Mary Frances SMITH

1855 - 1884  (29 years)

• Name	Mary Frances SMITH  [1]
  Nickname	Fanny
  Born	1855  [1]
  Gender	Female
  Biography Notes	See her husband's biography.  [1]
  Biography Notes	Southern Argus, 16th March 1922, p3 - EXHUMATION AT MILANG CEMETERY. A correspondent says: On Thursday last, March 9th, Mr. D. H. McLean had the body of his late wife, Mary Frances McLean removed from the Milang cemetery and reburied in the Strathalbyn cemetery. She was the only daughter of the late William Bacon and Ellen Smith, of Lake Plains, and sister of WJ Smith. Strange to say, this exhumation took place just forty-seven years from the time Mr. McLean and Miss Smith first saw each other, they were then twenty and seventeen years of age, loved at first sight, and they never parted until death came. The coffin was in a fair state of preservation. Mr McLean was present, and was able to identify the form of his late wife, also the fair hair and beautiful natural teeth, which were all intact. The work was carried out very creditably by Mr FJ Siebert, of Adelaide.  [2]
  Died	30 Nov 1884  [1]
  Buried	3 Dec 1884	Strathalbyn SA   [1]
  	Mary Frances died at Lake Plains aged 29 years, on 30/11/1884. She was initially interred at Milang Cemetery on 3/12/84. 37 years later, Mary's grave in Milang was opened on 9th March 1922 to Mr DH McLean. It was opened on the southern side of lot 129. This was authorized by the Attorney General and opened by curator H Grierson. She was subsequently reburied at Strathabyn on 22nd March. The story is that those who opened the coffin when doing the work (Donald's curiosity) - found that she looked exactly as on the day of her burial. This was but briefly, as when the air touched her she shivered away to dust - despite this Donald carressed her hair in admiration! This move was not looked on favorably by a good many people!
  Person ID	I-3188	Christina and Donald McLean | John McLean's descendants
  Last Modified	5 Feb 2017

  
  

  Father	William BACON-SMITH, Lord,   b. 1824,   d. 9 Aug 1876  (Age 52 years)
  Relationship	-1051
  Mother	Frances UNKNOWN
  Relationship	-1051
  Family ID	F-1051	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Donald Henry b1854 MCLEAN,   b. 27 Aug 1854, Angas Plains SA ,   d. 26 Sep 1933, Murrayville SA  (Age 79 years)
  Married	6 Apr 1881	Milang SA
  Children	1. William Bacon Smith MCLEAN,   b. 4 Mar 1882, Milang SA  []
  Last Modified	1 Aug 2017 16:30:38
  Family ID	F-1050	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Headstones » Slide Show		HS SMITH Mary Frances wife of Donald H McLean
  		HS Mary Frances Smith, wife of Donald Henry McLean d1881
  		HS MCLEAN Donald H and Mary Frances nee Smith

  
  

  STORIES

  5063 - Donald Henry McLean & Mary Frances (Fanny) Smith & Ellen Joanna Ford John's descendants - biography as published in the BRB in 1995.

  
  

• Notes

  Intitially interred at Milang on 3rd December 1884. But on 22 March 1922, Donald had her disinerred and reburied at Strathalbyn. [1]

  
  

• Sources

  [S-3] BRB 'Donald & Christina McLean & Their Descendants', 1995 copies available, Copies of the BRB available Strathalbyn National Trust Museum & Library, several libraries around Australia including State Library SA, and Western Australian Genealogical Society Bayswater WA Request assistance for locating a copy through 'Contact us' on this website. . [S-63] NEWSPAPER TROVE Southern Argus SA, Page 3 in Southern Argus, 16th March 1922.