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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Moray (Elginshire) => Topic started by: maggiemcg on Friday 15 May 09 11:08 BST (UK)
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Hi - this is my first post. I am researching my family tree and have come to a bit of a dead end. Alexander McDonald of Parkhead of Pitchaish born around 1760 - 1770. He was married to Margaret Grant and had at least 1 son - Thomas McDonald, who was born in 1799. Thomas is a direct ancestor of myself, and there has been a bit of a family mystery concerning this branch of the family. The usual stuff, daughter running off and marrying 'beneath her station', her daughter kidnapped by wealthy grandparents, etc., etc., this has all been passed down verbally through the family and unfortunately, all the people who knew the tale are now dead. I just wonder if anyone out there knows of this part of my family, and can help me solve this little mystery.
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Hi Maggie
Welcome :)
I see that Pitchaish is in Moray. It might be best to post on that board or I'll ask a Mod to move this posting for you.
Best Regards
Gadget
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You've just struck Gold. A relative and myself have got a mass of info on our McDonald family, but little on Thomas side. Our Thomas was christened on 23 Mar 1799 at Inveravon and died on 06 Jan 1887 at Bridge of Dyce , Forgue. He married an Elizabeth Gordon on 20th May 1847 and had at least one son also named Thomas who married an Isabella Clark on 29 Nov 1873 at Premnay. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Frugal
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Hi Maggie, Are you still out there? I haven't heard from you. perhaps you are on holiday. Anyway I really want to get in touch with you and establish a link with a long lost branch of the McDonald family.
Look forward to hearing from you.
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Hi Frugal .............. sorry for the delay - my hard drive killed itself so I had to wait for a new one to arrive. I have a confession, I'm afraid - I am a McGregor (with some Bruce, Chisholm and McDonald for good measure), but the side of the family you would be interested in is my maternal grandmothers. The story goes thus, if you are sitting comfortably. My grandmothers' mother was born Margaret Watson in 1857, her mother was Agnes McDonald, b.in Fordyce in 1831 d. 1858, she had a sister Margaret b. 1835. Agnes's father was Thomas McDonald of Parkhead of Pitchaish, b. 1799 and he was married to Elspeth Duff in 1831. According to the 1841 census (I may have got this bit wrong,) he was at that time a publican. This, as I say could be the wrong McDonald, I'm afraid.
To continue the story, Agnes eloped with Frances Watson, who was a cooper. Her parents were enraged that she had married, (as they saw it), beneath her and cut her off from the family. Agnes's daughter Margaret was born and her grandparents took her from Agnes, to bring her up in better circumstances, but Agnes and Frances went to court (a brave act in those days) and regained custody of her. Now this may be a bit exagerrated, but my gran was a very down-to-earth lady, and had a great respect for the truth, so I do believe what she told me. One other curious thing she mentioned, almost as an aside, was that she was a cousin of sorts, of Ramsay Mcdonald, the Labour prime minister.
I hope this information is of use to you in helping me to solve this family legend, I will wait for yur reply eagerly.
Regards
Maggie
I note that your Thomas married Elizabeth Gordon in 1847 and it may be that he married her after Elspeth died - I don't know what year that was, but it is a possibility.
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Hi Frugal ................ I have another McDonald link which I forgot to mention. Elspeth Duff's grandmother was an Isobel McDonald, born ca. 1750 in Perthshire. She married Finlay Duff, also of Perthshire on 7th July 1771. I haven't researched their line much further regarding other children, deaths, etc., but will be in the near future and will certainly let you know what I find. They seem to have settled in Moulin in Perthshire, where their son, also Finlay, was born in 1777.
Our Thomas is the same one, on checking the family tree I see that he was born 23 March 1799. and baptised in Inveravon, Banffshire. He married Elspeth in Aberdeen on 11th June 1831, I will certainly try to find the date of Elspeth's death within the next week (when my pay comes through - financial constraints as usual).
I hope this information is of some interest to you.
