Agnes (Carmont) McDonald (abt. 1829 - 1906)

Born about 2 Sep 1829 in Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Wife of Hector McDonald — married 23 May 1854 in Wellington, New Zealand

Died 28 Nov 1906 at about age 77 in Opaki, Masterton, Wellington, New Zealand

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Biography

Agnes was born about 1829. She was the daughter of John Carmont and Elizabeth Caven.

She came to NZ aboard the Phoebe Dunbar in 1850[1]

She married Hector McDonald in 1854^[1]

Children:

John Roderick 1859^[2]

Allan 1865^[3]

She passed away in 1906 aged 77 years^[4]

Research Notes

This biography, written by Anthony Dreaver, was first published in the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography in 1990.
Agnes Carmont was born at Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, probably on 2 September 1829, the daughter of Elizabeth Caven and her husband, John Carmont. She was raised largely in the household of her uncle, a Glasgow doctor, and by assisting him in his dispensary acquired a knowledge of medicine. In 1850 she was engaged for three years as companion help to Mary Ann Clifford, who with her husband, Charles Clifford, farmed the huge Flaxbourne estate in Marlborough, New Zealand. She arrived at Wellington on the Phoebe Dunbar in November 1850.

On 23 May 1854, at Wellington, Agnes Carmont married Hector McDonald, a trader. A native of Scotland, Hector McDonald was born probably in 1812, at Rothesay Bay, Isle of Bute. His parents' names are unknown, but his grandfather was Donald McColl, a Presbyterian minister, and maternal uncle of Donald McLean, the future native minister of New Zealand. At the age of six Hector emigrated with his family to Tasmania, Australia, where they settled at the River Derwent. At an early age he joined a whaling vessel, and in 1832 established a shore-whaling station at Kapiti Island, New Zealand. When the colonial settlement of Port Nicholson (Wellington) was established in 1840, he turned to trading. He ran two schooners between his store at Otaki and the new settlement, trading in Maori produce.

On his arrival in New Zealand Hector McDonald had met Te Rauparaha, and the two developed a mutual respect. At an unknown date he married Te Kopi, a niece of Te Rauparaha. Te Kopi is thought to have died giving birth to their only son, Hugh, who was born on 14 April 1848. He was raised by Hector and Agnes, who were to have five daughters and five sons of their own.

About the time of his marriage to Agnes Carmont, Hector McDonald acquired a lease of some 12,000 acres of coastal land between the Ohau River and Poroutawhao, on which he ran cattle and some 2,000 sheep. The land was leased from Muaupoko and several hapu of Ngati Raukawa, whose settlements were included in the run. 'Rent day', when the tribal leaders gathered at the homestead for their payment, was a major local festival, with races and wrestling matches held on the beach. In later years the McDonalds organised race meetings on a grassy flat near Lake Horowhenua. The family grew up bilingual and were educated solely by their mother. In 1858, when a coach service began along the coast between Wanganui and Wellington, Hector McDonald built an accommodation house and changing stables at the mouth of the Hokio Stream. Agnes and Hector ran the accommodation house for 11 years. More than a convenient stop for travellers, it provided a link between the developing colonial society and the coastal Maori villages of Horowhenua.

For many years Agnes McDonald used her medical experience to treat local Maori. Her work was of critical importance during the 1860s when epidemics of scrofula and influenza caused heavy mortality in the district. She is said to have found an effective treatment for scrofula, using iodine. In the 1870s she applied to Donald McLean and was authorised to make up a medicine chest at government expense and to replenish it on each visit to Wellington.

The district was not untouched by the conflicts of the 1860s. The Pai Marire movement attracted many of the younger Maori men. The issues of war were hotly debated at a meeting at Pukekaraka, near Otaki, in June 1865, at which Hector McDonald was present as a spectator. The meeting decided, however, that Manawatu should be a zone of peace. In 1869 the McDonalds leased the accommodation house and moved inland to a new homestead near the head of the Hokio Stream. It was also close to the boundary between two antagonistic tribal groups: Muaupoko and Ngati Raukawa. When skirmishing broke out along the boundary line, fighting occurred close to the homestead. On one occasion, when Hector was at Otaki conferring with the authorities, shots were exchanged over the roof of the house. Agnes sent her eldest son to demand that the fight move further off.

