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Research in Other Countries => Canada => Topic started by: Jehane on Saturday 01 August 15 15:03 BST (UK)

Title: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: Jehane on Saturday 01 August 15 15:03 BST (UK)
Seeking information on a Jonathan McDonald born 1818 Scotland appears in the 1881 census living in lot 60 PEI.  Could possibly be the father of Mary McDonald Matheson born 1849 on PEI and is buried in Caledonia cemetery.  Jonathan McDonald is living with his son John McDonald and his wife Sarah MacKenzie during the 1881 census listed as a widower aged 63.  John McDonald and Sarah McKenzie were witnesses for Mary McDonald and John Matheson when they got married October 23/1877 in Georgetown, PEI just an assumption John McDonald and Mary McDonald could be siblings.
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: JDC on Monday 10 August 15 22:16 BST (UK)
Hi Jehane,

WWhich specific info you after.

JDC
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: Jehane on Tuesday 11 August 15 00:17 BST (UK)
Hi JDC

Seeking info on Jonathan McDonald.
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: Rosinish on Tuesday 11 August 15 02:17 BST (UK)
Hi,

The death cert. for Johnathan 1818 needs to be your 1st step to establish his parentage, occupation & maybe a newspaper entry which often, if available can sometimes give specific info. on place of birth in Scotland.

Annie
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: polarbear on Tuesday 11 August 15 15:07 BST (UK)
The 1881 census has in the same household.....

Jonothan McDonald 63 b. Scotland Widowed Farmer
John McDonald 27 Married Farmer
Sarah McDonald 27 Married
Mary 2
Neil 1
Mary Ann McDonald 23
Christina McDonald 18

Everyone else b. PEI and neither married nor widowed (therefore assumed to be single).

Unfortunately, relationships aren't given but might this Mary Ann be a sister to John rather than the Mary who married John Matheson?

PB

Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: Rosinish on Tuesday 11 August 15 15:29 BST (UK)
Hi JDC

Seeking info on Jonathan McDonald.

I think your reply to JDC was a bit off  ???
Hi Jehane,

Which specific info you after.

JDC

We know from your "Subject" WHO but What & Where  ???

Is it from his life in Canada or Scottish info.  ???

Annie
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: JDC on Tuesday 11 August 15 16:35 BST (UK)
Hi folks,

Yes you are right annie, we will need as much detail about this fella as possible to help Jehane out as much as we can :-)

I am thinking that the 1851/52 Canadian federal census would be the earliest to be able to access in tracking the family . More info might be found in the 1861 and 71 censuses as well. I am unsure whether or not provincial census would be found prior to 1851 in PEI and maritime provinces, there are some done in Ontario - Upper Canada at the time.

I would contact the local public library to see if they have these provincial census dox. I haven't seen any online. I would also ask the for an obit look up in their newspaper archive looking around and expected death date.

Hope this helps out,

JDC
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: Jehane on Tuesday 11 August 15 17:53 BST (UK)
Hello

Sorry I should have clarified that I am researching Jonathan McDonald in Prince Edward Island.  Have done some research checked the local archives, several cemetery transcriptions Caledonia, Valleyfield, Belfast and Wood Islands and 1861, 1881 and 1891 census.  He only seems to appear in the 1881 census no trace after that.

thanks, Jane
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: Jehane on Wednesday 12 August 15 02:31 BST (UK)
This is the Mary McDonald Matheson I am trying to find information on in the 1881 census she was born about 1849 and is married to John Matheson.

John Mathewson   32
Mary Mathewson   32
Mary Ann Mathewson   3
John Mathewson   10/12
Ann Mathewson   10/12

The name is spelled wrong in the census but this is the family.  The other Mary McDonald in the 1881 census of John McDonald and Sarah MacKenzie was born in 1858 and could be a sister of John McDonald.  Mary McDonald Matheson born 1849 could possibly be a sister also it was not uncommon for these families to have two siblings with the same name have run in to that numerous times doing research. 
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: Rosinish on Wednesday 12 August 15 09:24 BST (UK)
Death cert. for Jonathan's wife should say "married to" with Jonathan's name & her maiden name which would be a good route to clarify who he is/was in regards to Mary (daughter)  ???

