Last Resort?

[Ian McDonald]

Hello,

I took up genealogy at the age of eighteen, mainly to research my McDonald ancestry. Forty years later I've in excess of 5,000 relatives in my database, including a few 11th great-grandparents, but have got no further back than my 3rd great-grandparents on the McDonald line.

The problem rests with mystery-man Donald McDonald, my 3rd great-grandfather, who appeared seemingly from nowhere to marry my 3rd great-grandmother, Janet Knox (a local girl), in the Parish of Old Machar, Aberdeen, on 6th October 1825. From the 1841 census and his death record Donald seems to have been born c1786, about thirteen years before Janet, and, according to the 1841 census, he was born outwith Aberdeenshire.

In c1826, Donald and Janet's first child was born - Mary McDonald, baptised in Old Machar in July 1826 - but it was to be another nine years before their second and final (known) child was born, also in Old Machar, in December 1835; he was James McDonald, my great, great grandfather. At both baptisms Donald was described as a labourer.

The family appeared in the 1841 census, living at Hilton, Old Machar, and Donald was still a labourer. If he'd had the good grace to live until the 1851 census was taken I might have discovered where he was born, but he died in January 1845 from apoplexy and was buried in an unmarked pauper's lair in St Nicholas Kirkyard, Aberdeen, his address still being Hilltown. Less than two years later his daughter, Mary, died and was buried in the lair next to Donald. Son James went on to be a soldier, and widow Janet lived to a ripe old age, eventually dying in Old Machar Poorhouse.

There are one or two possible clues as to Donald's origins. Family legend (which is, of course, notoriously unreliable) suggests that he came from the Hebrides, possibly from Skye (and the 1841 census confirms that he wasn't from Aberdeenshire). And a witness at the baptisms of both of Donald and Janet's children was a "James McDonald"; a relative after whom young James was named, perhaps? In the 1841 census there's a James McDonald living in Gaelic Lane, Old Machar, and also not from Aberdeenshire, but if he was Donald's brother I've yet to find the link between them, despite wasting numerous credits at Scotland's People. Another tenuous clue is that Donald was nearly forty years of age when he married; that was quite late in life, so could he perhaps have had a career in the Army before settling down to married life in Aberdeen?

I know my chances of success at tracking him down are more or less nil, but any suggestions would be gratefully received!

Ian

[SarahND]

Hello Ian and welcome to Talking Scot!
Have you checked to see if any of the Old Machar poorhouse records are available anywhere? That and/or the kirk session records just might mention Donald's place of origin, if you are extremely lucky!

Another possible avenue, which I'm sure you've already explored, would be son James' military records. Any clues there?

I'm sure others will be along soon with more ideas, but so far that's what comes to mind.

All the best,
Sarah

[SarahND]

Okay, I've had a try. It may be something or it may be nothing at all, but at least it seems to fit with some of your family information. Bear with me.

There are several James Mcdonalds in Old Machar in 1841 who were not born in Aberdeenshire. The James McDonald in Gaelic lane was a linen manufacturer, so perhaps unlikely to be the brother of a labourer. Or is there some other reason you suppose that to be the James who was witness at the baptisms? Was an address mentioned?

Otherwise, there is a Jas Mcdonald, 35, born Scotland, Lab, who was living at Persley, Old Machar in 1841 with his wife Catherine, 25 and children Ann (5) Alex (3) and Wm (1). The IGI says Catherine's surname was also McDonald and she was also born outwith Aberdeenshire.

Persley, at least on a current map, is certainly closer to the various Hiltons (Hilton Dr, Hilton Rd, Hilton St) than is Gaelic Lane, if that means anything.

In 1851 James is not at home…
Woodside, Old Machar, Aberdeenshire
Catherine McDonald, 38, born Kisteeren, Inverness, Grocer's Wife
Ann McDonald, 17, Daughter, born Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scholar
Alexander McDonald 13, Son, born Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scholar
Mary McDonald, 9, Daughter, born Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scholar
James McDonald, 7, Son, born Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scholar
John W McDonald, 5, Son, born Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scholar

But he's back again on census night in 1861:

70 Barron Street, Old Machar
James Mcdonald, 60, Head, born Pathe, Invernessshr, Grocer
Cath Mcdonald, 49, Wife, born Pathe, Invernessshr
Mary Mcdonald, 19, Daughter, born Old Machar, Paper Mill Worker
James Mcdonald, 17, Son, born Old Machar, Paper Mill Clerk
John Mcdonald, 15, Son, born Old Machar, Paper Worker

Now… I'm going by Ancestry transcriptions and I'm not happy with either "Kisteeren" or "Pathe"… there being no such places as far as I can tell. However, poring over the place names in Inverness on GENUKI, I found Kyleakin, in the parish of Strath. I can convince myself (without looking at the originals) that these are the two places mentioned in the 1851 and 1861 censuses. And, best of all, they are on Skye

It may be a complete coincidence-- and we don't know whether it was James or Catherine who was related to Donald, if either was, since they both are surnamed McDonald-- but it does fit nicely with your family tradition. Not sure how you'd prove it though... It would strengthen the theory if Donald was a witness for some of James and Catherine's children's baptisms before his death.

All the best,
Sarah

[Ian McDonald]

Thanks for your helpful observations, Sarah, and sorry to have taken so long to reply.

My only reasons for supposing that the James McDonald in Gaelic Row might have been Donald's relative were that both of them were born outwith Aberdeenshire, and Donald was a Gaelic speaker, as were most of the inhabitants of Gaelic Row (hence its name). The Hebrides were, in those days, inhabited largely by Gaelic speakers, so I put two and two together and probably made five.

I've downloaded the two censuses you mentioned, but the places of birth are more or less illegible. Here they are:

1851 census

1861 census .

Best wishes,

Ian

[Russell]

Hello Ian

I wondered whether you had tried flipping the census images from positive to negative and back. I have found that can be useful in identifying names, whether family or place. I don't know if it is the after image effect but it's a bit like the child's joining the dots game. Whatever it is it seems to work
Compare other parts of the entry to see if they show similarities to the incomplete lettering. I'm maybe teaching my grandmother to suck eggs here. If so the hint might help other folks.
Russell

[Ian McDonald]

Hello Ian

I wondered whether you had tried flipping the census images from positive to negative and back. I have found that can be useful in identifying names, whether family or place. I don't know if it is the after image effect but it's a bit like the child's joining the dots game. Whatever it is it seems to work
Compare other parts of the entry to see if they show similarities to the incomplete lettering. I'm maybe teaching my grandmother to suck eggs here. If so the hint might help other folks.
Russell

Thanks for that tip, Russell. I'm afraid flipping between positive and negative didn't work (for me, anyway) - nor did "embossing", although that did make it look quite interesting! I'm pretty sure that both censuses say "Inverness", and the 1851 census reads "Kil"something, but I can get no further with deciphering it.

It doesn't surprise me; I'm beginning to think that Donald was a fugitive from justice or a Napoleonic agent, trying to cover his tracks!

Ian