My Family Tree

There is some question of exactly when Agnes was born. She was baptized several years after her birth, and she was also older than her husband so she may have been sensitive about her age. That explains the change in year, but doesn't explain the month being May in the 1901 census and September in the 1911 census.

Agnes and John were married by license by George Sutherland in 1861; witnesses were William Galloway and Samuel Cobbs ( PEI marriages 1861-63 page 542). The church was Zion Presbyterian in Charlottetown, and bride and groom were both from Charlottetown.

In the 1864 PEI directory: McDonald, John, plasterer, h Grafton n Weymouth

There were two children in the PEI Baptismal Index born to John McDonald and Agnes Humphrey: Hettie (1875) and John Anderson (1878). Both were baptized on 2 January 1878 in Zion Presbyterian in Charlottetown, but no place of birth was recorded. Also born to John McDonald and Agnes and baptized in Zion Presbyterian were Marion (1869) and George Archibald (1871). For the children in the census records for the household of John and Agnes McDonald who were not found in the baptismal records, their parents' names were given on other records.

From the children's names, the family was found in the 1881 census in Charlottetown:
Name: Agnes Mc Donald
Age: 40, Birth Year: 1841
Birthplace: Prince Edward Island
Religion: Canada Presbyterian Church
Nationality: Scotch (Scotish)
Province: Prince Edward Island
District: Queens, Subdistrict: Charlottetown Royalty
John Mc Donald 45 - born Scotland -occupation plasterer
Agnes Mc Donald 40 - born PEI
Daniel Mc Donald 19
Alexander Mc Donald 17
Janet Mc Donald 15
Marion Mc Donald 12
George Archd. Mc Donald 10
Jno. Andrew Mc Donald 6 (or John Anderson)
Charles M. Mc Donald 6/12

In 1891, John (54), Agnus (53), Marien (23), John (14), Charles (10) and George (20) were at home. John Sr. and Daniel were working as plasterers, and Alexander was a labourer. All of the children had been born in PEI. By 1901, only Charles was at home. His occupation was book-keeper? John and Agnes were on their own in the 1911 census of Charlottetown, living at 82 Highland Avenue. John said he had emigrated in 1840 on this census form,and that his languages were English and Gaelic. (they were in roughly the same location in 1901, from the names of neighbours)

Most of Daniel's family went to British Columbia after his death. Alexander, who gave his parents' names on his marriage record, went to Massachusetts, New York and California with his family. George went to Massachusetts, where he married and owned an awning business, at least until the 1940 census. Hettie must have died young. Charles was living at home with his parents until 1901. I believe Janet was the Janet B. McDonald who married George Edmund Hosmer (or Bacon) in Massachusetts. Marion, too, may have gone to Massachusetts to work - there was one woman who fit in the 1900 US census. I was unable to find John A. in further records.

Agnes and John were in the 1911 census. Agnes Humphrey, widow of John, died in Charlottetown on April 6 at the home of her daughter-in-law, Mrs. MacDonald, 53 Elm St. (widow of Daniel.) She was buried in People's Cemetery. Guardian Wednesday April 7, 1915 pg 2