During these years Hector McDonald provided the government with information and advice. The homestead provided hospitality for the rare official visitors, especially during 1873 when Native Land Court judge John Rogan awarded greatly increased territory to Muaupoko. Hector McDonald grew increasingly anxious, as his health declined, about the security of his tenure. He made several applications to McLean for a Crown grant, suggesting that it be made in the name of the son of Te Kopi, Hugh. It appears that some grant was envisaged, but delays ensued. In the meantime the Native Department paid a supplement which doubled his salary of £10 as Horowhenua postmaster, a position he had held since June 1872.

In December 1876 Hector McDonald was elected to the first Manawatu County Council as member for Horowhenua Riding. However, he died on 7 August 1878, after collapsing in the street outside an Otaki hotel. He left an estate of only £47. The second son, Hector Hugh, succeeded to the farm and post office. Agnes McDonald took over the post office in 1883 and continued to run it until December 1894. That year she moved to Heatherlea, a substantial estate north of Levin purchased by her son, John Roderick. She attempted to take the Horowhenua post office with her, renaming it Heatherlea, but as it served few, if any, people, indignant questions in Parliament brought its closure within four months. She died at Opaki, near Masterton, on 28 November 1906.

By the end of the 1880s the Horowhenua region had been opened up to European settlement. To the new settlers the McDonalds were figures of romance and the acknowledged authorities on things Maori. In a period when the area was still predominantly Maori, they had adapted themselves to the dominant culture, and provided an important link between Maori society and the immigrant population.[2]

Sources

10 in 1841 Census, birth year estimated abt 1831, living in Dalbeattie Main Street

https://www.freecen.org.uk

Census County District Civil Parish Piece Enumeration District Page House Number House or Street Name

1841 Kirkcudbrightshire (KKD) URR Urr 884 6 3 Dalbeattie Main Street

Details of each person in the dwelling

Surname Forenames Sex Age Occupation Birth County Notes

CARMONT John M 45 Flesher Kirkcudbrightshire

CARMONT Elizabeth M 35 Kirkcudbrightshire

CARMONT Jessie F 10 Kirkcudbrightshire

CARMONT Marianne F 10 Kirkcudbrightshire Twin

CARMONT Agnes F 10 Kirkcudbrightshire Twin

CARMONT Jean F 9 Kirkcudbrightshire

CARMONT John M 7 Kirkcudbrightshire Twin

CARMONT Margret F 7 Kirkcudbrightshire Twin

CARMONT Elizabeth F 5 Kirkcudbrightshire

CARMONT Alexander M 10m Kirkcudbrightshire

O'NEAL Agness F 20 Female Servant Kirkcudbrightshire

1. ↑ 1854/860 Agnes Carmont Hector McDonald
2. ↑ 1859/5904 McDonald John Roderick Agnes Hector
3. ↑ 1865/11103 McDonald Allan Agnes Hector
4. ↑ 1906/6680 McDonald Agnes 77Y

• http://www.kirkcudbright.co/historyarticle.asp?ID=315&p=2&g=4

Agnes Carmont or McDonald, of Buittle and New Zealand

The Old Parish Registers of Buittle record the marriage, on 5th October 1826, of John Carmont of Buittle with Elizabeth Caven of Urr. These records also show the death of a child, James Carmont, aged 1 year, at a farm called Allan Bank, not far from the church. The Carmont's had a large family, none of which appear in the baptism records of local churches. It is known that the Caven families of Dalbeattie were mainly Roman Catholic which may account for this.

The 1851 census for Urr parish has John Carmont living in the High Street, Dalbeattie. He is 57 years of age, having been born in New Abbey. His occupation is given a butcher. His wife Elizabeth is present (aged 44 years, born Urr parish) and seven of their children, viz; Mary Ann (20), Jane, (19), John, (16), Margaret (16), Alexander (10), Allan (9) and Catherine (4). Another daughter, Elizabeth (14) is in Dumfries parish, living with an uncle, Robert Sharpe, farmer.

