John and Helen were married at Tron Church, Edinburgh, shortly before migrating to Australia aboard the 'Triton' in 1825 with nine other family members including John's parents; Peter Macpherson (1760-1844), of Skye and Catherine McBean (1778-1843).

      Peter was granted 640 acres of land in the County of Cook (Portland near Lithgow NSW) in 1828 and appears to have remained in the district dying at nearby Rydal in 1844.

      John (Snr) was the first resident landlord at Limestone Plains (Canberra). Helen was probably the first white woman to reside in what is now the Australian Capital Territory, several of their children being the first white children born there. Tradition has it that the grant of land in the area was a reward for the part John Macpherson took in the capture of a bushranger.

      From 'Springbank' Canberra, the family moved to Victoria and in 1841 took up 'Springbank' Station, near Casterton, 25,000 acres and held it for ten years. But the property by which the family was most widely known was Nerrin Nerrin, near Streatham, in the Portland Bay district. John also acquired other property including Croxton, near Penshurst, the family retaining an interest until 1910.

      John Macpherson was one of the early pioneers who came to Australia with something more valuable than money ‚ farming experience, gained in a part of Scotland where the rigours of climate and the barrenness of the country equipped men to face hardships which were the lot of the pioneer pastoralist of Australia. He was described as "a successful colonist and a highly experienced farmer."

      John Alexander was baptised at the Scots Church, Sydney and educated at Scotch College, Melbourne. He qualified as a barrister at Edinburgh University but returned to Australia where he preferred a pastoral career rather than law. He was on Croxton Station for four years. He married Louisa Elizabeth Fetherstonhaugh at Hamilton, Victoria, on the 8 July 1858.

      In 1864 John Alexander was elected to the Victorian Government in the seat of Portland (Victoria). A year later he was re-elected in the seat of Dundas. He became the Premier of Victoria and Chief Secretary at the age of thirty-five years in 1868 for two years. He was President of the Board of Land and Works and Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey in the third McCulloch Ministry, 1870-1871, Chief Secretary again in the fourth McCulloch Ministry, 1875-1877. He retired from politics in 1878.