McDonalds from Colonsay, Scotland to Cape Bear (lot 64), Prince Edward Island to Bruce & Huron Counties, Ontario

 

McDonald family genealogy

Colonsay Scotland, to Prince Edward Island, to Ontario Canada

 

Generation 1

 

John MCDONALD born after 1781, but before 1796 in Scotland. Lived in the British Colonies (probably Nova Scotia) before 1825. Lived on lot 64 PEI before 1841.

Possible children:

Angus McDonald b aft 1796, bef 1825

Donald McDonald b aft 1796, bef 1825
wife b aft 1796, bef 1825

Alexander Mcdonald b aft 1796, bef 1825
wife b aft 1796, bef 1825

NOTES for John McDonald's, PEI 1841 CENSUS living on lot 64:

John McDonald -- age 45 to 60 which means he was born after 1781, but before 1796. John has no male children born after 1796, or before 1825 living with him, so they are probably married, and are likely to be Angus and his brothers Donald and Alexander who also reside on lot 64. John also has 3 females born after 1796, but before 1825. He has five males and one female born after 1825. He must be a widower.

Taking a leap of faith using Scottish naming patterns, which suggests the First Son is named for the Father's Father, I beleave John, eldest son of Angus, born 1834 is named for his grandfather, and is likely John mentioned above.

None are natives of England.
Two are natives of Scotland.
One is a native of PEI.
Seven are natives of the British Colonies. Since this must include most of the children born after 1825 it must be elsewhere in Canada.

 

Generation 2

Angus MCDONALD
Born about 1801/11 possibily Colonsay, Scotland
Living on lot 64, Cape Bear between 1832 and 1841
possibily d.16 Mar 1887 Goderich, Huron Co., Ontario

Catherine MUNN MCDONALD
born about 1801/10 Scotland (possibily Colonsay)
possibily d. 8 Aug 1884 Kincardine, Bruce Co., Ontario

Children:

+i. Margaret McDonald b. 25 September 1832 Cape Bear, PEI; Baptized 27 September 1834 St. John's Presbyterian, Belfast, PEI
 
ii. John McDonald b. 1 July 1834 Cape Bear, PEI; Baptized 27 September 1834 St. John's Presbyterian, Belfast, PEI

iii. James McDonald b. 8 July 1836 Cape Bear, PEI; Baptized 3 March 1840 St. John's Presbyterian, Belfast, PEI
 
iv. Angus McDonald b. 3 July 1838 Cape Bear, PEI; Baptized 3 March 1840 St. John's Presbyterian, Belfast, PEI

v. Catharine McDonald b. 3 July 1840 Cape Bear, PEI; Baptized 2 August 1841 St. John's Presbyterian, Belfast, PEI

Notes for Angus:

1841 PEI, Canadian Census:

Township Lot 64, St. Andrew's Parish, Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Name of the head of Family: Angus McDonald
Trade or Occupation: Farmer
Males: Under 16 years of age: 3
Females: Under 16 years of age: 2
Males: From 16 to 45: 1
Females: From 16 to 45: 1
Total number in family: 7
Number of persons in family, in connexion with the Church of Scotland: 7
Number of acres held by family as Occupants: 60
QUALITY OF LAND - 2d best quality:  60
Number of persons who paid their own passage: 1
Number of acres of arable Land held by family: 4
PRODUCE RAISED BY EACH FAMILY DURING THE LAST YEAR
Number of Bushels Barley: 6
Number of Bushels Oats: 40
Number of Bushels Potatoes: 200
Number of Neat Cattle owned by family: 2
Number of Sheep owned by family: 2
Number of Hogs owned by family: 3
Number of persons in family natives of Scotland: 2

Generation 3

+Margaret MCDONALD MCNEIL
born about 1832/33 Prince Edward Island, Canada
m. Duncan
MCNEIL before 1850
died 7 December 1881 Goderich, Huron Co., Ontario

James McDonald
born about 1836 Prince Edward Island, Canada
died 20 Sep 1918 Bayfield, Goderich Twp., Huron Co., Ontario

Note: 1881 Bayfield, Huron South, Ontario census

James MCDONALD 44 <1837>, b. Nova Scotia (1871 census & death cert. say PEI), Farmer, C. Presbyterian 

Elizabeth MCDONALD 40 <1841>, b. Nova Scotia, C. Presbyterian 

Kittie MCDONALD 8, b. Ontario

Ettie MCDONALD 15, b. Ontario

Jemima MCDONALD 13, b. Ontario

Allen MCDONALD 10, b. Ontario

James MCDONALD 7, b. Ontario

Agness MCDONALD 3, b. Ontario

William MCDONALD <1 Born: Aug; 7/12, b. Ontario
 
Note: 1880 James McDonald of Godrich is the informant of the death of Catherine McNeil born Paisley, Bruce Co., Ontario 1861, d/o Duncan and Margaret McNeil, Baptist.

 

Note. The genealogy on this page is basically a leap of faith based on the following information:

Catherine McNeil died 22 Mar 1880 in Goderich, Huron Co., Ontario. Her death certificate says she was born about 1861 in Paisley, Bruce Co., Ontario. Her death was reported by a James McDonald, from Town of Goderich. This probably an uncle and is likely to be her mother's brother. Her mother is Margaret McDonald who married Duncan McNeil before 1855. Margaret was born PEI 1832/33.

I found a James McDonald who died in Bayfield, Bruce Co., Ontario in 1918. This James was born in 1836 in Prince Edward Island, so it is likely he is the same James that reported Catherine's death, and is likely to be Margaret's brother.

According to James McDonald's death certificate his parents were Angus McDonald and Catherine Munn. I found his likely parents, an Angus McDonald born about 1811 in Colonsay, Scotland who died 16 Mar 1887 in Huron Co., Ontario, and a Catherine McDonald born about 1810 in Scotland, and who died 8 Aug 1884 in Bruce Co., Ontario.

 

NOTES for Angus McDonald on the 1871 census:
One Angus, age 73, living in Bruce, Bruce North <1798>
Two Angus', age 70, living in Huron, Bruce South <1801>
One Angus, age 60, living in Stanley, Huron South <1811>

Consider that if John, PEI 1841 CENSUS, is the father of Angus, and he is born no earlier than 1781, then the likely age of his eldest son is about 1806. Assumes the average of 25 years when his first child is born. That suggest the Angus living in Stanley is ours.

The Angus living in Stanley is a fisherman. Cape Bear PEI was a fishing and farming community, and it is likely the population engaged in both. Also the James McDonald that reported the death of Angus 1884 in Goderich was a fisherman.

NOTES for James McDonald, son of Angus:

A James McDonald living in Stanley in 1871, born about 1837 PEI, was a fisherman.

A James McDonald living in Bayfield in 1881 was a farmer born in Nova Scotia about 1837. The birth place could be an error or generalization, because I couldn't find any James born PEI, but living in Ontario, on the 1881 census. Bayfield was also a fishing and farming community.

In 1901 I found a James McDonald, age 64 born 1834 PEI, living in Goderich, and he is a carpenter.

The 1918 death certificate for 82 year old James McDonald of Bayfield has him as a laborer. I think all above are one and the same. I'd love to hear from anyone related to these McDonalds.

 

© Jerry England 2006

 

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