William Macdonald born 1864 Gwaenysgor to Thomas and Margaret Macdonald

[ellenmaggie]

Tracking down a DNA match I have come across a relative William Macdonald, the grandson of my 3rd GGPs William Hughes and Elizabeth Williams.   His parents Thomas Macdonald (a miner) and Margaret Hughes married in Gwaenysgor on 28th May 1864.   William was baptised on 24th September 1864 in Gwaenysgor.   

He does not appear on the 1871 Census with the family, and the DNA matches have led me to the USA.  The next reference I have found is the 1900 Aurora, Portage, Ohio census where he is living with his wife and three children.   It records he went to the US in 1870 - so when he was 6/7 years old.  I have not been able to find a record of his arrival in the US yet, but want to know - did families send their children to the US for a better life - or maybe he travelled with another family member.   Can anyone shed any light on how I can go about finding out?

TIA  Ellenmaggie

[Mabel Bagshawe]

This is a report of Thomas MacDonald's funeral - no mention of William there. Are you sure it's the same one in the USA?

https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3015588/3015591/33/thomas%2BOR%2Bmacdonald%2BAND%2BGwaenysgor

[CaroleW]

Youngest child in 1871 was aged 4

No birth reg for William but all other children's births were registered

As parents & siblings can be found on censuses from 1871 onwards I would find it unlikely that their first born child would emigrate at the age of 6yrs

[wilcoxon]

The William Macdonald b 1864 in 1900 with wife Emma  only states born Wales.
1920 and 1930 he is William H McDonald .
When he married Emma he is W H . Nothing to state who his father was.
His gravestone has William Henry. There's an obituary in 1930 US Newspapers on Ancestry.
Maybe that will shed some light.
Find a grave states b Gwaenysgor. Where is this information from.

[ellenmaggie]

Thank you - I have found a newspaper article from the Evening Record Ravenna Ohio 18 October 1830 that reports the death of William Macdonald and mentions "he leaves an aged father at Austintown..."  which led me to John Macdonald and Elinor Hughes who married on 16th October 1865 at Gwaenysgor.   They are in Austintown in 1880 with their son William.   So I now believe William to be the son of John and Elinor Macdonald.   All three were born in Wales and so must have made the journey to the US in 1870.  Now to find that record.  John is the brother of Thomas Macdonald, so that explains the DNA connection too.  John was about 19 when he married Elinor and she was about 23, so William was born when John was 18 and Elinor 22.   Maybe Thomas (John's elder brother) and Margaret baptised William and cared for him until John and Elinor married.   That is my working theory for the moment.    Ellenmaggie

PS.   Elinor's father was William Hughes, so maybe her son was named for her father.

[wilcoxon]

1900 US Ausintown.  Immigration 1869.
John H McDonald57Head
Elenor McDonald56Wife


1910 Immigration 1868.
John H McDonald 60Head b N Wales
Elinor H McDonald 69Wife

[softly softly]

1880 us census.  Mahoning, United States

John   McDonald   Self   Married   Male   32   1848   Wales
Ellen   McDonald   Wife   Married   Female   35   1845   Wales
William   McDonald   Son   Single   Male   14   1866   Wales

The above couple married 16th October 1865 Gwaenysgor, Flintshire, Wales

John aged 20, Bachelor, occupation Miner, father Edward McDonald--occupation Miner
Elinor aged 23, spinster. father William Hughes--occupation--Farmer

The image of this marriage on FindMyPast, as isthe marriage of Thomas & Margaret. Looks as though we have 2 brothers marrying 2 sisters.

John MacDonald & Elinor Hughes were witnesses to Thomas & Margarets marriage.

SS