Margaret (Gow) McDonald (bef. 1759 - abt. 1838)

Born before 18 Nov 1759 in Inver, Perthshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about Jan 1838 after about age 78 in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Biography

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:

1. Flora, born 8 Apr 1790.^[3]
2. Jemima, born about about 1791, married David Foggo 14 Aug 1810, died 13 Aug 1874 aged 83 years.^[4]
3. James Janet, born 26 Oct 1792.^[5]

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]

Research Notes

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] ````

Sources

1. ↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Births and Baptisms", National Records of Scotland, Parish Number: 373; Ref: 10/5, ScotlandsPeople (accessed 20 July 2024), Margaret Gow 18 Nov 1759, daughter of Niel Gow & Margaret Wiseman, Little Dunkeld, Perthshire, Scotland.
2. ↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Banns and Marriages", National Records of Scotland, Parish Number: 685/1; Ref: 510/361; Frame: 191, ScotlandsPeople (accessed 27 July 2024), Margaret Gow marriage to James McDonald 30 May 1787 Edinburgh, Edinburghshire, Scotland.
3. ↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Births and Baptisms", National Records of Scotland, Parish Number: 685/1; Ref: 380/182; Frame: 9799, ScotlandsPeople (accessed 27 July 2024), Flora McDonald 8 Apr 1790, daughter of James McDonald & Margaret Gow, Edinburgh, Edinburghshire, Scotland.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "Statutory Register of Deaths", National Records of Scotland, Ref: 685/5/583, ScotlandsPeople (accessed 27 July 2024), Jemima Foggo death registered 1874 in Newington (age 83, mother's maiden name Low).
5. ↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Births and Baptisms", National Records of Scotland, Parish Number: 685/1; Ref: 390/16; Frame: 9885, ScotlandsPeople (accessed 27 July 2024), James Janet McDonald 26 Oct 1792, daughter of James McDonald & Margaret Gow, Edinburgh, Edinburghshire, Scotland.
6. ↑ Gray's annual directory 1833-34, p. 33 image 221 at National Library of Scotland (accessed 30 Jul 2024)
7. ↑ "Edinburgh, Scotland, Cemetery Registers, 1771-1935", City of Edinburgh Archives; Edinburgh, Scotland; Edinburgh Burial Registers; Reference: BR0002, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 62334 #92592 (accessed 27 July 2024), Margaret Macdonald burial (died in 1838) on 13 Jan 1838 in Greyfriars, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.
8. ↑ "Wills and Testaments", National Records of Scotland, Reference Number: CC7/6/7, p. 140-5 ScotlandsPeople (accessed 20 July 2024), Confirmation of will or testament of Neil Gow at Dunkeld Commissary Court on 28 Jun 1808.
9. ↑ National Records of Scotland. Testament of Niel Gow CC7/6/7 p.140ff. Transcription (accessed 21 Jul 2024)
10. ↑ Helen Jackson, unpublished genealogies collected for the book Niel gow's Inver, held by AK Bell Library, Perth. Provided by Barbara Gow with permission from the mss holders