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This is the 1891 to round off the records.


1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Dunchattan Street, Barony, Dennistoun, Lanarkshire, Scotland

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Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
James McDonald Head Married Male 59 1832 Rivetter Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Jeanie M McDonald Wife Married Female 54 1837 - Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Transcription
Maggie McDonald Daughter Unmarried Female 23 1868 Resturant Servant Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Transcription
>>James McDonald Father Widower Male 79 1812 Ret Calico Printer Perth, Perthshire, Scotland


There is a tree on ancestry with this but there is nothing to back any of this up.


PARENTS


james mcdonald
1794 –

mary ferguson




james mcdonald
Birth 17/5/1814 in Dumbarton shire, Scotland, United Kingdom
Death 30 november 1893 in 27 canel streel paisley scotland


SPOUSE AND CHILDREN


janet hay
1811 – 1890

james mcdonald
1833 –

robert hay mcdonald
1834 – 1925

thomas mcdonald
1838 –

edward mcdonald
1843 –

jane mcdonald
1846 –

elizabeth mcdonald
1849 –

margaret mcdonald
1849 –

anne mcdonald
1850 –

jessie mcdonald
1850 –

elizabeth hamilton mcdonald
1854 –

Unfortunately, as you know, the image of an OPR of marriage or banns won't tell you anything much more than the transcription does.

14/06/1812 MCDONALD JAMES CHRISTIAN FERGUSON/ M KILLIN /PERTH 361/00 0010 0334

It might possibly give the fathers' names, but you still wouldn't know if it was your James MacDonald or not. Probably not worth the credits.

Also, making it less likely that it's the right couple (although not impossible) are the facts that the wife is Christian, not Mary, and the marriage is in Killin, not Perth.

As records are not complete from that time, you may just have to accept that there are no records to find.
As SP says,
"The parish minister or the session clerk usually assumed responsibility for maintaining the registers, but since there was no standard format employed, record keeping varied enormously from parish to parish and also from year to year. As a result, the information may be sparse, unreliable and difficult to read. The oldest register dates from 1553 (baptisms and banns from Errol, Perthshire), but although there was a requirement from 1552 that parishes record baptisms and marriages, many did not commence until much later, and some more remote areas only have registers from the early 19th century. Some registers have been lost or destroyed and the condition of the surviving 3500 is variable. The National Records of Scotland holds the surviving original registers.

Registration in Church of Scotland's registers was costly and unpopular, so many people did not bother to register events at all."

I have found an 1812 Perth record on Scotlands People with James McDonald. If you search with Mary or Ferguson you get one return. On view it says spouse name Christian/Ferguson, so I need to decide if I want to use 5 credits to view

Thanks alviegal, Thanks for confirming what I thought that it can't be them. Why can't I find any other marriages of James McDonald and Mary Ferguson?

BTW that 1871 census is odd. It is the only mention of a midwife. However on James and Jessie's wedding certificate they are down as east and middle church and from memory this is St John's

I don't think that the birth in Dumbarton is your James. Both James McDonald and Mary Ferguson are common names so possibly they are a completely different couple. Because James was born c 1814 there may be no record of his baptism.

This 1871 is the same address as one of the 1881s. There is a discrepency with ages and Jessie's name so not clear if it's the same family.



1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
96, Dale Street, Bridgeton, Lanarkshire, Scotland

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Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
James McDonald Head Married Male 54 1817 Block Printer St John's, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Agnes McDonald Wife Married Female 53 1818 Midwife St John's, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Ann McDonald Daughter Unmarried Female 18 1853 Power Loom Weaver -
Transcription
Elizabeth McDonald Daughter Unmarried Female 16 1855 House Keeper -
Transcription
Jeanna Howat Boarder Unmarried Female 7 1864 Scholar -


Perth used to be called St John's Toun.

So this is the 1851. These are for our benefit as I know you have them.


