Margaret Gow was born in 1759 in Inver, Perthshire, and baptized on 18 Nov 1759 in Little Dunkeld, Perthshire, Scotland.[1]
Margaret married James McDonald on 30 May 1787 in Edinburgh.[2]
Margaret and James had three known children whose birth and/or baptisms are recorded in the old parish registers of the Church of Scotland:
Margaret's husband, James, died sometime in 1792, before the birth of their daughter James Janet on 26 Oct 1792, as the register entry records: "James McDonald Dancing M[aste]r, Deceased and Margaret Gow his widow in High Kirk parish a Daugh[te]r born the 26th Oct[obe]r. last named James= Janet, Witt[nesse]s. Willm. Duncan, Jeweler of London & Nath[anie]l Gow, Musician in Edin[burg]h"
Margaret was working or living at 37 London Street Edinburgh in 1833, at the same address David Foggo (her son-in-law) who was a teacher of English, and daughter, Jemima, a piano teacher.[6] That was the year in March that Margaret's grandson, Niel Gow Foggo was sentenced by the Justiciary (High) Court of Scotland, to 7 years transport to the Australian colonies for theft.
Margaret died sometime after 1833. It is possible that she died in 1838, aged 77 years, and was buried in Greyfriars on 13 Jan 1838, but this is uncertain.[7]
In her father Niel's will Margaret is appointed his sole executor legate. He made provision for her and her daughter Jemima. No other daughters of Margaret are mentioned, so it may be that they had deceased.
I leave to Margaret my lawful Daughter all my effects and Estate whether household furniture money Bills or Bonds or whatever I possess in my In my own Right or may be due to me at the hour of my death to be possessed by her in full rights immediately after my demise under the burdens afterwards to be mentioned And that after her death to be inherited by Jimima her lawful Daughter with power to if she cause to give her Said Daughter a certain sum not exceeding Three hundred Pounds any time before her death _ _ _ _ _ In the event of her said Daughter marrying with Her Mothers Approbation and having Children Begotten in lawfull Wedlock I will and ordain My property as above mentioned to him to be equally divided among them But if She have no Children as foresaid to return to my real heirs or her heirs by her Mothers side _ _ _ _ I leave this my whole effects and Estate as before specified to my Said Daughter in liferent that is to enjoy the Interest of them during her natural life and to be enjoyed under the same condition by her Daughter[8][9]
In Jemima McDonald's death certificate[4] James McDonald's, her father's occupation is recorded as "dancing master"
Margaret and James may have had a fourth child born in 1787 in Edinburgh. the child was stillborn and was not named. Margaret's date and place of death is uncertain, some genealogists place her death about 1845 in Edinburgh.[10] ````
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