In 1856 Allan married Joise Morgan (often recorded as Lois). Joise was born in Tredegar, Wales on June 17, 1833, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Morgan (nee Edwards). Together Allan and Joise had nine children. Historical records show that Allan moved between professions. In early 1855 he was sought and convinced by a Dr Hedley from Tarraville to lead an exploration party to search for gold in the Gippsland region, in particular Mt Baw Baw. After some discontent within the party, two members Henry Matthews and Julian Roma left. Allan himself was not happy about the group's attitude towards him as leader and also left the expedition. A letter to the Editor of the Gippsland Guardian about this can be found here.
At one stage he is listed as an Inn keeper on the Snowy River near Bairnsdale. In 1866 he listed his (Tongio) Tongeo Inn for sale. In 1868 he was granted a publican's license to open the ''Ferry Inn" towards the water in Bairnsdale. Allan owned land in Newmerella, not far from Orbost. On this property he ran the post office as well as farmed the land. Reference to him owning The Bridge Hotel in Bairnsdale can be found in this 1871 news article.
An 1874 Gippslands Times Advertisement shows that Allan sold much of his estate. It reads..."Mr Allan Burn's property. As per Special Advertisement. To be sold by Auction, at an early date, if not purchased privately, the following properties:
1. 3 & 3/4 acres, being allotment 63A township of Bairnsdale, adjoining the racecourse, fenced.
2. 19 acres, partly fenced, hut, 2 miles on Eagle Point Road, being allotment 12, parish of Bairnsdale.
3. The Bridge Hotel, on the Punt Flat, adjoining the bridge now in course or erection and in close proximity to the projected Government wharf.
4. Excellent, roomy four-roomed cottage facing the river Mitchell, at present rented.
5. 1/2 acre, being allotment 4, section 4 in township of Bairnsdale, with two handsome shops and dwellings and a fine roomy cottage, all built of the best material, insured in the London, Liverpool and Glove office. 66ft frontage to Main Street, same in Nicholson street. Rented.
6. 20 acres, being allotment 69, parish of Broadlands, partly cultivated in rich soil, excellent hut, securely fenced and subdivided with yards, sties etc. The adjoining area of upwards of 50 acres being selected by the vendor.
Crown grants to all these properties. For further particulars apply to 15 ENGLISH, PECK & CO by sale to Mr C.J & T Ham, Swanston Street Melbourne.
Allan also appears to be a horse trader.
As was common in the day, his house was a bark hut. He owned 6 horses, a variety of farm equipment and household items to the value of 1,117 pounds. In 1885, two years before her death Allan's wife Joise sold 20 acres of this site. In June 1887 Joise sold the majority of her personal property and effects. She appears to have had a nice array of furniture, suggesting that the family was, to some degree, well off. It was said that she held a ''fine selection of pot plants".
Another advertisement in the Bairnsdale Advertiser (November 3 1883) refers to the sale of Allan's land and building holdings on behalf of his executors.
"Michael Goold & Co, Land and Estate Agents, Bairnsdale. Agents for Building, Insurance and Loan Societies. Have for Sale Freehold Properties, Stock and Stations under:
By order of the Executrix in the Estate of the late Allan Burn,
237 acres fine land on the Snowy River.
218 acres good land on the Tambo River adjoining the Swan Reach pre-emptive.
300 acres first class maize land, on the Snowy River. Immediate possession.
House and Land, Main Street Bairnsdale, next National Bank occupied by Mr James F Stuart, Solicitor. Price 800 pounds.
390 acres of cultivation and grass land Boggy Creek, Wy Yung.
200 acres cultivation land, parish of Broadlands, 80 acres ditto.
Hotel at Omeo.
Station, 10,000 acres, 943 acres freehold and 500 head of cattle.
87 acres near Forge Creek.
14 acres, Waddy Point, Lake Victoria.
160 acres, parish of Broadlands.
Town lots, building sites in Bailey, Main, Nicholson and Francis Streets (Bairnsdale)
6 1/2 acres near Racecourse.
Building sites near the residences of Messers, Greene and Zelius.
TO LET: for a term of years, half acre corner lot, opposite the yards of A Macarthur and Co and English and Little and Co, suitable for cattle yards, hotel or store."
Allan appears to have been a keen sailor with his boat "Lilly of the Lake" winning races off the coast.
Joise died in Melbourne of heart disease on November 14, 1887. Her daughter Kate was the informant. She was buried at the General Cemetery Melbourne on November 16.
Allan appears to have inherited the artistic talents of the Hone family (uncle Alfred Hone was a sculptor) as in his obituary he is described as a noted ''likeness - taker''. "In referring to the late Mr Allan Burn in our last issue, we stated that at one time he was engaged as a likeness-taker. By that it might be imagined that he followed that occupation as a trade. Such, however was not the case, as Mr Burn, who was very clever with his pencil, merely indulged, during his residence at the Tarra and Port Albert, the likenesses of friends on paper, there being no photographers at that time in Gippsland. The pictures drawn by the deceased gentleman are stated to have been most faithful representations of the persons taken. Mr Burn had been a resident of Gippsland for 35 years.
Newspaper articles about Allan and Joise Burn can be read here and here as well as here.
Examples from Letters to the Editor can be found here.
Children of Allan Burn and Joise Morgan
1. Robert Henry (1858 - 1858)
2. George Preece (1859 - 1908) married Mary Price (18?? - 1904)
3. Mary Rose (1860 - 1926 ) married George Waycott in 1879 & Thomas Barratt in 1889.
4. Alice Charlotte (1862 - 18??) married David Evan Williams in 1883
5. William Allan (1864 - 1865) aged 1
6. Fanny Helina (1866 - 1872) aged 6
7. Hilda May (1868 - 1949) married Leslie Byron Morres/Morris in 1904
8. Katie (1872 - 1923) married Edward Ferguson in 1904
9. Elizabeth Lillian Maud (1876 - 1921) married Frederick Strickland in 1908
It is interesting to note that at least three of Allan and Joise's grandsons died in World War 1. Below are the listings I have found.
1. Louis Hone/Henry Burn (son of George Preece Burn), his listing on the Australian War Memorial
2. Reginald Woorayl Barratt (son of Mary Rose Burn), his listing on the Australian War Memorial
