McGILLIVRAY, LAUCHLAN, received his theological training in Scotland. He married Catherine Anne (1814-1904), daughter of James Sloane, rector of the Peebles Grammar School, and they landed in Melbourne in 1840. After some years in Warrnambool (Victoria), Tasmania and Canada, they returned to Scotland and McGillivray was selected by the Colonial committee of the Free Church to be the first settled minister at Riverton. They arrived in 1860 and he was inducted in Apr 1861. He held the charge only two years, when he resigned from the ministry to take part in politics. He was a member of the Southland Provincial Council for Riverton (1869-70), and after the reunion he represented Southland for a few weeks in the Otago Council (1870). He was the first mayor of Riverton (1871-72) and represented Riverton in Parliament (1870-75).

McGillivray moved to Kaiapoi shortly afterwards and died there.

Southland P.C. Proc.; Riverton Rec. (p); Southland Times, 8 Aug 1904.

Reference: Volume 2, page 9

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