Who were McLean, Ernest O (1900-1968)

Uncle Irving Norwood McLean

James A.  &  Almira E (Reynolds) McLean

Elizabeth M & Ernest O MacLean

Ernest Oliver McLean was born on the nineteenth of May, 1900 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. He died in June of 1968 in Marshfield, Massachusetts.  Now lets fill in the details of his life in between. 

The United States census taken on the eighth of April, 1910 for Boston City, Massachusetts shows Ernest as ten years of age living with his parents and siblings.  His father, William Theodore McLean was born in 1872 in Williamstown, Oswego, New York, and at this time was a streetcar driver (motorman) in Boston, Massachusetts.  William was the son of James A (1831-1915)  & Almira E (Reynolds) McLean. His father had one brother, Irving Norwood McLean who lived from 1871–1946. Ernest's mother, Fanny Ingertha Amundsen, was born in 1878-79 in Horten, Norway and immigrated to the United States in 1895.  William and Fanny met thereafter and were married on the twenty-first of November, 1899 in the Boston suburb of Newton, Massachusetts.  They had three living children at this time - Ernest was the oldest, then came Edith Lillian, who was born on the twenty-eighth of January 1905, and Ester M, born June/July of 1909 all in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

Ernest registered for the World War I draft on the twelfth of September, 1918 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. At that time he listed his permanent residence at 722A Dudley Street in Dorchester, Massachusetts with his mother, Gertie McLean. He was a tall gentleman with blue eyes and dark brown hair.  It is apparent from his draft document why he registered in New Hampshire, as he lists his employment as holder on Cutts Oil Corp in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He also lists that he had a place at 422 Pleasant Street in Portsmouth, New Hampshire where he stayed.

The next US census taken on the fourteen of January, 1920 Ernest is now nineteen years old and working as a helper in the Navy yard.  His family is living at 722A Dudley Street and his father is now a chauffeur.  Ernest has a new little sister now, Ruth, who was born in December of 1919.

In 1923 the Boston City Directory shows Ernest as living at 55 Richfield Street in Dorchester and working at a boiler maker.  In 1924 he is still listed at this address, but as an electrician.   Then in 1930, he is shown residing at 722A Dudley Street as a chauffeur.  In the years ahead from 1933-1938, we see Ernest now earning a living in Boston as a photographer.  In 1939, he is working in the photography department of the Herald-Traveller.

It is now the nineteen of April 1940, another census year, and Ernest is now thirty-nine years of age.  He is married to a English-Canadian girl, Eva K --, who is a year older than him.  They are living at 61A East Squantum Street in Quincy, Massachusetts as a couple with no children.  Ernest is now working for the newspaper as a news camera person. 

On the twenty-fourth of June, 1953 we see Ernest O. McLean also known now as MacLean, Ernest O,  appearing in the Third District Court of Plymouth before the plaintiff, Paul Young over an inheritance of property he acquired jointly with an Ann R. McLean on Spring Street in Marshfield, Massachusetts on the twelfth of April, 1945   Ernest inherited the property on Spring Street on the fourth of August, 1954 as the surviving joint owner for payment of $6,400 real estate inheritance tax. It is this writer's thoughts that Ernest possibly met Eva at the newspaper or through his photography, but who was Ann? At this time he is married to Elizabeth S. (--) MacLean.  The deed shows that Ann was a former wife of Ernest O MacLean. His marriages are a mystery.  Three wives and no marriage records to say when or where?

The next time we see him, he has passed away in Marshfield, Massachusetts in June 1968 and his wife, Elizabeth M (b.1913) is buried beside him.

On the eleventh of June, 1990 the property on Spring Street identified as house number 211 was granted to Tobey MacLean of 5 Tracey's Path, Marshfield, Massachusetts in trust by the widow of Ernest O, Elizabeth S. MacLean.  Perhaps someone can comment and validate the three marriages, and how he came to change his surname from Mc to Mac.
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References

EAncestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA:
       Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.

Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Plymouth County Registry of Deeds, Certificate of Inheritance tax, 8/18/1954, Document #452280421 - Book 02363/ Page 436.