1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
176, Dalmarnock Road, Calton, Bridgeton, Lanarkshire, Scotland

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Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
James McDonald Head Married Male 40 1811 Block Printer Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Jane McDonald Wife Married Female 39 1812 - Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
James McDonald Son Unmarried Male 18 1833 Ag Lab Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Robert McDonald Son Unmarried Male 16 1835 Ag Lab Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Thomas McDonald Son - Male 13 1838 Scholar Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Margaret McDonald Daughter - Female 10 1841 Scholar Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Edwart McDonald Son - Male 8 1843 - Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Jane McDonald Daughter - Female 6 1845 - Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Janet McDonald Daughter - Female 4 1847 - Renfrewshire, Scotland
Transcription
Ann McDonald Daughter - Female 0 1851 - Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland



1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Dale Street, Calton, Bridgeton, Lanarkshire, Scotland

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Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
James McDonald Head Married Male 46 1815 Calico Printer (Joury) Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Janet McDonald Wife Married Female 45 1816 - Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Thomas McDonald Son Unmarried Male 22 1839 Ir Gasfitter Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Margaret McDonald Daughter - Female 20 1841 Warehouse Girl Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Edward McDonald Son - Male 18 1843 Ap Press Printer Renfrewshire, Scotland
Transcription
Jane McDonald Daughter - Female 15 1846 Factory Worker Renfrewshire, Scotland
Transcription
Jessie McDonald Daughter - Female 13 1848 Servant Domestic Renfrewshire, Scotland
Transcription
Ann McDonald Daughter - Female 11 1850 Scholar Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Transcription
Elizabeth McDonald Daughter - Female 11 1850 Scholar Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland



1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
96, Dale Street, Barony, Bridgeton, Lanarkshire, Scotland

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Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
James McDonald Head Married Male 70 1811 Block Printer Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Jessie McDonald Wife Married Female 69 1812 - Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Maggie McDonald Granddaughter - Female 13 1868 - Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland


or


1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
180, Dale Street, Barony, Bridgeton, Lanarkshire, Scotland

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Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
James McDonald Head Married Male 70 1811 Block Printer Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Jessie McDonald Wife Married Female 69 1812 - Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
Transcription
Maggie McDonald Granddaughter - Female 13 1868 - Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland


The addresses are slightly different.

Hello All,

There are a number of reasons that I don't think the James born in Dumbarton of James McDonald and Mary Ferguson is mine. He was born in 1818.

My James was married in 1832 and the 1841 ,1851 and 1881 census e,g have him born in 1811 in Perth. The 1861 census has him as born in 1815. 1871 born 1817 BTW Argyllgran, yes the 1841 census is them. they are in Bridgeton, and always birthplace is Perth.

His death was 1893 in Paisley, This is him, wife (Jessie) job (Calico Printer) etc match. It is here that his parents are listed as James McDonald and Mary Ferguson. If he was the 1818 James born in Dumbarton, would he be married at 14 and why does every census have him as being born in Perth. It is this DC that says soldier and this intrigues me.

Ruthen Field and Dumbarton Castle did both have military links, but why does he never say he was born in Dumbarton and could he have got married at 14?.

It is either the wrong James and Mary or misreported for some reason?

Regards,

Charlie

Hi All,

Just got home with kids will answer all later.
Thanks for replies.

Regards,

Charlie

Charlie, where did you find the information that his parents were James Macdonald & Mary Ferguson?
I'm assuming you haven't found his birth record, as you don't know his exact year of birth.

His marriage (banns) record on SP doesn't say who his parents were.
It says he was a printer, and that Janet's father was Robert Hay, a wright, but nothing about James's origins.

If James junior died in 1893, as Charlie says, it wasn't in Perthshire, per SP.

