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Research in Other Countries => Canada => Topic started by: CelticAnnie on Wednesday 16 November 22 21:39 GMT (UK)
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So this is what I know (from mainly Scottish parish records and Canadian censuses):
William McDonald, born about 1782 in Scotland -- a plasterer by trade -- married Sara Davies in Inverness on 6th January 1806. They had the following children (that I have been able to trace):
Thomas (baptd 1806 Inverness)
Duncan (baptd 1808 Inverness)
Alexander (bapt 1809 Inverness)
William (born c1817)
Sarah Ann (born c1823)
Margaret (born c1824)
Jane (baptd 1826 Inverness)
Trees on Ancestry name a couple other children but without any source records. >:( I refuse to count them.
William was still living in Inverness in 1828.
William's son Duncan married Ann Jordan in Ontario in February 1834. (No idea whether the rest of the family had emigrated to Canada by this time. For what it's worth, none of them were witnesses at the wedding).
The next record I have found relating to William is the 1852 census, which has him in Perth, Lanark County, Canada -- by which time he is widowed. (I have found no record of his wife's death in either Scotland or Canada). I cannot find any reference to any additional children that he might have had after arriving in Canada.
His daughter Jane's 1906 obituary, however, refers to her having been "one of a family of thirteen children".
So who are these other children, and where were they born?!
Please can anyone suggest any additional (and preferably free!) Canadian sources (ie aside from census records and what Ancestry throws up) that I can hunt in for further references to this family? Or can anyone else find any additional children (with firm sources, of course!) for William?
Many thanks.
CELTICANNIE
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Have you got obituaries for the other children apart from Jane ?
His daughter Jane's 1906 obituary, however, refers to her having been "one of a family of thirteen children"
Is this Jane Logie - 1827 - 1906 (married Walter in 1867 Goderich Township, Huron) ?
Passenger lists are few and far between before 1865.
Chances are William McDonald born 1782 has passed away between 1851 - 1861 census.
Is this the family in 1851 Lanark County Ontario.
Willm Mcdonald 70 Plasterer,
Margaret Mcdonald 26 marries Dickson
Jane Mcdonald 24 marries Logie.
Dun Mcdonald 40 Farmer and Plasterer. marries Ann Jordan.
Ann Mcdonald 39
Wm Mcdonald 17
Elizabeth Mcdonald 15
Dun Mcdonald 13
Geo Mcdonald 9
Sarah Mcdonald 7
Joseph Mcdonald 5
and other listed on the same sheet
Mary Quigly 29
Jas Quigly 5
John Wilson 2
Christy Brown 65
Edwd Tovey 27
Rebecca Tovey 23
Margaret A Tovey 3
Mary Tovey 1
Bridget Tovey 9
Esther Wrathall 25
Robertson Mason 28
Sarah Mason 29 (macdonald)
Helen Mason 5
Wm Mason 3
George Wrathall 41
Mary Wrathall 32
lopton I Wrathall 14
Harriot Wrathall 11
Robt Wrathall 8
Sandra
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This looks like info for Duncan and Ann
Duncan McDONALD - 27 Jan 1808 Inverness, Scotland., Scotland, United Kingdom
Death Date 19 Sep 1895 Bathurst, Lanark Co., Ontario, Canada
Spouse Ann Agnes Jordan
Child:
Duncan McDONALD
Elizabeth McDONALD
George Henry McDONALD
Joseph D McDONALD
Sarah McDONALD
William John McDONALD
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46092303/agnes-macdonald
Can't see any other burials for MacDonald born between 1809 - 1817 mentioned at Elmwood.
The son William John McDonald 17 Jan 1835 Perth, 12, Ontario, Canada
Death Place possibly Bruce Co., Ontario, Canada
Father Duncan McDONALD Mother Ann Agnes Jordan
Spouse Isabel Jane Ritchey and Sarah Smith
Child:
Henrietta Harriet McDONALD
William McDONALD
Sandra
Sorry have to pop out
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…William McDonald, born about 1782 in Scotland -- a plasterer by trade -- married Sara Davies in Inverness on 6th January 1806. They had the following children (that I have been able to trace):
Thomas (baptd 1806 Inverness)
Duncan (baptd 1808 Inverness)
Alexander (bapt 1809 Inverness)
William (born c1817)
Sarah Ann (born c1823)
Margaret (born c1824)
Jane (baptd 1826 Inverness)…
I cannot find any reference to any additional children that he might have had after arriving in Canada...
There seems to be a gap between Alexander and William and a shorter gap between William and Sarah Ann.