Annie
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: Rosinish on Wednesday 12 August 15 09:41 BST (UK)
Ahh. sorry, just realised you don't know when or where he died  ::)

Have you found the others on census after 1881 as I would imagine if he was still alive he would still be with family as he would be c 73 by then  ???

Have you tried variants of his name for a death e.g. Jon/ Johnathan MacDonald/McDonell etc.

Annie
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: Rosinish on Tuesday 18 August 15 19:11 BST (UK)
The 1881 census has in the same household.....

Jonothan McDonald 63 b. Scotland Widowed Farmer

Have you found Jonathan on later census..........if not then you can look for a death 1881 - 1891.

Who is it you are trying to trace 1st  ???

This is the Mary McDonald Matheson I am trying to find information on in the 1881 census she was born about 1849 and is married to John Matheson.

John Mathewson   32
Mary Mathewson   32
Mary Ann Mathewson   3
John Mathewson   10/12
Ann Mathewson   10/12

You need to find out when they disappear from census to look for deaths in the 10 yr frame for Jonathan & Mary Mathieson (whichever spelling)  ???

Annie
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: Jehane on Tuesday 18 August 15 21:26 BST (UK)
Hi Annie:
Thank you for the help and suggestions it's much appreciated.
Here is Mary McDonald Matheson in the 1891 census

John Matheson   41
Mary Matheson   42
Mary Matheson   12
Donald Matheson   10
Effy Matheson   10
Cathrine Matheson   7
Norman Matheson   5
Effey Matheson   77

She also appears in the 1901 census
John Matheron   51
Mary Matheron   52
Mary A Matheron   22
Donald Matheron   20
Catherine Matheron   17
Norman Matheson   16

She died in 1909 aged 60 and is buried in Caledonia, lot 60 PEI.  I have found lot's of information on her but do not know which McDonald family she belonged to.  Have not found any deaths for Jonathan McDonald so far on any of the local cemetery transcripts so guess I should be looking further for him first.  I need to make a trip to the PEI archives I guess.
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: Rosinish on Tuesday 18 August 15 21:38 BST (UK)
Do you have any of the children's birth certs.  ???

This will tell you both parent's names with mother's maiden name.

You know he was a widower in 1881 so maybe her death cert would be a good start.

His name may be down as something different to Jonathan as I pointed out before.

When you then find a death cert. for his wife, you will have an idea of the name he used if not fully Jonathan & of course the spelling variants.

It is also essential to have an area close to where he was on last census for looking for the death.

Annie
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: Rosinish on Tuesday 18 August 15 21:53 BST (UK)
I don't know what info. is on a Canadian death cert.  ???

Would it state his wife's name, his parent's names  ???

Annie
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: Rosinish on Wednesday 19 August 15 12:12 BST (UK)
Hi,

I thought I would post this thread as an example of why documents are needed, not just census & index information.

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=728684.0

Annie
Title: Re: Jonathan McDonald
Post by: *Sandra* on Wednesday 19 August 15 14:37 BST (UK)
Hi,

There was no civil register on Prince Edward Island prior to 1906, vital statistics information is not readily available for that time period from one specific source. With the exception of some civil marriage records, church records provide the majority of early vital statistics information.  There are some civil marriage records, although incomplete, from 1886-1905 and some church baptismal records from 1886. Births from 1840 to 1905 are also held with the Director of Vital Statistics, Department of Health. Public Archives and Records Office
If you can find records, the quality of these records varies considerably, and some have been lost to fire, flood and general neglect.
From what I  have seen so far, there seems to be a lot of inter-marriages between the MacDonald and Matheson families during the 19th century, a minefield.  ;)

http://www.gov.pe.ca/archives/index.php3?number=1019767&lang=e


Regards
Sandra