FatherJohn McDonald b. c Jan 1799, d. 28 May 1841
MotherMargaret Campbell b. 16 Aug 1807, d. 1 Aug 1887
Pedigree

Birth, Death, Marriage

Archibald McDonald was born circa June 1833 in Kinchrackine, Argyll, Scotland.1 
He married Lucy Turner Campbell, daughter of John Campbell and Catherine MacCallum, on 22 November 1861 in St Kilda, Victoria.2,3 
He died on 26 December 1890 in Swan Hill, Victoria.4 

Family

Lucy Turner Campbell b. 26 Jul 1845, d. 22 Nov 1929
Children
ChartsCampbell, John, descendant chart
McDonald, Archibald, descendant chart
McDonald, Irene, pedigree chart

Story

Archibald McDonald came to Australia from Argyleshire, Scotland, arriving in Victoria about 1853. He arrived in Swan Hill about 1861 or 1862, and was a resident there until his death. He was a well known and much respected resident of Swan Hill, and a man of considerable force of character, being at one time President of the Swan Hill Shire Council. He was also a coach driver, pound-keeper, publican and land selector. He died in Swan Hill aged 57.5,4,6
 
Archibald was born in Kinchrackine, Glenorchy, Argyll, Scotland circa June 1833. He was the third child of John and Margaret (nee Campbell.)7,8
 
Dalmally Emigration Custom
One of our Campbell cousins who was brought up in Dalmally and who died a long time ago, told me that, when people from Dalmally emigrated, to Canada or Australia, their friends would go with them to the top of the pass that would take them to Inveraray and the sea. When they looked back for the last time towards Dalmally, their friends would cut away the turf from under their feet and keep the footprints free of grass in their memory. A lot of Campbells and Fletchers from the area went abroad during the 19th century; a few came back. [Lorne Campbell, 2016]9
 
Emigration to Australia
It is reported that Archibald McDonald emigrated from Scotland to Victoria with his family in about 1853, and they went in search for gold in the Sandhurst (Bendigo) area. His brother Hugh was in the same area, and brother John was known to be in South Australia years later, but the rest of his family remained in Scotland.8,1
 
Coach Driver
Archie became a Cobb & Co coach driver in the 1850s, replacing a regular driver named Patterson who had drowned in Lake Charm. After operating the coach run from Sandhurst to Swan Hill, he was later stationed at Swan Hill and became the regular driver for the return journey from there to Wentworth.8
 
Marriage and Move to Swan Hill
Archibald McDonald and Lucy Turner Campbell married in St Kilda in 1861. Lucy was just 16 years old. Archie was a Cobb & Co coach driver, and the couple decided to settle in Swan Hill. They began their journey from Melbourne in a coach drawn by six horses and stopped along their way at a roadside inn in the Black Forest, near Woodend. When they prepared to leave, they discovered that all the horses were missing - they were never recovered.10
 
Family of Fourteen
Lucy and Archie had fourteen children over a period of 25 years, the first when Lucy was 18 and the last when she was 43. There were ten boys and four girls, and all were born in Swan Hill.10
 
Pound-Keeper and Shire President
In 1862 Archie was appointed to the position of pound-keeper, a position which he held until 1867.

And for many years, he served on the Swan Hill Shire council, as president and as returning officer.

Among other things, he used his position on council to help get the Swan Hill hospital out of its desperate financial state.8,11
 
White Swan Hotel
Archie McDonald bought the White Swan Hotel in the 1870s when it was a double-fronted single-storey building. A lane ran down the south side giving access to the large rear yard which, of course, included stabling accommodation.

As Lucy McDonald considered a hotel an unsuitable environment in which to raise children, a log cabin was built in the hotel yard for herself and children.12
McDonald family home, rear White Swan Hotel, Swan Hill
Image: Swan Hill Genealogical & Historical Society
Archibald McDonald with his horse and cart, Swan Hill
Image: Nene Courtie
Land Selection
After selling the White Swan Hotel, Archie took up farming:
He then went in for taking up land, and selected about 1000 acres between himself and family, and settled down to farming persuits. Unfortunately he did not have good luck in his new sphere with bad seasons and one misfortune or another operating against him.6

 
The extent of his land holdings can be seen from his will.

Wills and Bequests
Archibald McDonald, of Swan Hill, farmer, by his will dated December 18, 1890, and presented for probate by Mr GHR Osborne, of Melbourne, solicitor, agent for Mr GW Watson, of Sandhurst, solicitor, appointed Hugh McDonald, of Swan Hill, farmer, and Percy Anderson Fenton, of Swan Hill, mail contractor executors. He bequeathed to his wife, Lucy Turner McDonald, his life assurance for £250 with all bonuses accruing thereon. He bequeathed the remainder of his estate, consisting of a farm near Five-mile Point, two blocks of land in Campbell-street, one block in Pritchard-street, and the block which contains the Skating Rink in Macrae-street, Swan Hill. Also all his interest in the blocks taken up by John and Lucy McDonald (now Lucy Fenton), on Tyntyndyr station, his interest in his brother's (Hugh McDonald) station, of 75 acres on Burridge Island [sic: Beveridge Island], Lower Murray; also 66 acres of leasehold land adjoining Hugh McDonald's station on Burridge Island [sic: Beveridge Island], and all his personal property, consisting of horses, cattle, farm implements and household furniture to his wife and family. Testator desired that his wife and family should not sell the estate, or separate from each other for six years, but that they should agree to work and employ the farm and estate for their mutual welfare. Testator died December 26,1890, and his will was sworn at £515 real and £4349 personal. Total, £4864.13

