John Patrick McLean

1914 - 1983  (68 years)

• Name	John Patrick McLean
  Born	20 Feb 1914  [1]
  Gender	Male
  Died	5 Feb 1983
  Person ID	I0039	The McLean Family Tree
  Last Modified	18 May 2006

  
  

  Father	Hugh McLean,   b. 20 Mar 1877, Mara Twp, Ontario ,   d. Abt 21 Dec 1956  (Age 79 years)
  Mother	Florence Hardy,   b. 6 Aug 1883,   d. Sep 1958  (Age 75 years)
  Married	2 Sep 1902	St. Columbkille's Ch., Mara Twp., Ontario Co., Ontario   [2]
  Family ID	F055	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Margaret Jean Main,   b. 1922,   d. 25 Nov 1999, Cambridge Ont., Canada  (Age 77 years)
  Married	20 Sep 1941  [3]
  Children	1. Living McLean   2. Living McLean   3. Living McLean   4. Living McLean   5. Living McLean   6. Living McLean   7. Living McLean   8. Living McLean   9. Living McLean
  Last Modified	18 May 2006
  Family ID	F059	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  In 1914 Florence gave birth to Jack and Mary gave birth to Theresa. Jack w as always known in the area as "the boy who fell down the well". For the f irst seven or eight years the McLeans had no well nearby. They walked qui te some distance to a well shared by three families. Getting a little tir ed of this trip every day, they decided to round up a dowser, George Hacke tt. He was also a local farmer. He chose a spot for a well out in fro nt of the house. Hugh, Dick and Eddie tackled the job. The work was all done by hand. Hu gh was down in the hole filling a bucket with dirt. He was armed with a pi ck and a shovel. Dick and Eddie were at the top. They would take turns pul ling the bucket up with a rope and emptying it. The well ended up bei ng 60 feet deep. It was clay at the top but quick sand at the bottom. Th ey should have cribbed the well as the hole got deeper but they hadn't tak en the time for that important extra step. When they hit the sand, it ke pt falling in from the sides of the well and into the water. Jack and Theresa were about seven years old at the time. They were playi ng horse. Theresa was behind Jack and held him by the braces. Once in a wh ile they would take a peek down the hole to see how deep it was. Jack we nt too close and the loose dirt around the edge gave way. He fell in the h ole - head first. Hugh was at the bottom. As Jack landed, he hit his father's shoulder. He l anded head first, with his head buried in the sand right to his shoulder s. Luckily, he missed the bucket which was half-way up and the shovel a nd pick at Hugh's side. Hugh shouted up, "Which one is it, Jack, Mike or Mark? Whichever one it i s, he's dead!." Dick and Eddie told him it was Jack. Hugh tied a rope arou nd his waist and they pulled him up. When he got to about half way he star ted crying. He only bled a little around the lip. A doctor never did che ck him out.

  
  

• Sources

  [S2090] e-mail 03 Apr 2002 from Carol LaFreniere. [S2093] McLean Helen -8 Jun 2000 "The McLeans", 12-13. QUAY 3 When Hugh and Florence decided to get married, Florence had to live with a Catholic family for one year before she could become a Catholic. In those days you could only marry a Catholic if you becam e Catholic. She lived with Sarah McTaggart's family, a friend. They had a crew of girls. Florence and Sarah were to remain in touch for the rest of their lives. Sarah married Jack Cabiner and they mov ed to Drayton, Ontario. Florence went to visit Sarah in Drayton several times throughout the 1940's and 50's. Sarah also came once to visit at the farm near Galt. On September 2, 1902, Florence married Hugh McLean at the church in Uptergrove at St. Columbkille's Catholic Church on Highway l2. [S2092] McLean Helen -"Timeline", 14. QUAY 3 "1941 Sept. 20 - Jack and Jean Main were married"