Shortly before the time of the census their eldest daughter, Agnes, who was brought up by her uncle Dr McCartney in Glasgow, had been engaged as a ladies' companion by a Mr & Mrs Clifford who farmed the huge Flaxbourne estate in Marlborough, New Zealand. She sailed on the Phoebe Dunbar and arrived in Wellington in November 1850.

In 1954, in Wellington, she married a fellow Scot, probably from the Isle of Bute, who had gone to New Zealand with his parents around 1818 and had worked on whaling ships and carried on a coastal trade in New Zealand. After they were married they leased 12,000 acres of coastal land and ran cattle and sheep.

Wilst living with her uncle in Glasgow, Agnes gathered a considerable amount of medical knowlege, which she used to help the local Maori population, notably during the influenza epidemics which devastated the region throughout the 1860’s, when she was credited with using iodine as an effective treatment for scrofula. In 1878 Hector McDonald died, and Agnes became postmaster at Horowhenua (1883 – 1894).She died at Opaki, near Masterton, on 28th November 1906 aged 77 years.

As well as bringing up her own family of ten children she also adopted a son of her husband's from a previous marriage to a Maori lady.

There are several accounts of the life of Hector and Agnes available on the Internet. The major source is in a book, written by their son Rod. McDonald, "Te Hakenga; early days in Horowhenua," published in 1920, which is a history of the area in which they resided. For this, and other links, see below.

Notes

Since compiling the above I have found more links of interest. On the blog of Kirsty Williamson, a professional genealogist, there is an extract from the register kept by the Catholic priest at Kirkconnel, New Abbey, of a marriage ratification ceremony at Gateside, New Abbey, witnessed by a Mrs and John Carmont. John Carmont mentioned above was born at New Abbey, and may be their son. The marriage was of Allan McCartney, of Halketleaths in the parish of Buittle, who was then (1813) a doctor in Liverpool. It is possible that the Doctor McCartney in Glasgow with whom Elizabeth lived was connected with this family. There is a gravestone at New Abbey (No.86) remembering the Allan family of Gateside. One mentioned is Janet, wife of John Carmont. The register of marriages for the parish of Edinburgh, from 1595 has the following entry: Carmont, John, teacher in New Gray Friar's p[arish]., and Janet, Lady Yester's p[arish] , d[aughter] of William Allan, wright in New Abbey, near Dumfries 24 Jan. 1791

External Links

Te Hakenga; early days in Horowhenua, by Rod. McDonald, published in 1920 The Kete Horowhenua website Dictionary of New Zealand Biography Blog page of Kirsty Williamson The Edinburgh Marriage Register

McDonald, Agnes, 1829–1906, Companion help, accommodation-house keeper, nurse, postmistress

McDonald, Hector, 1812–1878, Whaler, trader, farmer, accommodation-house keeper, postmaster

Castle Douglas From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the castle in South Lanarkshire, see Douglas Castle.

Castle Douglas

Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal Dhùghlais Scots: Castle Deeg

King Street, Castle Douglas - geograph.org.uk - 1538897.jpg Castle Douglas, King Street with Town Clock tower at centre Castle Douglas is located in Dumfries and Galloway Castle Douglas Castle Douglas Location within Dumfries and Galloway Population 4,000 (mid-2020 est.)[1] OS grid reference NX765625 • Edinburgh 76 mi (122 km) • London 285 mi (459 km) Council area

Dumfries and Galloway

Lieutenancy area

Kirkcudbrightshire

Country Scotland Sovereign state United Kingdom Post town CASTLE DOUGLAS Postcode district DG7 Dialling code 01556 Police Scotland Fire Scottish Ambulance Scottish UK Parliament

Dumfries and Galloway

Scottish Parliament

https://www.familytreecircles.com/u/ngairedith/?format=&sort=alpha&next=1961

John CARMONT + Elizabeth CAVEN - Dumfries Scotland to Wellington NZ by ngairedith 11 years, 2 months ago

John CARMONT was born in 1794 in New Abbey. Dunfries & Galloway, South West Scotland

John CARMONT, substanstial farmer married Elizabeth CAVEN in 1826. They emigrated to New Zealand to be with their daughter, Agnes, who at age 24, had emigrated to Wellington in October 1850 on the "Phoebe Dunbar" as a steerage passenger as a companion to accompany Marianne Clifford (nee HERCY, daughter of John Hercy, of Crichfield House, Berkshire), the young wife of Mr Charles Clifford (later Sir Charles Clifford) to New Zealand for a period of 3 years, where, at the time, Clifford with two of his cousins held large areas of land in the Wairarapa and Marlborough districts.

