John was born in about 1839 (based on his age of 66 when he died in 1905[1]) in Perthshire, Scotland. He was the son of John McLaren and his wife Janet (possibly Dewar according to John's death record[2]). However, this may be an error as discussed in the research notes.
John McLaren migrated from Scotland to New Zealand.
He emigrated to New Zealand aged 20 in 1860 on the Henrietta[3] leaving Glasgow on 30 May and arriving at Port Chalmers on 29 September[4]. He was listed as a gardener from Dundee. He went to Invercargill where he worked felling timber in the bush[3]. His next occupation was as a carrier in Southland going between Te Anau, Riverton and Invercargill. He was in the employ of Freeman Jackson (afterwards of Wanganui) and Messrs Hankinson Bros. (Te Anau), remaining in the service of the latter for some years.
On 13 April 1868 he married Agnes Hosie[5] at the house of Walter Langmuir, East Road, Invercargill[6]. They had twelve children.
In 1870 he purchased the farm named Camp Hill on the ridges adjacent to Wyndham from Mr. Coyler[3].
In 1896 he was a labourer living at Wyndham with his wife Agnes and three children - Agnes, Ann and James a shepherd, all being on the Mataura Electoral Roll[29]. The three women were listed as doing domestic duties.
John died on 10 September 1905 at Camp Hill Farm, Wyndham, Southland[2][30]. He was buried in Wyndham Cemetery, Wyndham[31]. The inscription reads:
In Loving Memory of John McLaren
Beloved husband of Agnes McLaren
Died 10th Sept. 1905 Aged 66 years.
An obituary appeared in the local newspaper, the Western Star[3]. He was survived by his widow and a grown-up family of ten.
Research Notes
No baptism has been found for John with parents named John and Janet. Nor has John been found in either the 1841 or 1851 with these parents. There are quite a few John McLarens in Perthshire born about the same time as he was.
However, in 1851 a John McLaren born in 1839 was living at Upper Pleasance, St Mary Street, Dundee, Forfarshire with his mother Isabella McLaren (a widowed market gardener aged 41) and his cousin Emilia Thomson (12)[32]. This is the place where he emigrated from, and it would not be surprising that he followed his mother into her trade. When we look for this same family in 1841, we find that a John aged one was living with his parents, John (35) and Isabella (35, his grandfather John (75) and two sisters - Ann (6) and Elisabeth (3) - at Lagremoch, 3, Callander, Perthshire[33]. There is, however, another John McLaren aged 10 living in Callander in 1851, with his mother Isabella Murray (a servant aged 49) so it is not clear if that is the correct family for John[34]. More research is needed. (Dickson-4413 04:28, 24 October 2023 (UTC))
↑ Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–1981. Auckland, New Zealand: BAB microfilming. Microfiche publication, 4032 fiche. Accessed 24 Oct 2023 Ancestry Sharing Link
Name: John McLaren; Electoral Year: 1896; Residence Place: New Zealand; District: Mataura; Region or Province: Southland.
↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159544996/john-mclaren: accessed 10 February 2023), memorial page for John McLaren (unknown–10 Sep 1905), Find A Grave: Memorial #159544996, citing Wyndham Cemetery, Wyndham, Southland District, Southland, New Zealand; Maintained by Loopy Lass (contributor 47916679).
↑ "1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census". Schedule: 60.
FindMyPast Transcription Accessed 24 Oct 2023
John McLaren (12) son in household of Isabella McLaren (41) in Upper Pleasance, St Mary Street, Dundee, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland. Born in Perthshire, Scotland.
↑ "1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census". Schedule: 48. FindMyPast Transcription Accessed 24 Oct 2023
John McLaren (1) in Lagremoch, 3, Callander, Perthshire, Scotland.
↑ "1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census". Schedule: 10. FindMyPast Transcription Accessed 24 October 2023)
John McLaren (10), unmarried son, Servt, in household of Isabella Murray (49) in Soldier's Settlements, Soldiers Settlements, Callander in Dunblane registration district in Perthshire, Scotland. Born in Scotland.
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