Person Record

Metadata

Name

McLean, Mary A.

Othernames

Mary Ann Alice McLean

Born

May 18, 1878

Birthplace

Owen Sound, Grey County, Ontario

Places of residence

_______ (later called 1663 5th Ave. East)
Princess Street West, Owen Sound, Ontario (1901 census)

Father

John McLean (1816-1900)

Mother

Elizabeth Blythe (1838-1921)

Nationality

Canadian

Notes

Miss Mary McLean (b. May 18, 1878) lived at 1663 5th Ave. East, Owen Sound, at the residence where her parents had resided since the early 1860s. Her mother, Elizabeth McLean (nee Blythe), had been born at Cincinnati on June 4, 1838, moved to Toronto in 1840, and had arrived in Owen Sound in 1846 (another source says 1843) when she was a child. It had taken the Blythe family ten days to travel from Toronto, first by stage to Holland Landing, across Lake Simcoe, another stage to Coldwater and finally by the steamer CALULA to Sydenham. They landed at Boyd's Wharf, where they stayed the night, as there was no transportation in to the settlement after dark. The next day, they travelled by a man-hauled batteau up the Sydenham River to the site of the present Owen Sound City Hall, and were housed at the Government House building near there (present-day Market Building area). Elizabeth's father (John Blythe) was a tailor, and opened a tailor shop in part of W. C. Boyd's house. The Blythes eventually built a log house on Scrope Street, and in 1858, resided along Bay Street in Owen Sound.

In October of 1862, twenty-four-year-old Elizabeth married Scottish-born John McLean, who was forty-six. Mr. McLean was a collector of interesting objects and also was a marksman. He died in 1900. In the 1901 census of Owen Sound, his widow, Elizabeth McLean, was listed at Princess St. West, and her birthdate was provided as June 4, 1838, age 62, and it says that she emigrated from the U.S. in 1843 (this differs from the newspaper account of the Blythe family travels). Her daughters Grace (b. Dec. 19, 1864), and Mary (b. May 18, 1878) resided with her.

Mary's sister Grace passed away in 1931.

Mary McLean, like her parents, also appreciated older items and belonged to the Lyceum Club of Canada, which had an Owen Sound group (interested in art objects and historical objects). She was a member of the Lyceum Club in the 1930s. In November, 1949, she spoke to the Owen Sound Lyceum Club and Women's Art Associaton at a meeting, talking about forty years of growth for the club. Mary McLean was a Charter Member of the group, which started in 1909 (Mrs. C. R. Ardill was the first President). The group used to organize annual "Valentine Balls" and also had picture exhibitions at the W.C.T.U. hall building.

In the 1921 census, Mary A. McLean was at _________ and her occupation recorded as ___________. Her mother had died in January, 1921.

In 2016, Grey Roots Museum displayed the "Extraordinary Tree" exhibit, and one panel shows the large Cucumber Magnolia tree that was likely planted around the time that the McLean residence was built (c. 1863).

Archival Items at the Grey County Archives:
962.39.1 Cased photograph of John McLean
962.39.2 Cased photograph of John and Elizabeth (Blyth) McLean
962.39.5 Photograph of Mrs. Blythe (19th-c)
962.39.6 photograph of Mrs. John McLean by photographer Adams, and 962.39.7 photograph of John McLean by Adams

Occupation

Music Teacher
Lyceum Club Member (1909+)

Publications

-Cathcart, Ruth, HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION (architectural book includes the McLean residence)
-Obituary of Elizabeth McLean (Jan. 1921)
-"Miss Mary McLean Recalls Forty Years of Growth For The Lyceum Club", OWEN SOUND SUN TIMES, November 24, 1949
-"Couple Renovates Unique Old Wooden House, Solid Despite 100 Years of Age", THE OWEN SOUND SUN TIMES, Oct. 17, 1964 (re the McLean residence).

Relationships

Maternal Grandparents: John Blythe and Alice Blythe (nee Smith)
Siblings:
Grace Ann McLean (1864-1931)
Alexander McLean (1875-1897)
Robert B. McLean (1870-1919)
William H. McLean (1868-1915)
Jane McLean (1864-1872)
George McLean (1873-1875)
There also was a John Gilfelin McLean (b. Jan 16, 1867, who was listed in the 1881 and 1891 census under the McLean household--he had his own household in the 1901 census). Was he a sibling, or a relative taken in?