Donald McKay (and family) Meaford, Ontario

[nixonman1972]

I am looking for any information about a Donald McKay who was born in Bothhead?, Greay County, Ontario on September 25, 1894 to a Mary Ann McKay.  He worked as a farmer and, later, went on to serve with the  147th (Grey) Battalion and later the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles (perhaps along with  Thomas William Holmes,  the youngest Canadian to ever win the Victoria Cross).

A the time of his enlistment, he lived, along with his mother, in Meaford, Ontario. 

[RunKitty]

Hi,

You can order his full military file from the Library and Archives Canada site.  There is a cost involved, and I am sure other people can tell you what that might be. 

The front and back of his Attestation paper can be viewed from here, and the link to order the file is also on this page. 

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=165656&interval=20&&PHPSESSID=k5dooadd4un3b9erstnn720hk2


His birth record is on familysearch:
 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F2PH-SL6

His father is Murdoch and his mother is Mary Ann Latimer

Family in 1901:
 http://automatedgenealogy.com/census/ViewFrame.jsp?id=17459&highlight=8

He had several siblings.  The birth date is a bit off here, but I really think it is him. 
You can see the transcription as well as the actual image from this site.

Donald's siblings and his mother in 1911:
 http://automatedgenealogy.com/census11/SplitView.jsp?id=93273

Not quite sure where he is.

Anyway - this is a start.  It gives you some names to follow, and a way to find out more about his war service

RK

[RunKitty]

Hi,

His parents' grave stone photo is on the free Canada Gen Web Cemetery Project site

THey are in McLean's cemetery

http://www.geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/208135?PHPSESSID=b3ebe61d50c24acc4f99940655aa3bcd

I am not sure I agree with the transcription of Mary Ann's death date.  It looks like the 1950s to me, not 1909.  There are other McKay stones here.  You can check for more of the family. 

The cemetery is in Meaford.

Here is an article that says genealogy resources for the Meaford area are now at the local museum. 

http://www.themeafordindependent.ca/life-a-leisure/arts-a-culture/1263-meaford-centralizes-genealogical-research-services

RK

[RunKitty]

1901 census says Murdoch arrived in Canada in 1862 - from Scotland.  So, he should be on other Canadian censuses. 

You can search these for free from the Library and Archives Canada site.

Here is 1891 -- just choose from the top of this page how you would like to view it, then you can see the whole census page.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0shh/

Mary Ann's parents are with them on this census.  In 1901, her mother is with them.  Mary Ann's parents are Samuel and Elizabeth/Lizzie Latimer from Scotland.   

There is a Malcolm McKay next to Murdoch and family in 1891.  Could be related??

See 1881 and 1871 census from these links

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/census/index-e.html#databases

The familysearch site has Ontario Birth, Marriages and Death record information.  If you wish to see the actual records, your local library might subscribe to the free Ancestry Library Edition.   Images of the Ontario records can be seen there.   If you have a paid Ancestry subscription, that will work too . 

RK

[Jacquie in Canada]

The Ontario marriage database at Ancestry has a marriage for Donald McKay, 25, born Sydenham, Ontario, son of Murdock McKay and Mary Latimer to Rachel Croft, 18, born Meaford, Ontario, daughter of George Wm Croft and Mary Jean Moon on 5 Oct 1918 in Meaford, Grey County, Ontario. I couldn't find this marriage at the LDS site but there were some for other children of Murdock and Mary.

Jacquie

[RunKitty]

Hi,

Checked the Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid for Rachel McKay

http://ocfa.islandnet.com/ocfa-search.php

I think they have mistranscribed Donald as Daniel, but there is a Rachel A. Croft, wife of Daniel R.  (probably Donald??) McKay in the Collingwood Trinity United Cemetery.  This is not far from Meaford.

You can contact the cemetery ---

http://centraleastontario.cioc.ca/record/CWD2384?UseCICVw=53

RK

PS - looking back at his birth record on family search, I see that Donald is Donald Roy, so his middle initial is R.   The Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid site must have mistranscribed his name...   

[nixonman1972]

Thanks everyone!  Aided by your responses, I conducted some research, and found Donald's grandson today!

[Clmckay]

hi I am christina Lynn mckay great granddaughter of Rachel and Donald mckay my grandfather victor Murdoch mckay and my father Brian Murdoch mckay

[nixonman1972]

Hello!  I very much would like to speak with you.  My name is Michael-Lee Brockhouse and I will try to send you a private message.