Find Ancestors

Hi, I am looking for any information on my ancestors how came from Penicuik Scotland my GG Grandfather was William McDonald who came to Australia in 1851 with wife Janet nee (Skirving) and seven children, I believe his father was John McDonald (b 1746) and mother Sarah nee (Galbraith) (b 1771) all lived in Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland. Any information would be appreciated.
Regards. Bill
:-)

William McDONALD b.c1807 Kirkhill MLN SCT
d. 5/9/1867 Penola Sth Aus
m Janet SKIRVING (ara SKIRVEN) on 20/7/1827 Glencourse MLN SCT b. c1808
d. 6/10/1881 Penola Sth Aus

Their children:-
1. Agnes b. c1828 SCT
d. 1888 VIC
m. James ELLIS in 1853 Sandford Station VIC
They have 7 children

2. John b.c 1830 SCT
d. 17/1/1912 Penola Sth AUS
m. Jane STEWART
They have 4 children

3. Charles b. 19/2/1832 Edinburgh MLN SCT
d. 28/1/1920 Penola Sth Aus
m. Grace TREWENACK on 25/5/1853 Adelaide Sth Aus
They have 8 children

4. Jessie Dewar b. c1835 SCT
d. 1907
m. John MESSENGER on 10/4/1854 Adelaide Sth Aus
They have 7 children

5. William M. b. c1838 SCT
m. Christina McKINNON on 21/2/1863 Mosquito Plains Sth Aus
They have 8 children

6. Thomas b. c1839 Pencuick MLN SCT
d. 6/12/1920 Penola Sth Aus
m. Margaret BROOM/E on 6/6/1864 Penola Sth Aus
They have 13 children

7. Janet b. c1840 SCT

8. Skirving b. c1847 SCT
d. 4/5/1882 Sandford VIC
m. Annie GRANT in 1871 VIC

They all arrived in Sth Australia on 2/6/1852 aboard "Caucasian" from Liverpool 11/11/1851.

The above was on google. in a Genealogy Forum posted in 2003.

Persie

Bill...I think this may be your family (as per above) 1841 Census..they are also on 1851 and mother Janet's place of Birth is given as Auchterarder Perthshire...

Piece: SCT1841/697 Place: Penicuik -Midlothian Enumeration District: 6
Civil Parish: Penicuik Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 6 Page: 9
Address: Kirkhill



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

Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
MCDONALD William M 30 Paper Maker Jrnymn Midlothian
MCDONALD Janet F 28 Paper Mill Rag Cutter Outside Census County
MCDONALD Agnes F 15 Midlothian
MCDONALD John M 13 Midlothian
MCDONALD Charles M 10 Midlothian
MCDONALD Jessie F 8 Midlothian
MCDONALD William M 5 Midlothian
MCDONALD Thomas M 2 Midlothian


1851....same address

Address: Kirkhill



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

Surname First name(s) Rel Status Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
MCDONALD William Head M M 44 Paper Machine Keeper Midlothian - Penicuik
MCDONALD Janet Wife M F 43 Perth - Auchterarder
MCDONALD Agnes Dau U F 22 Paper Factory Girl Midlothian - Penicuik
MCDONALD Janet Dau U F 15 Paper Factory Girl Midlothian - Penicuik
MCDONALD William Son - M 13 Scholar Midlothian - Penicuik
MCDONALD Thomas Son - M 14 Paper Factory Boy Midlothian - Penicuik
MCDONALD Shirvin Son - M 4 Scholar Midlothian - Penicuik

Bill 1841 Census..This may well be "Sarah" mother of William...father John doesn't show up on here and Sarah is not on 1851 ...there are just acouple of McDonald families in the area and I would hazard a guess they are same family....

Address: Kirkhill



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

Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
MCDONALD Sarah F 64 Midlothian
MCDONALD Christopher M 25 Ag. Lab. Midlothian
MCDONALD Sallie F 10 Midlothian

Bill this looks to be the marriage of Wm. and Janet...

WILLIAM MCDONALD
Spouse: JANET SKIRVEN Family
Marriage: 20 JUL 1827 Glencorse, Midlothian, Scotland

I can only find an Anthony Skirving b Auchterader (1802) parents Charles Skirving and Ann Sym...he may well be a brother of Janet.....

1841 ...