These are the only James M(a)cDonalds who died in Perthshire 1890-98:

1895 MCDONALD JAMES M 82 MUTHILL /PERTH 386/0A 0022

1898 MCDONALD JAMES M 84 CRIEFF /PERTH 342/00 0051

These are the James M(a)cdonalds who died in Scotland in 1893, born 1811 +/-5:

1893 MACDONALD JAMES M 80 NEWINGTON EDINBURGH CITY/MIDLOTHIAN 685/05 1096

1893 MACDONALD JAMES M 85 ROGART /SUTHERLAND 055/00 0003

1893 MCDONALD JAMES M 77 PAISLEY /RENFREW 573/00 1413

1893 MCDONALD JAMES M 77 DUNFERMLINE /FIFE 424/00 0381

James Macdonald
Scotland, Births and Baptisms
Name: James Macdonald
Gender: Male
Wife: Janet Hay
Son: James Macdonald
Other information in the record of James Macdonald
from Scotland, Births and Baptisms
Name: James Macdonald
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 20 Feb 1832
Christening Place: PERTH,PERTH,SCOTLAND
Birth Date: 31 Dec 1831
Father's Name: James Macdonald
Mother's Name: Janet Hay

Just for our reference, is this James junior in 1841?

James Mcdonald in the 1841 Scotland Census
Name: James Mcdonald
Age: 30
Estimated birth year: abt 1811
Gender: Male
Where born: Perthshire, Scotland
Civil Parish: Tibbermore
County: Perthshire
Address: Ruthven Field
Parish Number: 395
Household Members:
Name Age
James Mcdonald 30
Janet Mcdonald 25
James Mcdonald 9
Robert Mcdonald 7
Thomas Mcdonald 3
Margaret Mcdonald 1
Source Citation

Parish: Tibbermore; ED: 6; Page: 8; Line: 1120; Year: 1841

A very long shot at the parents' marriage???

09/07/1813 FERGUSON MARY JAMES DONALD/ F DUMBARTON /DUNBARTON 496/00 0040 0271


Charlie, you mention "all of James Junior's records" - can you tell us exactly which records you have found, please?
Where did he die?

James Mcdonald
mentioned in the record of Janet Mcdonald
Name: James Mcdonald
Gender: Male
Wife: Mary Ferguson
Daughter: Janet Mcdonald
Other information in the record of Janet Mcdonald
from Scotland, Births and Baptisms
Name: Janet Mcdonald
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 22 Dec 1822
Christening Place: DUMBARTON,DUNBARTON,SCOTLAND
Birth Date: 16 Dec 1822
Father's Name: James Mcdonald
Mother's Name: Mary Ferguson

this must be his sister

me: James Mcdonald
Gender: Male
Wife: Mary Ferguson
Daughter: Elizabeth Mcdonald
Other information in the record of Elizabeth Mcdonald
from Scotland, Births and Baptisms
Name: Elizabeth Mcdonald
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 14 May 1820
Christening Place: DUMBARTON,DUNBARTON,SCOTLAND
Birth Date: 24 Apr 1820
Father's Name: James Mcdonald
Mother's Name: Mary Ferguson

Hi


Name:James Macdonald

Gender:Male

Marriage Date:3 Feb 1832

Marriage Place:Perth,Perth,Scotland

Spouse:Janet Hay

FHL Film Number:1040164

-------------------------------------------------

Looks like they son James before they married



Name:James Macdonald

Gender:Male

Birth Date:31 Dec 1831

Baptism Date:20 Feb 1832

Baptism Place:Perth,Perth,Scotland

Father:
James Macdonald

Mother:
Janet Hay

FHL Film Number:1040162

Hello,

I have an ancestor called James McDonald, who married Janet (Jessie) Hay in 1832. He died in 1893. His mother was Mary Ferguson and his father was James McDonald, both dec. James senior was a soldier. I can not find his parents. I did find a James McDonald and Mary Ferguson but they had their son James in Dumbarton. All of James juniors records have his birth as Perth.

Any help in breaking this barrier and maybe find out about James Snr career would be most appreciated.

Thanks

Charlie