Alexander Fraser (1792-1870) and Magdalene McTavish (1792-1870) 

Magdalene McTavish was the daughter of Alexander McTavish and Christiana Williamson.  Alexander was the Tacksman of Migovie in the Dores or Boleskine parish of Stratherrick, Inverness-shire, Scotland.  The family was prominent in the area at that time, but like many other Scot’s the sea’s called and they emigrated with the Laird of Glengarry to Australia.  They departed 1840 from Greenock in the ship, “The Perfect”.  They arrived at Port Jackson (Sydney) in New South Wales on 12/20/1840.  Deciding that Victoria, then called "Port Phillip District" was to be their final destination they transferred to the ship "The Brothers” with all their implements and stock and arrived to the newly discovered Port Albert and disembarked on the Albert River at what we now call "Old Port" on the 6^th July 1841.  It was only due to a shipwreck on the 2^nd January 1841that the bay was discovered.   "Brothers" was only the about the 5th or 6th ship to arrive in that period.

Glengarry settled on land ten miles inland on the Tarra River.  The much reduced acreage is now called Green mount.  Alexander Fraser was the head stockman in this operation.  The men would round up the stock while the milkmaids would mike the herd.  Due to the large difference in farming from the Highlands of Scotland to the lands in Australia, this venture went broke within 12 months.  So Aeneas Randal McDonnell, the laird of Glengarry returned to Scotland, however Alexander and Magdalene stayed in the area. We next find evidence of Alexander 3 years later in reference to a cow being given to one of Alexander’s sons by Patrick Cody Buckley, the owner of a station.  Fraser worked for other station owners before taking up his own land at Merton in central Victoria.  He lived and worked here until his death in 1792.  He and Magdalene are buried in the Merton cemetery.  

Children of MAGDALENE MCTAVISH and ALEXANDER FRASER are:

                   i.       ISABELLA⁹ FRASER, b. January 08, 1817, Dores, Inverness, Scotland; d. December 09, 1876, Mansfield, Victoria, Scotland; m. DUNCAN MCDIARMID, June 23, 1836; b. Glensurrit, Scotland.

                  ii.       ALEXANDER FRASER, b. June 10, 1818, Dores, Inverness, Scotland; d. July 09, 1892, Doctors Flat, Victoria, Australia; m. MARJORIE MCPHERSON, 1839, Garthbeg, Inverness, Scotland; b. Garthbeg, Inverness, Scotland.

                 iii.       CHRISTIAN FRASER, b. November 28, 1819; d. March 03, 1868, Benalla, Victoria, Australia; m. HENRY MYDDLETON, March 01, 1832, Avenal, Victoria, Australia.

                 iv.       MAGDALENE FRASER, b. September 21, 1821, Dores, Inverness, Scotland; d. January 04, 1868, Benalla, Victoria, Australia; m. GEORGE PIRIE, 1846.

                  v.       ANNE FRASER, b. September 23, 1823.

                 vi.       HUGH ARCHIBALD FRASER, b. March 26, 1826; m. CATHERINE MCPHERSON.

                vii.       SIMON LOVAT FRASER, b. May 06, 1828, Boleskine, Inverness, Scotland; d. October 23, 1893, Mansfield, Victoria, Australia.

               viii.       JOHN FRASER, b. April 15, 1830.

                  ix.       DONALD FRASER, b. May 03, 1832, Boleskine, Inverness, Scotland; d. 1895; m. SARAH BICKFORD; b. Plymouth, England.

                   x.       THOMAS FRASER, b. April 05, 1834, Boleskine, Inverness, Scotland; d. May 17, 1920, Dalyston, Victoria, Australia; m. JANE CLARKE.

                  xi.       ELIZABETH FRASER, b. July 22, 1838, Boleskine, Inverness, Scotland; m. JOHN WATT, July 16, 1860, Merton, Victoria, Australia.