Welcome to our family history site, which starts with John Reid of Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland.
John and his wife, Jane, emigrated in 1839 with their six children on the ship Orleana and were the first settlers at Gawler S.A. As part of the consortium that founded the town of Gawler, they built their farm and homestead, Clonlea, in an area just inside the entrance of what is now called Clonlea Park.
Gawler became a magnet for travellers, settlers, and explorers who all enjoyed the hospitalities of the Reid family but when it all became too much, John Reid financed a German settler, Mr Scheibner, to build the "Old Spot" tavern. He also paid the clergyman's passage out and started the first school.
The children of William, John and Ross went to England for schooling then returned to Australia and spread through NSW, VIC, SA and WA.
Some of the families with whom they married were: Reynell, Wigley, Tremellen, Quin, Laidlaw, Sands, Saies, Thomas, Sharpe, Collins, De Cheneet, Driscoll and Weymouth.
For a complete list of families connected to the Reids, please see:
Index of Surnames
For a list of Reids on the site, please see:
Reids Index