James and Margaret McDonald-Brick Wall

Post by **Jean Jeanie** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:18 pm

Before I start this very long story, I always used M*cDonald when searching.

Hugh McDonald was born 21 Apr 1809 in Abernethy And Kincardine. He married Elspet Stuart 3 Feb 1829 in Cromdale. Both OPR’s seen. They had 6 children, the last one born being James on 17 Aug 1842 at Lagg in Cromdale. Elspet died in 1870. Hugh then married Jessie Brotchie, his housekeeper, in 1871. Jessie was 28 and Hugh was 62! They went on to have 6 children. Hugh outlived both wives!

In the 1871 census Hugh’s household included a 10 month old grandson, named Alexander McDonald. Alexander is still in Hugh’s household in 1881 aged 10, shown as grandson.

I found Alexander’s 1870 b.c. and he is illegitimate. His mother’s name is Margaret McDonald and his father is named as James McDonald of Craggan Cromdale. James’s father Hugh lived at Craggan from 1861-1881, so there is little doubt as to who Alexander’s father was, it was James, born to Hugh and Elspet in 1842.

Alexander b 1870 married Joan Anderson in 1894 in Dumbarton. He shows his parents as deceased, father’s occupation Police Constable (he shows his mother as Margaret McDonald m.s. McDonald!)

Margaret is a conundrum. A Margaret McDonald shows as Hugh and Elspet’s daughter in 1861 aged 15, but Hugh and Elspet didn’t have a daughter called Margaret, according to the IGI, and she didn’t appear with them in 1851. I suspect that she is Hugh’s niece and I suspect that she is Alexander’s mother. If this is her, then her parents are Lewis McDonald and Mary McDonald and she was born in 1846. Mary McDonald is Hugh McDonald’s sister, which makes James and Margaret first cousins. Incidentally Lewis McDonald and Mary McDonald were first cousins.

I can find no marriage of a James McDonald and Margaret McDonald after Alexander’s birth. Indeed James and Margaret more or less disappear off the face of the earth after the birth of Alexander in 1870. I have searched the 1881 census discs for both of them. James is not the one at Ochtogorm or the one at Railway Cottage, he may be the one at Curr with a Grant Family. (can’t prove or disprove this one) There are a couple of unmarried Margaret’s that may be her, but no proof. Death’s for both James and Margaret have proved fruitless. I searched for their deaths from 1870 (Alexander’s birth) – 1894(Alexander’s marriage) Only searching in Cromdale, Advie, Inverallan and Duthil. Wider searches are impossible due to their very common names.

The only two things I can come up with, are, that Alexander lied on his m.c. about his parents being deceased, or they both died outwith Cromdale, Advie, Inverallan and Duthil. If this is the case then I am snookered.

If you have managed to come to the end of this saga and understand it all and still have fresh eyes...............can you come up with any ideas?

Jean

Post by **emanday** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:24 pm

Sorry Jean,

As my grandmother was a M*donald and I've only got back a wee bit in her ancestry, all I can tell you is that thee and me picked the wrong grandparent surname to get stuck with!

One of her lines is easy (only in the sense that I really know when I'm snookered!) as they had a really unique surname, but the M*Donald lot had a really unimaginative naming pattern. I've gone back so many Donald's, Margaret's and Charles's as well as the other usual suspects without really getting any real sense that I'm still with the right line.

My son, who has a wicked sense of humour and not interested in our genealogy yet, made the disconcerting comment that there might have been only one original M*Donald male with a very fast horse

! Doesn't bear thinking about

Post by **Jean Jeanie** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 9:30 pm

I had another go at this one tonight, with fresh eyes, which is obviously what I needed

When searching for Margaret's death, I had omitted to select Inverallan

Found her. At least I've found the Margaret that was Lewis McDonald and Mary McDonald's daughter. The informant was her uncle Hugh McDonald of Craggan.

So I'm pretty sure now that the Margaret living with Hugh in 1861 and described as "daughter" is this one.

Now is she Alexander's mother? I would think so, however there's nothing to actually prove that it is the same Margaret, but gut feeling tells me that she is!!

I think James's death will have to remain a mystery.............for the moment

Jean

Post by **emanday** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:00 pm

That's great news, Jean.

As for James - Fingers crossed for you that he will turn up eventually as well.

Post by **Jean Jeanie** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:45 pm

Hi Mary

I was so chuffed to find Margaret's death. It doesn't prove that she is the Margaret in the 1861 census, shown as Hugh's daughter, but it certainly looks that way.

Neither does it prove that she is Alexander's mother, but as I said, I have a gut feeling.

James did not die in the Cromdale area searching 1870 - 1894. He may have died later, he may have died elsewhere. What I have told myself is that even if I found his d.c. what would it tell me? His parents names, his wife, if he married, a child, if he had any to a marriage. What it would not tell me is what I really want to know..............are this James and Margaret, the parents of Alexander!!!!!

Jean