Reids of Gawler Genealogy

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.

John and Jane's children:

• Eliza married Dr David Mahony, lived in Gawler and had two daughters.
• Richard and Samuel died as young men.
• William, John and Ross returned from the Goldfields in Victoria (Ross from California) and purchased several properties: Beetaloo S.A., Mount Murchinson, Talarno and Tintanallogy in NSW along with several Paddle Steamers (The "Gem","Jupiter","Meninde","Shannon" &"Jane Eliza") and Barges ("Venus" & "Bourke"). Ross purchased and extended Rostrevor (now Rostrevor College) at Magill S.A. and was a well known social and racing identity, and owned the famous race horse "Pride of the Hills".

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 Spouses

For a list of Reids on the site, please see:
Reids Index

1st Generation >>