[Index]
Hugh Ewan MCPHERSON (1805 - 1879)
shepherd, cooper
Children Self + Spouses Parents Grandparents Greatgrandparents
Eliza MCPHERSON (1825 - 1906)
John MCPHERSON (1827 - 1901)
Margaret MCPHERSON (1828 - 1867)
David MCPHERSON (1830 - 1843)
James MCPHERSON (1832 - )
Catherine (Kitty) MCPHERSON (1836 - 1907)
Jemima MCPHERSON (1840 - 1913)
 Hugh Ewan MCPHERSON (1805 - 1879)

+

Isabella MCKAY (1805 - 1875)
 John MCPHERSON











Eliza STEWART











Hugh Ewan MCPHERSON Isabella MCKAY
Hugh Ewan MCPHERSON
Hugh Ewan MCPHERSON Isabella MCKAY Hugh Ewan MCPHERSON
b. 1805 at Cromarty, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland
m. 1824 Isabella MCKAY (1805 - 1875) at Scotland
d. 05 Jul 1879 at Majura, New South Wales, Australia aged 74
Near Relatives of Hugh Ewan MCPHERSON (1805 - 1879)
Relationship Person Born Birth Place Died Death Place Age
Father in Law David MCKAY
Mother in Law Margaret MCINTOSH

Father John MCPHERSON
Mother Eliza STEWART

Self Hugh Ewan MCPHERSON 1805 Cromarty, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland 05 Jul 1879 Majura, New South Wales, Australia 74

Wife Isabella MCKAY 1805 Scotland 30 Apr 1875 Ginninderra, ACT, Australia 70

Daughter Eliza MCPHERSON 1825 Ross & Cromarty, Scotland 22 Jan 1906 Majura, New South Wales, Australia 81
Son John MCPHERSON 1827 Ross & Cromarty, Scotland 08 Jul 1901 Yarralumla, ACT Australia 74
Daughter Margaret MCPHERSON 1828 Ross & Cromarty, Scotland 01 Jun 1867 Canberra, ACT, Australia 39
Son David MCPHERSON 1830 Ross & Cromarty, Scotland 1843 Molonglo, New South Wales, Australia 13
Son James MCPHERSON 1832 Ross & Cromarty, Scotland
Daughter Catherine (Kitty) MCPHERSON 1836 Ross & Cromarty, Scotland 10 Sep 1907 Majura, New South Wales, Australia 71
Daughter Jemima MCPHERSON 1840 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 10 Oct 1913 Canberra, ACT, Australia 73

Son in Law John MCINTOSH 1826 Ross & Cromarty, Scotland 24 Jan 1892 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 66
Daughter in Law Margaret CAMERON 1837 Fort William, Inverness-shire, Scotland 14 Apr 1910 Yarralumla, ACT Australia 73
Son in Law John Ross CAMERON 06 May 1824 Scotland 08 Sep 1860 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 36
Son in Law Henry GOZZARD 1837 Aston, Birmingham, England 03 Oct 1902 Canberra, ACT, Australia 65
Son in Law Angus CAMERON abt 1830 Inverness-shire, Scotland 10 Aug 1900 Majura, New South Wales, Australia 70
Son in Law John WINTER abt 1832 Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, England 29 Sep 1928 Hebden, New South Wales, Australia 96