Address: Kirkhill

There were Skirving's in the area....looks like this is Ann Sym Skirving.....





Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
SKIRVING Anne F 75 Outside Census County

THOMAS MACDONALD Pedigree
Male
Christening: 27 OCT 1839 Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland
Father: WILLIAM MACDONALD Family
Mother: JANET SHERVING

WILLIAM MCDONALD Pedigree
Male Family

Spouse: JANET SKIRVEN Family
Marriage: 20 JUL 1827 Glencorse, Midlothian, Scotland

The Advertiser, Wednesday 24 January 1912, p.12
THE COUNTRY.
DEATH OF AN OLD COLONIST.
Our Penola correspondent writes stating that Mr. John McDonald, one of the earlier settlers of the South-East, died at that town last week. He was born in Midlothian, Scotland, in 1830, and had been a resident of the Penola district since 1852. He was one of the founders of the Penola A. and H. Society. He leaves an aged widow and family of four— two sons and two daughters.

The Register, Monday 22 January 1912, p.6
Mr. John McDonald, one of the oldest residents in the south-east, died at Penola suddenly on Wednesday night. He was 82 years of age, having been born in Midlothian, Scotland, in 1830. Mr. McDonald was married in Perthshire in 1852, and he and his wife, who survives him, had a reunion of their family and friends about 8 months ago, when they celebrated their diamond wedding. The deceased, with his parents and brothers, went to Penola in 1852 and worked on Cuplum (now known as Yallum), which was then owned by Mr. Austin, of Geelong. In that year, owing to the Victorian diggings havng broken out, it was impossible to get shearers, and Mr. McDonald and his brothers drove the flock all the way to Geelong, in the wool, over what was then almost unknown country. They proceeded to the Victorian diggings and were fairly successful. Mr. McDonald until the last had a fine memory, and it was delightful to hear him talk of the early days. He used to recount many of Adam Lindsay Gordon's exploits when the poet was a trooper at Penola. The deceased was one of the founders of the Penola Pastoral Agricultural and Horticultural Society. At the last meeting he was made the first life member. Besides the widow, two sons and two daughters survive.


Connection

The Advertiser, Saturday 22 June 1940, p.10
McDONALD.—On the 18th of June, at Penola, John Skirving McDonald, tbe devoted husband of Eliza F., and loving father of Neta (Mrs. Millwood), George and Evelyn (Mrs. Mitchell), and seven grandchildren, aged 74 years. At rest.

Eliza Frances McDONALD died in August 1952; buried at St Mary's Cemetery, South Road.

South Australian Register, Wednesday 15 August 1900, p.3
THE COUNTRY.
A GOLDEN WEDDING.
PENOLA, August 12.
Mr. and Mrs. John McDonald, the oldest residents of Penola, celebrated their golden weddiug a few days ago. A dinner was given in the Institute Hall, where about 200 friends, young and old, sat down. Mr. J. Darwent, Chairman of the Penola District Council, presided. A long toast-list was carried out, several musical numbers were contributed, and dancing, which was kept up all night, followed. Mr. and Mrs. McDonald are almost, if not-quite, the oldest settlers of the South-East. Mr. McDonald was born in County Midlothian, Edinburgh, on March 5, 1930, and his wife (Miss Janet Stuart) at Perthshire on November 30, 1828. They were married in Perthshire on August 2, 1850, arnd arrived in Port Adelaide by the sailing ship Cauckercame on February 7, 1852. After a three months' stay at Glen Osmond they settled in the South-East. The only mode of transit in those days was bullock wagons, and Mr. and Mrs. McDonald say they will always remember that trip from Adelaide along the Coorong to Penola. The journey took thirty days. They were in Penola before any town was surveyed and very few houses built. On arrival here they went to live at. Cuplumi (now Yallum) station, which was then owned by Mr. Austin, late of Marion Park, Geelong. The first season. 1852, Mr. McDonald was on the station, the Ballarat goldfields broke out, and it was impossible to shear the sheep, every one having left the district tor the diggings, and in consequence he and two of his brothers were dispatched to Geelong with the sheep in the wool. Afterwards they went to the Ballarat field to try their luck, and were fairly successful. Since then Mr. McDonald has resided in Penola. His family consists of four sons and two daughters. With the exception of one daughter all are married, and Mr. and Mrs. McDonald have twenty-one grand children.

