Annie McDonald (1858 - 1909)

Born 15 Jun 1858 in Whycocomagh, Nova Scotia

Ancestors

Wife of Charles J Wagner — married 4 Oct 1883 in Boston,Suffolk,Massachusetts

Wife of Paul S Gillette — married 1898 in Omaha,Douglas,Nebraska

Descendants

Died 30 Aug 1909 at age 51 in Oakland, Alameda, California

Biography

This biography is a rough draft. It was auto-generated by a GEDCOM import and needs to be edited.

Burial

Burial:

Date: 1 Sep 1909

Place: Oakland,Alameda,California

Note

Note: immigrated to America in 1861

is this her? if so, who is the Christine McDonald with her?

1880 Massachusetts > Suffolk > Boston > District 661

she is a dress maker

is this her?

Annie Mcdonald 18 Aug 1884 abt 1858 Female Halifax, Nova Scotia Worcester

she is listed as a servant.

is this them?

from Yarmouth, N.S. the ship's name is Boston, A. A. is listed in the index as male and Allen is mis-indexed as b. in 1852.

1898 > September > Boston

A. A. Wagner 30 America Mass

Allen Wagner 6 NS NS

listed as heading for Boston and both have been in the U.S. before.

I'm certain this is them, but why did Annie lie about her and Allen's age (3 years and 6 years are an obvious difference.) Annie probably made herself 10 years younger to avoid questioning looks. but Allen? and who is the D. E. Wagner on board with them? I don't know if they are related, but are just two names apart....or did the ship's Captain or purser just assume their ages were 30 and 6 from their looks?

is this her? who is the younger Mary Wagner with her? a Charles Wagner is there as well...he is b. 1877, and may be a different Charles Wagner. occupation is not listed.

1903 > July > Prince Arthur from Yarmouth, N.S. to Boston

Annie Wagner 49 married tourist Canadian nativity, last residence Canada

cremated. in Chapel of Memories Columbarium at Mountain View, Oakland, California

verbatum from Florence's notes; (with all her mis-information included)

Annie McDonald was born a Whycocomagh, Cape Breton Isle in Nova Scotia, which at that time was inhabited almost entirely by Scotch descendants who had been exiled there during abd after the Prince Charlie rebellion in Scotland. Those who had taken part were exiled first to the Western Isles, North Uist, and then to Nova Scotia, from which the English had banished the French settlers (see Evangeline) The McDonalds were much involved, indeed Flora McDonald helped Charlie make his escape. The Scots found their new land cold and inhospitable, but they made a life for themselves and prospered. They farmed, and fished the Newfoundland Bank, and went to sea. The womenwere skilled in the household arts. They spun the wool and made clothes for themselves and the men. Many of them made their way to Boston and found employment.

Annie McDonald was one of these. She was an expert dress maker and earned herself a good living. In Boston she met Charles Wagner and married him. Allan was born May 7, 1886.

After Charles death, Annie and her small son left Boston. First they went to Chicago but did not stay there long. Annie did not find employment she liked and when Allan contracted Typhoid fever from which he nearly died, they left Chicago and went to Lincoln Nebraska, then a small country like town. Allan improved but was still puny and she could not give him the care he needed since she was working. So Allan, now eleven, was put on a train in the care of the conductor and sent back to Nova Scotia to her family. For three years he lived with the family of his Aunt Margaret McPhail.

Annie, meantime, had moved to Omaha where she met and married Paul Gillette, a highly skilled mechanic in a machime shop. And now she had a home for Allan, so he came home, a great husky boy, happy to have a step father who could help him.

Paul was offered a better job in Oakland, California so out they came and Oakland became their home. They all did well here. Allan became a mechanic in the shops, then a draftsman for the Southern Pacific and got his engineering education here, living with Paul and Annie and Pauls mother, Grandmother Gillette, a lovely old lady. Allan brought me to see them in 1908. Annie was sick then but I thought she was lovely, very Scotch, she spoke with a burr. Not long after that, in the next year she died. Allan continued to live with Paul and Grandmother Gillette, until we were married in June 1910.

Sources

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Ancestral File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:1:MWGL-6SH : accessed 2023-09-01), entry for Annie MCDONALD (VGTX-R8); submitted by cwarner2825838 [identity withheld for privacy].

• WikiTree profile McDonald-2018 created through the import of 2012.ged on Mar 22, 2012 by Cornelia Fenenga. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Cornelia and others.