 
In the Swan Hill township, one block on Campbell St runs part way to Beveridge St and is between Rutherford and Wood streets; this block was empty. The second Campbell St block is near the corner of Burke and Wills streets and is almost six acres next to the Little Murray river. The empty Pritchard St block is on the south-east corner with Splatt St. The final township block is on the corner of McCrae and Beveridge streets and had a weatherboard building with iron roof let as a store at £1 per week. It was part of a mortgage to the Northern Trustees Executors and Agency Company.

Tyntynder station, where Archie had property with son John and daughter Lucy, was the earliest European settlement in the area, and was about 16 km north of Swan Hill. Five Mile Point was about half way to Tyntynder station, roughly where Tyntynder South is today.

His probate also mentions two properties on the western edge of the township, allotments 15 and 16. They take up most of the triangle bounded by Sea Lake-Swan Hill Rd, Woorinen Rd and Memorial Dr and had been recently sold to Ellis Hook, to whom he had earlier sold the White Swan Hotel.14,15,13
 
Archie, Lucy and their children lived, and had several properties in the area around Swan Hill.
 

McDonalds around Swan Hill (click for interactive map)
 
Archibald McDonald died of heart disease in Swan Hill on 26 December 1890, age 57. He was buried at Swan Hill cemetery on 27 December.4
 
Obituary
It is our painful duty this week to have to record the death of Mr Archibald McDonald, one of the oldest inhabitants of the district. He died on Boxing Day, after a somewhat lingering illness. At one time it was hoped by his friends that he was going to pull through, but his medical attendant, Dr Cran?stone, gave no hope from the first. On Boxing Day he took a bad turn and succumbed. There was a general breaking-up of the constitution, but the immediate cause of death was failure of the heart's action. Mr McDonald was a well known and much respected resident of Swan Hill, and a man of considerable force of character, being at one time President of the Swan Hill Shire Council, and his death cast quite a gloom over the township. He was a native of Argyleshire, Scotland. He arrived in the colonies well back in the fifties, and in Swan Hill about 1861 or 1862, and has been a resident off and on ever since. His first appearance in Swan Hill was as driver to Cobb and Co between Sandhurst and here, taking the place of one Patterson, who was drowned in Lake Charm. Some time afterwards he took the contract to convey the mails from Swan Hill to Wentworth, and shortly afterwards he became landlord of the old White Swan Hotel, which he carried on successfully for some years, but as he had large family growing up around him, he sacrificed his income for their welfare, and sold out to Mr Hook. He then went in for taking up land, and selected about 1000 acres between himself and family, and settled down to farming pursuits. Unfortunately he had not good luck in his new sphere, bad seasons and one misfortune or another operating against him, and poor old Archie's last days were not altogether days of peace. He leaves a sorrowing wife and large family, and a large circle of friends, to lament his loss. He was 65 years of age. His funeral was the largest that has ever taken place in Swan Hill.6
 

Citations

  1. [S410] Margaret Campbell or McDonald, family history, 2016.
  2. [S3] Victorian Pioneer Index 1836-1888, CD-ROM, Macbeth Genealogical Services, 1998, 'Archibald McDonald' and 'Lucy Turner Campbell' entry, marriage registration no. 4338, 1861.
  3. [S373] Archibald McDonald and Lucy Turner Campbell, marriage registration no. 4338, 22 November 1861.
  4. [S36] Archibald McDonald, death registration no. 17827, 26 December 1890.
  5. [S28] Donald Glenorchy McDonald, birth registration no. 12134, 6 March 1878.
  6. [S285] 'Obituary', Swan Hill Guardian, January 1891.
  7. [S309] International Genealogical Index (IGI), film no. 537395, page 4, ref no. 71080, viewed 10 June 1999.
  8. [S101] Swan Hill Pioneer Register, fiche, 1988, 'McDonald, Archibald.'
  9. [S206] Campbell, Lorne, personal communication, 4 August 2016.
  10. [S101] Swan Hill Pioneer Register, fiche, 1988, 'McDonald, Lucy Turner.'
  11. [S189] A History of the Shire of Swan Hill, Shire of Swan Hill, 1989, p. 65.
  12. [S137] Swan Hill Streets: Paved in history, Swan Hill Regional Library, 1988, 'McDonald Court.'
  13. [S437] 'Wills and bequests', Table Talk, 1885-1939, newspaper, Maurice Brodzky, 20 March 1891, p. 5, viewed 26 December 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147284400
  14. [S525] Swan Hill Township Plan, Imperial measure 5747, VPRS 16171 Regional Land Office Parish and Township Plans Digitised Reference Set, plan no. 5747, map, 1960.
  15. [S110] 'Archibald McDonald', VPRS 28 Probate and Administration Files, no. 44/962, probate, 4 May 1891.