabella Horne McFarlane (1832–1916), wife of Charles Hampden Pickford.
- Susan Dunsanne MacFarlane (1839–1887), married Alexander Benjamin Henderson.
The family held ownership of Wellington Lodge station prior to 1855. Their residence until around 1860 was "Glensloy," situated near Mount Barker Junction; this property remained within the family until 1882.
Duncan McFarlane J.P., associated with Mount Barker and Glen Osmond, is not related to this lineage.