The Advertiser, Saturday 23 January 1909, p.9
This week four brothers, whose ages range from 70 to 80 years, met in Adelaide after a long separation. They come of a sturdy Scotch .stock, and they are all hale and hearty. Their parents left Kirkhall, near Edinburgh, in 1851, accompanied by five sons, two daughters, one daughter-in-law, and one grandchild. They arrived in South Australia in the barque Caucasian on February 7, 1852. In the same year the family, except one son, went to the South-East. There are living at present four sons, Mr. John McDonald, of Penola; Mr. Charles McDonald, of Kirkhill, Jeffcott-street, North Adelaide; Mr. William McDonald, of Apsley, Victoria; and Mr. Thomas McDonald, Millicent-road, Penola. They had not all met together, for over 30 years. Recently they arranged that they would meet at the home of the eldest brother, on the occasion of the 80th birthday of his wife. Their ages are: John, 78 years; Charles, 76; William, 72; and Thomas, 70. Mrs. Charles McDonald died in 1900, and the ages of the wives of the other McDonalds are:- Mrs. John, 80 years; Mrs. William, 68; and Mrs. Thomas, 64. The ages of the husbands aggregate 296 years, and those of the wive '212, making a total of 508 years. The descendants of the original couple who came to South Australia number 150 and represent five generations. The four brothers and the three wives are enjoying better health than many persons who are much younger.

The Advertiser, Saturday 12 September 1936, p.14
Three great-granddaughters of William McDonald, one of the pioneers of Penola, who arrived in Australia with his family in the Caucasian in 1851, met in the Rest Room yesterday. They were two sisters, Mrs. R. H. Mitchell and Mrs. R. Millwood, formerly of Kalangadoo, and daughters of John McDonald, and their cousin, Mrs. S. R. Sallis, formerly of Penola. They had not arranged to meet, but the two sisters thought that Mrs. Sallis's face seemed familiar.


All from NLA Trove newspaper site.

The Advertiser, Thursday 20 January 1910, p.6
Chas. McDonald, Jeffcott-street, North Adelaide, says:-"Regarding the arrival of the barque Caucasian, you say that the vessel arrived at Port Adelaide on February 7, 1851, April 26, 1853, October 3, 1855, and December 29, 1857. The last three dates may be correct, but the first certainly is not. I was a passenger by the Caucasian, which left London in 1851, during the time that the first great Exhibition was being held, and we reached Port Adelaide on February 7, 1852."

See also http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/sandford/mcdonald_wm.htm

Father: John Mcdonald,
Mother: Sarah Galbraith


Children:

WILLIAM MACDONALD - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Christening: 11 FEB 1807 Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland

JOHN MCDONALD - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Christening: 09 JAN 1809 Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland

CHRISTOPHER MACDONALD - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Christening: 12 JAN 1810 Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland

Christopher McDonald (above) went on to marry an Alison Thompson 17 June 1841...there are 2 place listings for the couple
1. Lasswade (Alisons entry)
2.Penicuik (Christophers entry)

Son John b May 1842.

1851 Census..

1851 Census
5 Records found


Piece: SCT1851/691 Place: Lasswade -Midlothian Enumeration District: 11
Civil Parish: Lasswade Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 763 Page: 9 Schedule: 27
Address: Newbigginghill



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

Surname First name(s) Rel Status Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
MCDONALD Christopher Head M M 40 Ploughman Midlothian - Penicuik
MCDOANLD Alison Wife M M 38 Midlothian - Lasswade
**MCDONALD John Son U M 8 Scholar Midlothian - Lasswade
MCDONALD William Son U M 6 Scholar Stirlingshire - Falkirk
MCDONALD Neil Son - M 1 Midlothian - Lasswade

**John's birth reg Penicuik.

Also found a Jane born 1855 Lasswade

Neil McDonald married a Margaret Jack (Lasswade) June 1874

Bill...You probably have this already but for ref:
Sailed from Plymouth 11 Nov 1851 arrived Port Adelaide 6 Feb 1852.

McDonald William 39 Ploughman Penicuik, Edinburgh
Janet (Skirving) 39
Agnes 22 Servant
Charles 19 Servant
Janet / Jessie 17 Servant
William 15 Servant
Thomas 12
Sherwin 4

McDonald John 21 Agr. Labourer Penicuik, Edinburgh
Janet 22
William inf