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The Search for William Ford Cleeland
1799 (?) – 25 August 1868

What is known? 

Arrived in the Colony of Victoria 1840 with his wife Charlotte (Minnis) and five children.  Records list his home address as Killinchy in County Down.  We have considerable information on his life in Australia.  He purchased property and called it “Springfield” and was actively involved in local government affairs.

His death certificate says he was aged 69 at his death.  That his fathers name is James Cleeland and that his mother is unknown.  That he was born in Belfast Ireland.

Professional searches have found no record of him in Northern Ireland.

The book “The Ancient Family of Cleland (refer http://www.cleland-clan.org)” records the history of the Clelands of Blairlin suggested to be a branch of the Monkland line.  A clue is given on page 89 with the entry “Mathew Cleland of Springfield”.  On page 92 is printed a history of James Cleeland 1770 – 1840.  His children from his marriage to Margaret Rodger includes a William Cleland who went to Australia and whose son William Cleland paid a visit to the Old Country.  William Ford Cleeland had a son William Cleeland.

This fits in to the period of the life of William Ford Cleeland who we believe was born in 1799.  The William of the Blairlin line was the third born child and his older siblings were born in 1793 and 1794.  The date of birth of William is not given.  The name of the property “Springfield” also fits.  The death certificate records his fathers name as James Cleeland.

Family legend talks of a family dispute giving rise to the addition of the second E to our families surname.  Carol Cleeland, from New Jersey tells us that her family legend is that her ancestors came from Scotland and that the second E arose from a family dispute.

There are other clues in the book.  William of the Blairlin line had a cousin whose daughter married Sir F.W.Beattie, M.D., of Gowran Castle at Killkenny, Northern Ireland and adjacent to Killinchy.

The mysteries:

  • Why we have a second E in the spelling of Cleland?

  • Why is the mother of William Ford Cleeland unknown?

  • Why does the death certificate list his birthplace as Belfast?