Alexander Donald MATHESON

1878 - 1957  (79 years)

• Name	Alexander Donald MATHESON
  Born	16 Apr 1878
  Gender	Male
  Education	Alexander was said (ref : Alf McLean, p 12) to be 'well educated', but what schooling did he actually have? Maybe his older sisters or aunty taught him - they were teachers.
  General event	"The outstanding character in this area was Mr Alex Matheson, a well educated man, and a sincere Presbyterian. He conducted Sunday School in the Angas Plains school for many years, as well as giving his undoubted ability and assistance to other organisation such as Mutual Improvement Society, and Tennis Club. He was a Lay Preacher of the Presbyterian Church. I'm sure he is well remembered and respected by the Angas Plains people 1900 to 1940. He had an immense knowledge of human life. He was a teacher in the Education Department in his younger days, and taught at Belvidere, north of Angas Plains. I well remember the last occasion I met him - I was on uniform duty relieving at the Unley Police Station, and I met him in Unley Road. I hadn't seen him for some years, he was living with some of his sisters in the district. He was genuinely pleased to see me, and yarned about the early days. I never saw him again! Alex Matheson was the type of man I could never forget. I well recall an incident concerning Alex Matheson, when I was attending Sunday School at Angas Plains School. It was quite a large attendance - and I was in his class, being conducted in the kitchen, where his sister Isabel, lived. Suddenly as we were seated around the kitchen table, a large tarantula spider emerged from 'no where' onto our table. Alex didn't realise it was a 'pet' of his sister, 'Tiny', who was accustomed to feeding it with odd bits of food!. He promptly picked up a iron bolt lying nearby, and cracked the spider!. He was 'history'. Miss Matheson came in haste to ascertain what the commotion was, and found her 'pet' had been dealt a death blow!. She was mortified at the loss, and gave Alex the 'rounds of the kitchen' for destroying her pet! These things happen.? (ref : Alf McLean 'Having Fun Without Working Hard', 1996, p 12)  [1]
  General event	1891 & 1893	Point Sturt
  	Alexander was cared for by with his big sister Maggie in the years 1891 to 1893 when she was teaching at Point Sturt - he lived there with her.
  Occupation	Alf McLean asserted that, in his younger days, Alexander was a teacher with the Education Department at Belvidere (p 12 in 'Having Fun Without Working Too Hard'). However Margaret Anderson (ID 293) stated that, although his four sisters were teachers, Alexander was never a teacher (email 20th June 2022).
  Occupation	Farmer
  Residence	Residences : * 368 Unley Rd was the family home when Alexander and his sisters were growing up, * Section 2800 and * Watson Park, near Angus Plains * also possibly Eskadale, Durham or Maplemore - but this might be other Mathesons rather than Alexander (ref : Ian Young).
  Died	4 Sep 1957  [2, 3]
  Person ID	I187	Alexander & Jessie
  Last Modified	21 Jun 2022

  
  

  Father	Hugh Innis Cameron MATHESON,   b. 12 Aug 1831,   d. 28 May 1915, 'Clashmore',Strathalbyn, SA, Australia  (Age 83 years)
  Mother	Margaret Munro GOLLAN,   b. 1836, Beauly, Inverness-shire ,   d. 15 Jul 1927  (Age 91 years)
  Married	18 Sep 1861	Strathalbyn,SA
  	Married at Margaret's mother's residence, 'The Swamp Farm', Strathalbyn. Her mother is Amy (or Ann) Gollan. The wedding was officiated by Rev John Anderson Question : Some sources indicate that Hugh's wife was someone else, but it is doubted that these other sources are correct. * Margaret GORDON : The birth record of her daughter, Jessie Gollan MATHESON has her mother as Margaret GORDON (ref : Aust Birth Index, vol 73, p 166). If it is true that her mother was a Gordon, is this Margaret related to the Alexander Gordons? He had a daughter, Margaret, but she would have only been 9 years old when Jessie was born. * Catherine Christina GOLLAN : "He married a niece of Gollan's, namely Catherine Christina Gollan." (ref : Alexandrina's Shore, Jim Faull, p 150) But who is this Catherine, and what connection has she with Donald Gollan? * Resolution: It is most likely that Jessie's mother is Margaret Gollan as indicated by Jessie's middle name. And Margaret's marriage notice states that the wedding was held in the home of the bride's mother - Ann Gollan. We need to get a copy of actual birth record's of Hugh's children (rather than a transcription from the Aust Birth Index). This note was by Don Gordon on 7th April 2018.
  Children	Of Hugh and Margaret's six daughters, only the first, Elizabeth was married. Four of them were spinster teachers at neighbouring schools - Jessie, Christina, Margaret and Alexandrina - ie four Miss Mathesons were teachers. Their other daughter, Jane, died when she was just three years old. This note by Don Gordon on 6th April 2018
  Residence	'Clashmore', 28 Sandergrove Rd, Strathalbyn
  Wedding	18 Sep 1861	Strathalbyn
  	"Married - Matheson-Gollan: On September 18, at the residence of the bride's mother, near Strathalbyn, by the Rev John Anderson, late of Aird, Inverness-shire." (South Australian Advertiser, 20th Sept 1861, p2)
  Family ID	F60	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Minnie MCKITTRICK,   d. 4 Feb 1945
  Married	23 Mar 1910  [2]
  Children	+ 1. Jessie Goldie MATHESON,   b. 26 May 1911,   d. 23 Sep 1988  (Age 77 years) + 2. Hugh Ian MATHESON,   b. 18 Mar 1913,   d. May 1961  (Age 48 years) + 3. Alistair Gollan McKittick MATHESON,   b. 12 Nov 1914
  Last Modified	30 Mar 2014
  Family ID	F70	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Headstones

  Matheson family memorial gravestone - Strathalbyn cemetery This Matheson family memorial headstone was erected some time after 1966 - ie after the death of the last of the 10 people listed. Were all these people actually buried here?

  
  

• Sources

  [S9] Alf McLean's book, Alf McLean, (1966), p 12. [S4] Matheson Bible, (Ian Young). [S72] Gravestone, Matheson family memorial stone at Strathalbyn cemetery.