Could this child somehow fit in to your family:
Scotland births & baptisms
Macdonald (Male)
Baptism Date: 19 Aug 1824
Baptism Place: Inverness, Inverness, Scotland
Father: William Macdonald
Mother: Sarah Davies
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One child referred to on an ancestry tree was Elizabeth McDonald born 1815 - died 10 March1871 Lanark Ontario. Seems to have married a James Cameron. ??
No details on the death certificate for husband and or father/mother/Informant.
There is a Alexander McDonald aged 42 years, servant on the 1851 census for Lanark Ontario.
No proof yet though
Sandra
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Could he have had any children from an earlier marriage .
Could any of the other families with him in 1851 be married daughters
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Did all of the children that you could trace immigrate to Canada?
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From ancestry tree - Margaret Hill McDonald seems to have married William Douglas Dickson probably 26 December 1857 Renfrew Ontario (source seems to be a journal belonging to William Dickson)
Died 5 November 1895 - Goderich, Huron, Ontario, Canada
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134670952/margaret-h.-dickson
Referred to as Margaret H McDonald on daughter Agnes Ballentyne Dickson marriage.
Sandra
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I have a few (Irish, no Scottish) ancestors who settled in Ontario in the early 1800s. While everyone has different circumstances for their own ancestors, I’ve experienced the following, which might be something to keep in mind for research in Ontario during that time (you most likely have already experienced it):
Passenger lists are sketchy from that time period. (I’ve found very few lists for any of my ancestors.)
Births could have occurred at sea or on the way to Ontario (such as in New Brunswick or Quebec).
Government vital records were not required (I believe they started in Ontario in 1869).
My families followed Irish naming patterns; perhaps your McDonalds followed a naming pattern as well.
Church records are very helpful. Very few of my ancestors “changed” religions.
Occupations were more often than not handed down generations.
Don’t use exact spelling (I’ve found Stuart, Stewart, Stuard, Steward).
Expect errors in census returns (examples: immigration years, birth years, Jos. instead of James, etc.)
Check all census pages (if they lived in a small town). Some pages were so faint or had bad penmanship that they weren’t accurately recorded.
Burial records could include additional facts.
If you find one family in a census return, look for others to be nearby.
Internet searches are helpful, trying different combinations for: surname, town, occupation, unusual given names, exact (in your case, Scottish) birthplace, vital events, etc.
All of the above has helped me.
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The Mason family in 1871 Bathurst, Lanark South, Ontario.
All the children seem to be born Ontario.
Robertson Mason 46
Sarah Ann Mason (McDonald) 46
William Mason 21
Sarah Ann Mason 18
Margaret Mason 16
Jean Mason 12
Isabella Mason 10
Robertson Mason 8
Duncan Mason 6
Robert Mason 1
Sandra
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In addition to my earlier comments, at least three of my ancestors followed relatives to Ontario (which was a surprise as I didn’t know of their existence). Have you tried searching for Davies and other McDonalds in the Ontario towns and/or counties where your ancestors lived? If one family left Scotland it’s possible others did as well.
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Duncan remarried 30 Aug 1858 Bathurst Twsp Lanark to Sarah Smith. On 1891 census they are in Perth, Lanark County and Sarah also has Jane added to Christian name.
https://globalgenealogy.com/countries/canada/ontario/resources.htm
The sources you get from this site all cost money but reasonable if you get PDF download. Check out resources for Lanark County. Many of the books listed have a browsable index that lets you get an indication of what information might be available.
I purchased one book as a download from this source and they were efficient.
Where did Jane die in 1906 and under what surname.
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Where did Jane die in 1906 and under what surname.
I asked this question in reply 1 - to check if it was this one ? :-
Jane Logie 1827 Scotland - 5 June 1906 (aged 79 years)
Death Place Huron, Ontario, Canada
Religion Presbyterian - Cause of Death Old Age
Sandra
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Thank you all very much for your helpful replies, and I apologize for my delay in reacting. I am very sorry if I didn't explain this adequately, but I was only really looking to discover any children who are additional to the one I already knew of and had listed -- not to know what happened to the listed ones once the family reached Canada. I already knew that. But thank you anyway.
That said, Sandra, I hadn't found Alexander MacDonald in the '51, so I am grateful for that tip.
