From the Land Down Under to the Rising Sun

Whan stories continue. I probably confused readers of my last post, with the many multiple first names in the Whan family tree. The abbreviated lineage chart below, I hope will help as the Whan letters and stories continue. These letters and diaries are only available because of the remarkable research Milton’s cousin John Wilson accomplished.  They are an extraordinary window into a slice of the Whan story and what communication and transportation in the late 1800’s looked like.

At the top of the tree above is James Whan (also listed as McWhan) who lived his life in Kirkcudbrightshire. There are records that go even further back, but for this post, we start with him.

That top James Whan was Milton’s 2x great-grandfather. Depending on your relationship to Milton, James (1776-1865) would be your 3x, 4x or even 5x great-grandfather. For those living in the USA – I just find it fascinating that we can trace back to an ancestor born in the same year as the Declaration of Independence!

On the second row of the tree is the next generation. In my last post I transcribed part of a letter from 1877 written by Samuel (one of the sons) in Australia to his brother, Andrew, in Canada. Samuel referred to one of their other brothers who was also named James (1818-1890).

Brothers James, Samuel and Andrew are all still living with their parents at a place called Kirkmabreck (Scotland) on the 1851 census.  But by 1857 and 1858 there are records of marriages or land purchases to indicate the three of them had emigrated from Scotland. Samuel and James to Australia and Andrew to Canada. Their other siblings remained in Scotland for the time being.

In that 1877 letter from Samuel, he also talked about their nephew James (1846-1934). This nephew James was the son of their brother Matthew, who at the time of the letter was still in Scotland.  This Matthew was Milton’s great grandfather so this James would be Milton’s great uncle.

Trying to keep things a little less confusing, I will refer to this “nephew” or great-uncle of Milton as “young James”. I was curious to know if “Young” James ever met his great nephew, Milton. James died in 1934 at the age of 88. Milton was 16 and possibly still in Fiji where the family lived during his youth – or just arriving in New South Wales so I am guessing they never met.

Young James arrived in Australia in 1863 at the age of 16 years and initially went to work on his uncle Samuel’s farm near Armidale, NSW. Skip ahead to 1874, he is 27 years old and has met and married Elizabeth Morehead. Elizabeth was from Ireland. She and her parents came to Armidale from Monaghan, Ireland before James had even arrived.  Her father was a farmer in the Armidale area, so it is not surprising that they met.

At this point, not only did young James have three uncles living in New South Wales, but his own brother, Andrew had arrived on January 22, 1880. This Andrew was Milton’s grandfather.  If you are interested, this previous post here is where Milton spoke about what he knew about his grandfather Andrew. Andrew was a stone mason.

So, about a year after his brother Andrew arrives in New South Wales, James is headed back to Scotland for a visit. I find it interesting that James went back to Scotland in 1881. The journey was long, and he left his wife with their four very young children and a farm to manage! My imagination tells me that when his brother, Andrew arrived, there must have been conversations about how much their parents missed James. It had been almost 18 years since they had seen him. Who knows.

Young James has four children ages about 6,5,3 and under 1. But the pull to go back to Scotland was strong and he embarks on the trip to see his parents back in Scotland. We have details because John Wilson somehow got the letter he wrote to his wife Elizabeth over several days on the ship.

The steam ship he was on was called the S.S. (Steam Ship) John Elder. The above is an advertisement in a Sydney newspaper for various trips on several steam ships to London. This advertisement was posted just about a month before James left announcing that the John Elder among other ships was set to leave Sydney on February 4th. The first paragraph states what ships are leaving Sydney and when. They will stop in Melbourne, Adelaide and then to London via the Suez Canal and calling at Naples.

The following are his diary-like entries that he wrote to his wife Elizabeth. The first date he writes most likely is March 7^th.

Monday 7th Further away than ever. Crossed the line at noon this day and the distance that we are from Adelaide is 4,753 miles, but where I hope you will be 6,000 miles. I will post this letter at Port Said at Suez Canal, which we will reach in a few days, sooner if all goes well. We all expected the weather to be warmer especially crossing the line, but it is not done with us yet.

(Note: I am guessing “the line” is the equator. The geography geek in me was compelled to draw a path on a google map to estimate the route. When he mails this letter at Port Said at the Suez, the letter would have to be placed on a ship returning to Australia.

Tues 8th Before breakfast. Finished my washing, did everything I have except the white shirt. Takes us all our time keeping ourselves clean. There is no stint of water, so long as it is not wasted. A good many of us take off every stitch of clothing except trousers and scrub one another, which refreshes us and keeps us clean; now for my breakfast.

Wednesday 9th Passed a small sailing ship there was a sail of drapery and fancy goods nearly every day. We are gradually weaving into colder weather. The parents are very careless of their children allowing them to run about everywhere. I would not be surprised to see some of them falling overboard as there is only one iron rail, I often see the little ones putting their heads through looking over and could easily be lost. Tell Jamesy boy that his little love birds are first rate and father will bring him prettier ones if he is a good boy and helps mother to put the calves to bed. Tell Jane if she works hard for mother that father will bring her some pretty things from Scotland. She will keep you going about what Dadda going to get me?

Note: “Jamesy boy” would be Matthew James, his oldest son who was about 5. Jane is Sarah Jane who is months away from turning 7.

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10th Sighted land at last at twelve. The African coast. Passed a steamer today. We have the dreariest part of the journey over as we will see land nearly every day: will be in the Red Sea tomorrow.

12th Passed through the strait which is only about 1 mile wide, now into the Red Sea. A fine lighthouse on it. We will be telegraphed from here. Passed four steamers today. We will be at the Suez in about four days; we are now 1,216 miles from it, and in good weather. At noon we are just passing Lafreat, little rocks called the Twelve Apostles. They are quite barren, as if the land had been lost at one time. Not so warm thank God, the weather is showery. It is 9am here and one o’clock with you there. Two men are keeping their watches on time, so they know how much they are losing by the ships time. We passed another ship this a.m. There is an English Church Parson on board. But I never go aft to hear him as we have prayers among ourselves, by what I believe to be God fearing men. 

Note: I tried to find these place names on a map but I think names have changed. At the time of this letter, 1881, Djibouti, the country that controls the strait, was a French colony.

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You will be tired before you read all of this but I may as well keep you amused by telling you that the waistband of my trousers is too small, the top button is of no use, so I’ll be in good shape for the cold weather. This will be the last letter until I reach Scotland.

Read this yourself. Be kind and place five pounds to my credit where I told you. I will do my best not to draw it but best to have it there in case. I must bring home presents for you all. You dear must receive a crown for your head above all things. If the corn is good, it must be looked after. Get the early corn pulled first. Tell them to husk it in the paddock and let it dry as it will mould in the hut. Now dear if spared I will return by the next steamer which will be 14 to 16 days for to talk with my friends Goodbye


Next post – we get details of his visit in Scotland because he wrote a diary!