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McDonalds Of Lewis and Red River

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Thomas
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Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 8:11 am

McDonalds Of Lewis and Red River

Post by Thomas » Thu May 19, 2011 10:05 am

John McDonald retired @ 1823 from HBC Merry,s house. Started with HBC 1815
I am having a hard time tracking down the first children of John, any insight would be welcomed.

Gary, the link to the Spence family comes through the marriage of Donald McDonald and Caroline Setter. Caroline is the daughter of George Setter and Isabella Kennedy. George Setter is the son of Margaret Spence and Andrew Setter. I believe I sent you the links back to James Spence [1754-1795] in a previous E-Mail.

After retiring from the Hudson Bay Company John McDonald settled on a river lot in St, Andrews Parish on the Red river. At the time it was known as Little Britain, he is remembered as on of six original patriarchs. John and his wife Sarah Swain had 8 children Catherine, Flora, Mary, Charlotte, Donald, John James, Sarah and Christianna. John lived in St. Andrews until his death in the early 1870’s, he had a farm, store and may have been involved in lumber manufacturing. I have not been able to find information on the first 4 of his children [research is ongoing] but the last 4 have been easier to trace. Donald married Caroline Setter, John J. married Mary Flett, Sarah married Thomas Omand and Christianna married Robert Hay. Donald and Caroline had 7 children Isabella, Christinana, Jessie Ellen and twin Catherine E., Flora Mary, Sarah and Donald Angus. John James and Mary had 1 child Mary. Sarah and Thomas Omand had 6 children Sarah Anne, James, Jane, Christina, Robert John, and Catherine. Christianna and Robert Hay had 3 children John, Robert and Thomas.

I think the above is reasonably accurate, and obviously there is a great deal of detail available which is not included here.

Cheers Thomas

gnstill
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Re: McDonalds Of Lewis and Red River

Post by gnstill » Thu May 19, 2011 3:29 pm

Welcome aboard Thomas!

Yes indeed, I already had most of the outline you have and for the most part mine agrees with yours.

Just by coincidence I am finishing a narrative on James SPENCE and will be posting under Ancestors in the next few days. He is also an ancestor of my sister-in-law (See John David CHASTELLAINE under Descendants).

I have husbands for two more of John McDONALD's daughters that you are missing:
Flora McDONALD (b-1825) married John FOLSTER (b-1813), son of an Indian woman & John FOLSTER (1776-1871).
Mary McDONALD (b-1826) married Scotsman Neil McKAY (1820-1914)

It will take me a while to review my own information and I'm sure we will have lots to talk about again later.

Thomas
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 8:11 am

Re: McDonalds Of Lewis and Red River

Post by Thomas » Fri May 20, 2011 11:35 am

Awesome Gary
To bad about Flora, I have a death year of 1844 for her [differs from the 1846 yr from your P.Fiddler site] The day Dec. 27 is the same probably a typo type thing. Neil and Mary and ?6 kids, great stuff I managed to follow the boys up to the 1911 census and daughter Catherine Chappel is there in 1901 census. As far as John McDonalds daughters Catherine and Charlotte are concerned I think Catherine is living with John in 1870 with perhaps two children named James and Christie. Charlotte however remains a complete mystery.

Many Thanks,Thomas

Thomas
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 8:11 am

Re: McDonalds Of Lewis and Red River

Post by Thomas » Wed Jan 18, 2012 9:45 am

Hi Gary

Just a quick note to say I have done a bunch more research and it turns out that Charlotte McDonald died unmarried in about 1846. The Children listed as living with John McDonald in 1870 census are all his. Catherine, who also seems never to have married, James who married Sarah Matheson of Cape Breton and Christie who married Robert Hay.

John McDonald had three brothers [ Angus, Murdo and Norman ] their father was Angus McDonald who emigrated to Cape Breton along with Angus Jr. and Murdo probabley in the 1820's. It is possible that brother Norman came to work with HBC at the same time that John did as there is a Norman McDonald listed as a passenger on the "Hadlow" [sailed 1815 from Stornoway ] in a list of HBC employees. Unfortunatly there is no HBC Bio. for this Norman McDonald. Angus McDonald Sr. was the son of Norman McDonald and Catharine [nee McLean].

Children of James McDonald and Sarah [ Matheson ] are Catherine, b.1885 and John, b.1889. This family settled in Netley Manitoba.

Thomas

gnstill
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Re: McDonalds Of Lewis and Red River

Post by gnstill » Wed Jan 18, 2012 9:18 pm

Thanks Thomas
That also matches up very well with the information I have regarding the Manitoba descendants. I wasn't aware of the Nova Scotia ancestors; thanks for that!

Thomas
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 8:11 am

Re: McDonalds Of Lewis and Red River

Post by Thomas » Wed Apr 18, 2012 11:27 am

Hi Gary

In case there are people following this post I thought I would add some more info even though it is not directly related to Red River.

From above, John McDonalds grandfather Norman was the son of Donald McDonald who was the son of Norman McDonald. His grandmother Catherine ( also Catriona ) was the daughter of Murdo Maclean who was the son of John Maclean. Norman and Catherine McDonald had a family of 6; Donald, Murdo, Angus ( John McDonalds father ) Florence, Mary and Christie. All were born in Crowlista, Uig, Isle of Lewis and all but Murdo and Mary emigrated to Cape Breton. Some other members of this family emigrated to Lingwick, Quebec. as far as I know they were Farquar and Donald McDonald, sons of Murdo McDonald. All of this emigration took place between 1822 and 1850ish. So far the furthest I have been able to trace Ancestry back is for the wife of James McDonald. Sarahs' line commences in detail in the mid 15th century.

Of the children of Donald McDonald and Caroline Setter, Donald Angus, Jessie, Catherine and Sarah all moved to B.C. Flora Mary moved to Minnisota and Isabella stayed in Manitoba. Christinanna died at age 20 in St. Andrews. My wife is the granddaughter of Donald Angus and we have a granddaughter.

Thomas

gnstill
Site Admin
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Re: McDonalds Of Lewis and Red River

Post by gnstill » Wed Apr 18, 2012 4:51 pm

Interesting!
Who was Donald Angus McDONALD married to? Was it by any chance Isabella Mary MONKMAN or Margaret GRUCHAN?

Thomas
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 8:11 am

Re: McDonalds Of Lewis and Red River

Post by Thomas » Thu Apr 19, 2012 8:51 am

Hi Gary

Here is some detail about the marriages of the children of Donald and Caroline.
Isabella married George McBeth, son of John McBeth and Margaret Setter in Winnipeg
Jessie married James Roach of Ontario in Vancouver
Catherine married James McGhie of Ontario in Vancouver
Fora Mary married William McPhail the son of John McPhail and Hanna ( Johanna ) Kauffman in Winnipeg
Sarah married Percy Gleazer of London Eng. in Vancouver
Donald Angus married Emily F. Pound of Ontario in Vancouver.

Of Red River Ancestry interest are the family of John McBeth who were Selkirk settlers from Kildonan.
Hanna Kaufman was the daughter of Ulrich Kauffman, one of a few Des Meurons soldiers to remain in Red River after the 1826 Mega Flood, and Elizabeth McKay also a Selkirk settler. John McPhail was also with HBC and originaly from The Isle of Lewis.

Thomas

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