My Family Tree

Catherine McKay McArthur's gravestone said she was survived by 9 children. Gravestone in Oyster Point - "Sacred to the memory of Catherine McArthur, wife of Alexander McArthur, who departed this life 27th of December 1807, age 37 years. Leaving a husband and 9 children."

There was a will for an Alexander McArthur, Lot 14, signed on 9 July 1839 but proved in 1870 - it seemed to be attached to the will of a younger Alexander McArthur, also of Lot 14. Named in this will, in this order, were Dugald, Hugh, James, Alexander, Archibald, Robert, Mary, Jane, Flora, Elizabeth, and Neil. Most of the children received one shilling, and Neil (Neile) inherited the farm. George and Thomas Lee were executors. PEI Probate Records, Wills not recorded," A-M, McA (misc. dates between 1786?-1930?), on familysearch.org.

Neil, son of Alexander, had a farm in Lot 14 in 1845. He and his wife Margaret sold the land in 1851, perhaps after his father's death. They moved to Lot 13.

Unable to find his marriage to Margaret McLellan in the PEI Marriage Registers - possibly married by 1839, 1840?. There was a marriage between Margaret McLellan and Neil Ramsay in 1840. Simple mistake by the minister? This marriage was performed by William McGregor in Richmond Parish Presbyterian. If Margaret was first married to Neil Ramsay, and then to Neil McArthur, I can't find a record for that marriage either.

By 1861, Neil and Margaret were living in Lot 13, recorded between the farms of Malcolm and Archibald McLellan.

In the 1861 census, he was probably the Neil McArthur, married with 10 children, all Presbyterians and all born on the Island. There were 2 boys and 2 girls under 5 (Donald & Alexander; Mary Jane and Caroline?) and 4 boys and 1 girl between 6-15 (John and Margaret, plus 3 more boys - perhaps Artemis, Robert and Philip?), and one woman between 16-21 (Rachel or Ann?). The older man and woman were between 21-45. They might have been 20 years into their 999 year lease (number difficult to read).

The family was in Lot 13 in 1881: Household Members: Neil (54), Margaret (56), Alex (25), Donald McArthur (20), Caroline (18), John (14), James (11), George Chappell 28, Margaret [McArthur] Chappell 28 and Sarah Chappell 5.

In 1891, Neil (67) and Margaret (73) were living with Alexander and his family. On the 1891 census he said that both of his parents were born in Scotland.

Margaret, a widow, was living with Mary Jane in 1901.

Neil's gravestone says he died in 1899, aged 80. Margaret died in 1903, at the age of 85.