Grandson James MCINTOSH 1844 Ginninderra, ACT, Australia 17 Sep 1915 Young, New South Wales, Australia 71
Granddaughter Isabella MCINTOSH 1845 Ginninderra, ACT, Australia 1893 Newtown, New South Wales, Australia 48
Granddaughter Christina MCINTOSH 1849 Ginninderra, ACT, Australia
Grandson Alexander MCINTOSH 1850 Ginninderra, ACT, Australia 20 Jun 1925 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 75
Grandson John Malcolm MCINTOSH 1852 Ginninderra, ACT, Australia 09 Feb 1922 Petersham, New South Wales, Australia 70
Granddaughter Annie Ann MCINTOSH 1853 Ginninderra, ACT, Australia 20 Feb 1931 Canberra, ACT, Australia 78
Grandson Ewen (Hugh) Evan MCINTOSH 1856 Ginninderra, ACT, Australia 1863 Majura, New South Wales, Australia 7
Granddaughter Margaret MCINTOSH 1857 Majura, New South Wales, Australia 04 Jul 1947 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 90
Granddaughter Eliza MCINTOSH 1860 Ginninderra, ACT, Australia 05 Sep 1923 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 63
Grandson William MCINTOSH 1862 Majura, New South Wales, Australia 16 Apr 1929 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 67
Grandson Walter MCINTOSH 1865 Majura, New South Wales, Australia 05 May 1927 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 62
Granddaughter Mary MCINTOSH 1868 Majura, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson Evelyn John MCINTOSH abt 1870 Majura, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter Isabella MCPHERSON 1864 Duntroon, ACT, Australia
Granddaughter Margaret MCPHERSON 1867 Duntroon, ACT, Australia
Grandson Hugh Ewan MCPHERSON 1870 Duntroon, ACT, Australia 1870 Duntroon, ACT, Australia 0
Granddaughter Isabella CAMERON
Granddaughter Christina CAMERON 1851 New South Wales, Australia
Grandson Donald CAMERON 1854 New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter Elizabeth CAMERON 1857 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson David CAMERON 1859 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter Louisa GOZZARD 1865 Ginninderra, ACT, Australia 28 Feb 1940 Hall, New South Wales, Australia 75
Granddaughter Margaret Maria GOZZARD 1867 Ginninderra, ACT, Australia
Grandson Donald David CAMERON 1863 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 1906 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 43
Grandson John CAMERON 1864 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 1895 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 31
Granddaughter Isabella CAMERON 1867 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter Catherine CAMERON 1869 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 1871 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 2
Grandson Angus CAMERON 1871 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson Duncan CAMERON 1873 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter Margaret CAMERON 1876 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 1947 Penrith, New South Wales, Australia 71
Granddaughter Jemima WINTER 1862 Canberra, ACT, Australia
Grandson Joseph WINTER 1864 Canberra, ACT, Australia 1936 Gympie, Queensland, Australia 72
Granddaughter Isabella WINTER 1866 Canberra, ACT, Australia 1868 Canberra, ACT, Australia 2
Granddaughter Isabella WINTER 1869 Canberra, ACT, Australia
Granddaughter Sarah WINTER 1871 Canberra, ACT, Australia abt 1954 83
Grandson John (Jack) WINTER 1873 Canberra, ACT, Australia 17 Jul 1945 Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia 72
Granddaughter Elizabeth (Betsy) WINTER 1876 Canberra, ACT, Australia 02 Jun 1960 Canberra, ACT, Australia 84
Grandson William WINTER 04 Oct 1878 Canberra, ACT, Australia 07 Oct 1947 Westmead, New South Wales, Australia 69
Grandson David WINTER 1881 Canberra, ACT, Australia 25 Dec 1957 Lockhart, New South Wales, Australia 76

Events in Hugh Ewan MCPHERSON (1805 - 1879)'s life
Date Age Event Place Notes Src
1805 Hugh Ewan MCPHERSON was born Cromarty, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland 6
1824 19 Married Isabella MCKAY (aged 19) Scotland 6
1825 20 Birth of daughter Eliza MCPHERSON Ross & Cromarty, Scotland 6
1827 22 Birth of son John MCPHERSON Ross & Cromarty, Scotland 6
1828 23 Birth of daughter Margaret MCPHERSON Ross & Cromarty, Scotland 6
1830 25 Birth of son David MCPHERSON Ross & Cromarty, Scotland 6
1832 27 Birth of son James MCPHERSON Ross & Cromarty, Scotland 6
1836 31 Birth of daughter Catherine (Kitty) MCPHERSON Ross & Cromarty, Scotland 6
10 May 1839 34 Immigration Sydney, New South Wales, Australia per 'Asia' 6
1840 35 Birth of daughter Jemima MCPHERSON Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 6
1843 38 Death of son David MCPHERSON (aged 13) Molonglo, New South Wales, Australia 80
01 Jun 1867 62 Death of daughter Margaret MCPHERSON (aged 39) Canberra, ACT, Australia 7559/1867 6
30 Apr 1875 70 Death of wife Isabella MCKAY (aged 70) Ginninderra, ACT, Australia 6
05 Jul 1879 74 Hugh Ewan MCPHERSON died Majura, New South Wales, Australia 8527/1879 6
Source References:
6. Type: Book, Abbr: Queanbeyan Register, Title: Biographical register of Canberra and Queanbeyan: from the district to the Australian Capital Territory 1820-1930, Auth: Peter Proctor, Publ: The Heraldry & Genealogical Society of Canberra, Date: 2001
- Reference = 218 (Immigration)
- Reference = 218 (Name, Notes)
- Reference = 218 (Death)
- Reference = 218 (Birth)
- Reference = 218 (Marriage)
80. Type: Web Page, Abbr: Hall Museum, Title: Hall School Museum and Heritage Centre, Locn: https://museum.hall.act.au/
- Reference = https://museum.hall.act.au/display/1939/person/3400/hugh-ewan-mcpherson.html (Name, Notes)
- Notes: Hugh 'Ewan' McPherson

