Nova Scotia wife Dorothy Gordon m.to Neil Matheson 1850s

Question

Neil Matheson of Nova Scotia had been married twice- once to Christy Campbell  and once to Dora / Dorothy Gordon circa 1835- 1850.  Dora & Neil had a son George Gordon Matheson 1853. Our "history" says that Dora was in a boat, a storm came up, she threw the 2 year old boy to shore, and she drown.  George Gordon Matheson was raised by spinster aunts: Jennet, Margaret, Hannah & Olive.  I find them in the 1871, 1881 & 1891 NS Census.  I can not verify this story, nor do I have any birth / marriage / death dates for Dora. An ongoing searc now for 15+ years.

Through Matheson DNA project we do know that Neil married twice.

Comments

Hello, I have been researching Neil Matheson. My husband is a descendant of Neil and Christy, but I have also looked at Neil and Dorothy's information. In the 1871 Canada Census, Dorothy is alive and listed with Neil and their many children, including a 20yr old George. In other words, she didn't die when he was 2. You can find copies of the original Census records on ancestry.com or transcribed on the rootsweb cumberland site.

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Thank you Frank for your recent reply.  Unfortunately, we already know the Cassie Skinner / Colin Skinner Matheson information.  Colin is my husband's grandfather.

The dilemma goes further to George Gordon Matheson (who married Catherine Skinner), whose father was Neil Matheson and his wife, Dorothy (Dora) Gordon.  Dorothy, we think, was Neil's second wife and we have been told that George Gordon was raised by Dorothy's spinster aunts when she perished when George Gordon was about 2 years of age.  So, when & where did Dorothy die, and why was George Gordon raised by the aunts?  They are listed as living in his household in the 1871 & 1881 NS census.

So, back to you if you have other information about Dorothy.

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Your reference to your husband's family, makes me think that you are Lizzie? or Barbara? or Vicki? If so, reply to me and I will give you my other email address.

Anne Matheson

Answer 1

George Gordon Matheson married Cassie Skinner

The couple had Colin Skinner Matheson 30 Apr 1876 Six Mile Brook, Picton, NS

That's all I found. Maybe you can find a living relative who would know the story.