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Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",  published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.


     WILLIAM McLEAN, a wealthy and properous stockman, who lives eight miles south from Bridgeport, was born in Huntington county, Quebec, on June 2, 1861.  His father, Alexander M., was born in Iverness shire, Scotland, and was an early settler in Canada.  He had served in the British Cavalry during the Canadian Rebellion.  The mother was Jennett (McNaughton) McLean, a native of Scotland.  In his home country, our subject received his education in the common schools.  In 1882, he came to the United States, first settling at Dallas, Texas.  He was at Fort Worth and Galveston, then returned to Canada.  In 1883, he started to California and stopped at Bodie, where he engaged in the Syndicate mines for one and one-half years.  After that he was in other mines and mills until 1886, when he came to Washington, settling first at Waverly.  The next year he came on to Douglas county and in 1888, he took a timber culture where he now lives.  He has added since by purchase until he has an estate of seven hundred and twenty acres, which is devoted to grain.  In the winter of 1889-90, he lost what stock he had and after that began to raise graded animals.  He has some very fine Hereford cattle, a large band of them, and gives his entire attention to breeding stock and raising grain.  In the spring of 1897, Mr. McLean went into the mercantile business at Bridgeport with Herman Cornell, conducting a general store for two years, then our subject sold to B. Valentine and returned to his ranch where he has continued since.  Mr. McLean has the following brothers and sisters, Lauchlan, Mrs. Agnes Stewart, Mrs. J. McBain, Jennie and John.  The latter died on the farm in 1893.
     At Spokane, on December 13, 1899, Mr. McLean married Miss Grace M., daughter of Franklin B. and Marie S. (Bonner) Nixon, natives of Michigan and New York, respectively, and now dwelling at The Dalles, Oregon.  Mrs. McLean was born in Adrian, Michigan, in May, 1863, and has two brothers, Frank L. and William E., and one sister, Miss Josephine Nixon.  To Mr. and Mrs. McLean, three children have been born: Franklin A., on the farm, on December 17, 1900; Walter W., on the farm, on March 11, 1902; Robert B., on the farm, November 4, 1903.
     Mr. McLean is a member of the I. O. O. F. and was raised in the influence of the old school Presbyterian church.  In 1896 he took an extended trip on a visit to his old home place and friends and relatives there.  He is wide awake to the resources of the country and the progress of the state in general and stands well where he is known.
 
 

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