Regards
Maggie
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Hi Maggie,
I've sent you a Personal message with some details but would like to thank you again for getting back to this post. The info you give on Thomas McDonald certainly sheds some light on the questions we have been asking for some time. We wondered why Thomas married Elizabeth Gordon at the age of 48 - was he just a late starter or was this a subsequent marriage? You sem to have answered that question. We have identified at least four brothers of Thomas but no sisters: - George (from whom I am descended), William, Francis and James who both went to Jamaica in the 1830s. Francis died in Jamaica on 19th June 1833.
You have identified a number of new leads to be followed up which will keep us busy for some time. Thanks again Frugal
We have a copy of James's will which is rather interesting.
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Hello Maggie
I also note a marriage for an Elspet Duff to Thomas McDonald for 30 July 1831, Fordyce, Banff, Scotland. Perhaps marriage recorded in both parishes?
I've been on to SP and see the death of an Elspet Duff on 10/09 1846 which is a possible - unfortunately at work for the next 12 days and the security settings on the PCs here won't let me download the death entry to view.
10/09/1846 DUFF ELSPET F FORDYCE /BANFF 153/00 0488
I'd agree to the census record you find in '41 of Thomas being a publican, and by 1851 there is no publican in that age range and he is now at 'Stonehill with one year old son Thomas G McDonald and new wife Eliza. I see that Freecen has him as 57 (a misreading of 51).
Have also attached a previous thread relating to Thomas on Rootschat.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,273379.0.html
Regards, Steve
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Hello, I am new in this website! I am from Argentina. My 4th great-grandmother Helen McDonald (wife of William Murdoch), was the daugther of James McDonald and Mary (nee McDonald). She was born on 3 May 1829 at Fordyce. Could she have been relative of this Alexander McDonald?
Regards,
Santiago D'Angelis Murdoch
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Hi Santiago,
My Alexander Mcdonald was born about 1725. I have evidence of his having at least three children Alexander, William, and Mary. I am descended from the Alexander line. There is evidence from church records that Mary was a daughter of Alexander and his wife Elspet Bain whom he married on 5 May 1747.
It is possible that this Mary McDonald married your James McDonald the parents of your Helen McDonald but I have no evidence to confirm this. Your Helen McDonald married William Murdoch o 8 Dec 1855 at Fetteresso. I'll send some more info in a private message.
Regards
Frugal
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This is my first post on here and it's a bit of a longshot but I'm looking for some help.
I am descended from an Alexander McDonald born 1813 in Scotland. From 1861 onwards he appears with his family in London as a customs officer. He died in London in 1883. At some point he married Isabella (maiden name unknown) but the 1891 England census records her birth as 1823 in Ross and Cromarty. I can't find a record for the death of Isabella. They had children. James Macdonald was born Scotland, the rest London:
James Fraser MacDonald (1839 - 1903)
Jane MacDonald (1856 - 1927)
Alexander MacDonald (1859 - unknown)
Colin Macdonald (1860 - unknown)
George MacDonald (1861 - unknown)
John Macdonald (1864 - unknown)
You will note the change in surname. It is McDonald but once in London they use Macdonald. I apologise if I've but this on the wrong board, but if anyone has knowledge of my relatives I should be most grateful.
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The Inveravon connection is intriquing. I have a marriage record that reads:
" April 12, 1708- Alexander McDonald alias McInab parochiner [parishioner] and Katharine Stuart in Inveravon attested of her being free of scandal, declared their purpose of marriage and consigning their pledges to observe order were married May 18, 1708."
Do any of you have information on this family from an earlier date? The couple in the marriage record may be the parents of a prosperous farmer in Bedford township, Westchester county, New York who immigrated to the colonies in 1730. His grave marker in Bedford reads:
"Sacred to the memory of COL LEWIS MCDONALD ESQ and Sarah his wife being a native of North Britain borne at Strathspey 1709 and departed this life 24 July 1777