Born: 1805; Died: 1879; Married: Isabella [McKay]

Related Files
Portion Plans, Parish of Goorooyarroo - Portion 8 ⧉ (PDF 452.7 kb)
Portion Plans, Parish of Goorooyarroo - Portion 8. Sold to Hugh McPherson 1859

Parish map extract. Hugh McPherson's Portion 8 ⧉ (TIFF 2.0 Mb)
Parish map extract. Hugh McPherson's Portion 8

Hugh Ewan McPherson was born in Ross and Cromarty in Ross-shire, Scotland in 1805. He was the son of schoolmaster John McPherson and Eliza Stewart. Hugh, also known as Ewan, was a cooper by occupation, a person who made wooden barrels. In 1824, he married Isabella McKay daughter of David McKay and Margaret McIntosh.

In 1838, he was brought out as an assisted migrant by the government to work on Robert Campbell's property, Duntroon, in the Limestone Plains. By that time they had five children: Eliza, John, Margaret, David, James and Catherine (Kitty). They left Cromarty on the 17th September 1838. Hugh and his family arrived in Sydney on May 10th 1839 on the ship 'Asia'. Isabella gave birth to another daughter, Jemima in Sydney, 1840.

The family moved to Duntroon and Hugh became the Head-Shepherd working for Robert Campbell. He was stationed at Mugga Mugga where his hut was situated. Patrick Curley, a thirteen year old 'junior shepherd' worked and lived with the McPherson family for quite a number of years.

Shumack describes a horrible event regarding one of the children:

The first drowning fatality at Canberra was in 1843 in the Molonglo River south of the Glebe farm. David Macpherson, a youth of twelve years, was the victim. St John's Church was in course of construction and the builder, a man named Cameron, was a friend of the Macpherson family, who lived at the Cross Roads, Ainslie. Cameron and some of his men used to visit the Macpherson home periodically and pass a couple of hours away. One evening Mrs Macpherson called to her husband, 'Here come the men, Hugh. There are some strangers with them and they are carrying something.' Macpherson went to look while she cleared away the dishes after the evening meal. He called out, 'Where are the men you spoke of? I can see no one.' His wife had another look and then said, 'My goodness! Where have they gone? There were six men and they were carrying something.' Macpherson then had a good look around but found nothing, and he and his wife were greatly upset. The following evening at the same hour a party of six men were seen approaching the Macpherson home carrying a burden. It was the body of their son David, who was drowned half an hour previously when swimming in the river. The bereaved mother's vision was a household story for many years. Macpherson's wife and son David are buried in the Honeysuckle Reserve, where a headstone was erected to their memory. This stone was later destroyed by stock, and the fence enclosing the plot wherein lie buried a dozen or more pioneers was destroyed by fire in 1870 and was never renewed.

In November 1959, Hugh purchased 50 acres in the Parish of Goorooyarroo, next to John Winter's property, Red Hill. Many neighbours ended up marrying children of Hugh, including the Gozzards, Camerons and Winters. Hugh was now working as a farmer on his property. Lyall Gillespie describes an incident relating to the Aboriginal people living in the area:

'Isabella McPherson.........was frightened when Aborigines gathered near her home, but her husband, Hugh, temporarily solved the problem. He presented the chief with a plug of tobacco, provided that he dispersed his men'.

Hugh and Isabella had in total seven children, of which only one was born in Australia; Eliza, John, Margaret, David, James, Catherine (Kitty) and Jemima. Eliza married John McIntosh of Majura. Their son, James grew up to be a senior police sergeant – he helped capture the bushranger, Captain Moonlite as well as single-handedly arresting Thomas Rogan, another bushranger.

In 1875, Hugh's wife, Isabella McKay died at their home in Ginninderra. Hugh died at Majura four years later at the age of 74. Both of them are buried at St John the Baptist church in Reid, next to their daughter Jemima Winter, and grand-daughter Elizabeth Ginn.

[contributed by Dylan Rattenbury]

Related Photos

Hugh and Isabell McPherson's grave ⧉
References
Shumack, S., 1967.An autobiography or Tales and Legends of Canberra pioneers, ANU Press, Canberra
Gillespie L L, 1991. Canberra 1820-1913, AGPS Press, Canberra,.
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