Lisa, I too was struck by the odd gaps in 'children production' in this family. But I haven't been able to fill them. :( Assuming there is anything to fill them with. But I will certainly check out the 1824 male birth you found (on Scotlandspeople) -- same parents and parish as other births, so this looks very promising; thank you! One of the children -- the eldest, Thomas -- certainly stayed in UK but moved away from Inverness. (No work there). And thank you for all the Canadian research tips -- certainly a couple of them were fresh ideas to me and I am sure will prove helpful. Several of Sarah Davies' siblings (and, indeed, nephews and nieces) also moved to Canada with their spouses; but no known-of interactions with the MacDonalds post move, unfortunately. (I have not yet been able to identify William MacDonald's parents and siblings to see if any of them might have crossed the Big Pond; but I shall work on that!)
Brigidmac, it had crossed my mind too, a while back, about a possible earlier marriage for William and some of Jane Logie's siblings being half siblings; but now you've reminded me of that possibility again I shall certainly investigate it -- thank you. If birth date I have for William is correct, then he would have been about 24 when he married Sara, so an earlier marriage (and offspring) is not inconceivable.
Cosmac, thank you for the website reference. It looks interesting and helpful.
Once again, sincere thanks to all for all your help.
CELTICANNIE
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…Lisa, I too was struck by the odd gaps in 'children production' in this family. But I haven't been able to fill them. :( Assuming there is anything to fill them with. But I will certainly check out the 1824 male birth you found (on Scotlandspeople) -- same parents and parish as other births, so this looks very promising; thank you! One of the children -- the eldest, Thomas -- certainly stayed in UK but moved away from Inverness. (No work there)…
Several of Sarah Davies' siblings (and, indeed, nephews and nieces) also moved to Canada with their spouses; but no known-of interactions with the MacDonalds post move, unfortunately. (I have not yet been able to identify William MacDonald's parents and siblings to see if any of them might have crossed the Big Pond; but I shall work on that!)
Brigidmac, it had crossed my mind too, a while back, about a possible earlier marriage for William and some of Jane Logie's siblings being half siblings; but now you've reminded me of that possibility again I shall certainly investigate it -- thank you. If birth date I have for William is correct, then he would have been about 24 when he married Sara, so an earlier marriage (and offspring) is not inconceivable...
I imagine you’ve thoroughly checked Scottish records for the “missing” births. Most likely yes, but have you checked Ireland and England, in case they left Inverness? You’ve checked the UK for births starting c1810 in case William had family outside of Inverness (where Thomas eventually settled)? (I hope that makes sense.)
Do you know when Davies siblings moved to Canada? It might help narrow down when William arrived in Canada and exactly where he lived.
Do Scottish birth records record father’s occupation? If so, might there be any McDonalds with father’s occupation as plasterer?
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Sorry to keep asking questions…just trying to help.
Have you checked out this fellow?
1841 Inverness, Scotland census
Alexander Mcdonald, age 43 (born c1798), born Inverness, Scotland, Plasterer
Address: Tomnahwick(?) :-\ Street
Elisabeth Mcdonald, 15
Alexander Mcdonald, 14
William Mcdonald, 10
Could he be related or was it just coincidence (since he has a common surname) about his occupation and sons’ names.
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Hi,
Lisa's list of recommended sources is excellent!
You might also try
Local history societies - check out the OGS branches and other history groups
http://www.perthhs.org/links.html
https://ottawa.ogs.on.ca/geneorama/lanark-county/
Local libraries
They often have books detailing the history of the area, local historic newspapers (write ups of weddings, anniversaries, funerals etc), family fond collections, church histories etc. I have had really good luck with these kinds of sources.
I found that most of my Scots and Irish Canadian ancestors stayed in the same area for a couple of generations - before heading off in different directions. As Lisa suggested - check other census pages to see who else lives nearby.
The County Atlas project is also very helpful
https://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/searchmapframes.php
Have you looked at the Donald Whyte books - Scottish Emigrants to Canada before Confederation?
RK
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Lisa and Rumkitty, I am so sorry not to have made it back before now to thank you for your additional much-appreciated input. Sometimes, other things in life get in the way. >:(
Lisa, thank you for the additional ideas of things to check out. I'm very intrigued by your discovery of another MacDonald plasterer in Inverness with family Christian names that overlap with 'my lot' and will certainly be investigating him! (A younger brother of 'my' William, possibly?) I checked out the record relating to the additional birth you found -- and, frustratingly, as well as being unnamed, the baby's gender is unspecified; so this could easily be one of the children I already know from Canadian census records. Intriguingly, however, one of the witnesses to the baptism is a 'Doctor MacDonald' -- so there is another possible family link to investigate there.
Rumkitty, thank you for your suggested further sources and other information. I feel sure they will prove useful. Canadian genealogy is a relatively new field for me.
Thank you both so much!
CELTICANNIE