It appears that John & ELizabeth Carmont arrived into Wellington, via Sydney on the "Marchioness" in September 1857

the known children of John & Elizabeth 1829 - 1906 Agnes Carmont - born in Castle Douglas, Dumfriesshire, Scotland - brought up by her uncle Dr McCARTNEY in Glasgow, had been engaged as a ladies` companion by a Mr & Mrs CLIFFORD who farmed the huge Flaxbourne estate in Marlborough - she married Hector McDONALD in Wellington in 1854 as his 2nd wife and they had 10 children as well as bringing up Hector's son Hugh from his 1st wife Te Kopi, who had died giving birth. She was a niece of Te RAUPARAHA, - Hector was a son of Roderick McDONALD & Ann MacLEAN of Scotland

1831 - ? Mary Ann Carmont - nothing is known of Mary Ann - she was born in Dumfries Scotland. Did she too emigrate ?

1832 - 1895 Jane Caven Carmont

1834 - 1916 John McCartney Carmont

1835 - ? Margaret Carmont - it is reported that Margaret & William had 12 children can you help with who they were ?

1841 - 1867 Alexander Carmont

1842 - 1922 Allan John Carmont

1844 - ? Elizabeth Carmont - married Francis Gustave Magnusson

1847 - ? Catherine Dubious Carmont Galloway and West Dumfries

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Douglas

Castle Douglas (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal Dhùghlais) is a town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It lies in the lieutenancy area of Kirkcudbrightshire, in the eastern part of Galloway, between the towns of Dalbeattie and Gatehouse of Fleet. It is in the ecclesiastical parish of Kelton.

Castle Douglas is built next to Carlingwark Loch in which traces of prehistoric crannogs can be found, evidence of early inhabitation of the area. A large bronze cauldron containing about 100 metal objects was found in Carlingwark Loch near Fir Island about 1866. The hoard of tools of iron and bronze is probably Romano-Belgic of the late first or early second centuries AD and is likely to have been a votive offering. It is now in the National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh. To the North of the town Glenlochar is the site of two successive Roman forts, the first being erected during the invasion of Agricola and the second during the Antonine period. They appear to have been for cavalry units and evidence has been found that a "vicus" grew up around them. They were abandoned completely by around 160 AD.[2]

Nearby Threave Castle was a seat of the powerful "Black" Earls of Douglas. A small collection of cottages developed by the shores of Carlingwark, which was a source of marl. These cottages can still be seen on the Western approach to Castle Douglas and are known as The Buchan. The development of a military road through Galloway built by Major William Caulfeild passed through the Carlingwark area and improved transportation connections in the 18th century.

Traditionally Mary Queen of Scots is said to have lodged at the House of Fuffnock on the Crossmichael Road on her journey to Port Mary in 1568 after the Battle of Langside.[3]

Castle Douglas was founded in 1792 by William Douglas, who claimed, but had no close connection with the ancient Douglases of Threave Castle. He had made his money in an 'American Trade' and created a planned town on the shores of Carlingwark Loch. The town's layout is based upon the grid plan pattern of streets as used in Edinburgh's New Town, built around the same time. Sir William Douglas also created a number of industries in Castle Douglas, including hand-woven cotton factories from which Cotton Street derives its name. The Torrs Pony Cap

The Torrs Pony-cap and Horns is an Iron Age bronze horned cap for a pony found in Torrs Loch at Castle Douglas in 1812. It was acquired by Joseph Train, FSA Scot., the local antiquarian and author who presented it to Sir Walter Scott for his collection of antiquities at Abbotsford House. It is now in the National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh.