Margaret Smyth was born circa 1625 in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Her father was Alexander Smyth, according to her christening record.[1] Her mother's name is unknown.
Marriage
Margaret married Gilbert Molleson on 11 Feb 1645, in the same St Nicholas Church he was baptized in.[2]
She was the mother of Christian Mollison, wife of Robert Barclay.[3]
Children
Margaret and Gilbert had 14 children, all born in Aberdeen and baptized at St. Nicholas church on the dates shown:
Thomas on November 18, 1645, probably died as a child.[4]
Some researchers believe there was another son, Alexander, born circa 1649/1650, but no records can be found to confirm this. He could be a twin to Christian, as her christening records cannot be found either, but there is other documentation to confirm her as their child.
Margaret's Story
Not much is known about her early life except what has been written in many books about her conversion to Quakerism and her death. The accounts state that "in her youth she was an inquirer after the best people, and joined herself in worship with the most strict and refined profession then in that city" and "she hungered and thirsted after righteousness." At about 18 years old, she married the 32-year-old Gilbert Mollison on February 11, 1645 in the Saint Nicholas Church in Aberdeen. They had eleven children together, but only nine reached adulthood.
By the end of 1662, the Quakers came to Aberdeen and Margaret became one of the first Quakers in Northern Scotland. Her husband did not become a Quaker, but they raised their children as Quakers. In Volume 4 of the book "Piety Promoted", it states, ..."although her love to her husband, and cares of her many children, were great, yet her greatest delight and care was, to draw nearer to the true and living God, the chiefest beloved of her travailing soul." The books go on to talk about the months preceding her death, how her knees were worn from kneeling in prayer, and how she would meditate in prayer during the night.
On the morning of December 16, 1669, she became sicker than she had been, and her doctor told her not to fear, that she will not die. She responded to him, "Fear, I have no cause; but thou art mistaken." As her condition worsened, her friends and family gathered around her bed and prayed for her healing. She said to them, "My advocate is the Father, and my peace is made: I am feeding at a table none of you perceiveth." She then looked at her 10 year old son, Gilbert, and told him, "Truth is precious, cleave to it." Her last words were, "Now interruption is to cease, and my eternal joy is already begun!" It is said that Margaret died in Aberdeen on the 16th day of the 10th month of 1669 at about 42 years old. But in Volume VII of the January 1895 issue of Scottish Notes & Queries, the text of the Diary of John Row, Principal of King's College, reads, "Dec. 14 '69 died Margt Smith, Quaker, spouse to Gilb. Molleson bailie of Abd: a few houres after miscarying : leaving 2 sons & 7 daughters." It is possible that she died on the 14th and was buried on the 16th. She died while having a miscarriage and all of her daughters and two youngest sons, Gilbert and ancestor John outlived her. She is buried in the St. Nicholas Churchyard with her husband. Her section of the flat ground tombstone reads, "Here was interred the body of Margaret Smith, who was the indeared wife of Gilbert Mollison late Baillie of Abd. She departed this life the 16 of December 1669.[17]
Sources
↑Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950[1] : 16 September 2021, Margaret Smith, 1625.
↑Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910[2] : 11 February 2020, Gilbert Molysone, 1645.
↑ Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd edition 2011, Vol I page 101
↑Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950[3]: 16 September 2021, Gilbert Malysone in entry for Thomas Malysone, 1645.
↑Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950[4] : 16 September 2021, Gilbert Molysone in entry for Gilbert Molysone, 1648.
↑Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950[5] : 16 September 2021, Gilbert Malysone in entry for Robert Malysone, 1650.
↑Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950[6] : 16 September 2021, Gilbert Molysone in entry for Bessie Molysone, 1652.
↑Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, [7] : 16 September 2021, Gilbert Malysoune in entry for Margaret Malysoune, 1653.
↑Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, [8] : 16 September 202), Gilbert Mollysone in entry for Jeane Mollysone, 1656.
↑Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, [9] : 16 September 202), Gilbert Mollysone in entry for Barbara Mollysone, 1658.
↑Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950[10] : 16 September 2021, Gilbert Mollysone in entry for Gilbert Mollysone, 1659.
↑Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, [11] : 16 September 2021, Gilbert Molysone in entry for Elspet Molysone, 1661.
↑Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, [12] : 16 September 2021, Gilbert Molysone in entry for Johne Molysone, 1661.
↑Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, [13] : 16 September 2021, Gilbert Molysone in entry for Marjorie Molysone, 1664.
↑Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, [14] : 16 September 2021, Gilbert Mollyson in entry for Barbara Mollyson, 1666.
↑Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, [15] : 16 September 2021, Marjorie Molyson, 1668.
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Smyth-3731 and Smyth-2288 appear to represent the same person because: Please complete this merge for Smyth-3731 and Smyth-2288. Margaret Smyth married Gilbert Mollison. Margaret was not a Barclay. Her daughter, Christian, did marry a Barclay.
My ancestor, Margaret (Mollison) Falconar, is the sister of Christian, and the daughter of Gilbert and Margaret (Smyth) Mollison.
My ancestor, Margaret (Mollison) Falconar, is the sister of Christian, and the daughter of Gilbert and Margaret (Smyth) Mollison.
Thank you!
Shonda (Sayers) Feather