Those pesky McDonald's again!

[kevinf2349]

Hi

I made some progress researching some of  my McDonald ancestors but then hit the proverbial brick wall again.

Margaret McDonald was born in 1834 in Bowes, NY and I have got her successfully timelined in every census right up to her death in Darlington in 1911. So....

Margaret had a little girl named Annas Mc Donald (born 15/12/1859..March 1860 Teesdale 10a 192), no father is listed on her BC. She then had a little boy named Robert Alfred McDonald (Q3 1865 Teesdale 10a 233). I have not got that BC yet.

In 1871 the family are living with the Wallace family in Gainford, County Durham where Margaret is working as a servant for the widower named John Alderson Wallace (born 1818). As luck would have it, they fell in love and got married in 1872  Presto, a son is born Ralph Wallace (Q3 1873 Teesdale 10a 294).

In 1874 John Wallace dies (Q2 1874 Richmond Yorkshire 9d 353). What he was doing there is anyone's guess...but in 1877 Margaret finds love again and marries William Wilkinson (Q3 1877 Richmond (Yorkshire) 9d 871) and they live happily ever after.

Annas and Robert both show up in the 1881 census as living with Margaret and William in Tunstall Catterick (PRO RG 11/4881 folio 5, page 3) Margaret tells a little birthday fib and gives her age as 44 not 47 the little minx! They are listed Annie and Robert WALLACE. Annie is 21 and listed as a "dressmaker", Robert is listed as a "Road Labourer". In 1891 Margaret and William have taken Ralph with them to Ludlow, Shropshire but 1881 is the last that I see of either Annie (Annas or Anice) or Robert. In 1911 Margaret lists that she is a widow and had 3 children, two of who are still living. Ralph is still living at home with Margaret in Darlington. I assume this means that either Annie/Annas or Robert are still living somewhere and that the other has died, but I can find no reasonable matches for either of them and I have tried them as WILKINSON, WALLACE and McDonald (and DONALD, MACDONALD and MACKDONALD). I concentrated mostly on Robert as his last name options were less likely to change away from those 3 possibilities. The only death marriage record I found was for another Robert McDonald relative in Teesdale.

I have extended searches out to DOB +/- 10 and still nothing. I know that Catterick is an Army town and wondered in "dressmaker" meant that Annas was a "good friend" to the Squaddies and maybe married one of them, but I assume that army marriages would still be in the GRO?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Regards
Kevin

[kevinf2349]

I think I have found Annie! It is amazing what a good night's sleep and a break away can do for you!

This is what I think is her death record

Name: Annice Wallace
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1860
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1884
Age at Death: 24
Registration district: Northallerton
Inferred County: Yorkshire North Riding
Volume: 9d
Page: 394

Now just to confirm it with the records office. I am sad that she died so young but happy to have located her at long last!

Kevin

[kevinf2349]

I now believe I have found Ralph WALLACE too!

It looks like he never married and died in 1950 probably in Darlington but I can't be 100% sure until I order the death certificate.

I do have another question about the GRO and local registry records though but I will create a new thread for that.

Kevin


Edited...Ralph is the one that died in 1950. Still seeking Robert 

[Pels.]

 

I've always heard it said that you get more sense if you talk to yourself !

I concentrated mostly on Robert as his last name options were less likely to change away from those 3 possibilities. The only death marriage record I found was for another Robert McDonald relative in Teesdale.

Just for my own curiosity Kevin, was the other Robert McDonald married to Maggie and living in Thornhill in 1891 ?

Pels.

[kevinf2349]

Pel

 

Yes indeed. They later moved back to Teesdale and Maggie died in 1891 so he later remarried Sarah Bradley in Barnard Castle in 1894

Kevin

[patchwitch]

Was Margaret in Catterick because her brother John (b abt 1831) was there? He married Sarah Robinson at Hipwell, Parish of Catterick 28 Jan 1867. I can't make out John's occupation on his marriage certificate but it looks like either potter or porter.

[patchwitch]

I've just set up a website for my MacDonalds

http://macdonald-in-teesdale.simplesite.com/

There are a few of my other families on there as well , it's a rank amateur site rehgarding layout and so on but  I  hope it helps someone.