Margaret MacKillop or McKillop, born Dominica

[ElizabethHerts]

Margaret MacKillop/McKillop married George Mather c. 1806 in Scotland. Their first child was born in September 1807.

George Mather was a shepherd and also became a sailor. I haven't found his death or burial.

Margaret Mather states she was born in the West Indies, more specifically Dominica.

This is her on the 1871 Census:
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-c&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=margaret&gsfn_x=0&gsln=Mather&gsln_x=NS&msbdy=1787&msbpn__ftp=West+Indies&msbpn=1652379&msbpn_PInfo=2-|0|0|1652379|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|&cpxt=1&cp=4&MSAV=1&uidh=ho3&pcat=35&h=7674822&db=uki1871&indiv=1&ml_rpos=1

She died in 1876.

In 1861 she is in Stirling:
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=1861Scotland&h=1769884&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&rhSource=7619


In 1851 she is with the Bruce family, whom I am researching:
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=1851Scotland&h=1034018&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&rhSource=7619

I'd love to find a birth record for her and also discover who her parents were.
Also, when did she return to Scotland?

[ElizabethHerts]

On Google Books I have found an article about preventing disease in sheep with an article by Mr George Mather, shepherd, of New Scone.


https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=6o4ZAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA221&dq=%22George+Mather%22+and+%22Scone%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjoz56NvarLAhWJHJoKHZ8ODgAQ6AEIMjAC#v=on epage&q=%22George%20Mather%22%20and%20%22Scone%22&f=false


The book was printed in 1835 so it could be Margaret's husband.

[kiterunner]

Some Scottish parishes didn't keep burial records, so if George died in Scotland before 1855, there may be no death / burial record to find.

[Mary from Italy]

Have you looked for the marriage record on ScotlandsPeople? It may have her parents' names if you're lucky.

I would guess she was the daughter of a soldier stationed out there; might be worth trying military records.

[kiterunner]

How do you know that they got married in Scotland, Elizabeth?

[kiterunner]

Several public trees on ancestry have George and Margaret's marriage as 18 May 1806 at Redgorton, Perthshire, Scotland. Scotland's People does have a Margaret McKillop marriage there on that date but it says the spouse's name is not George or Mather. It doesn't come up on FamilySearch, so you might have to view the image on SP to see the details.

Edit - I went through the alphabet for "surname beginning with" for Redgorton marriages on the above date but the only other match I got was for the surname Graham and it said spouse's name was not Margaret or McKillop. I would expect two records to come up for each marriage, so I am confused.

[kiterunner]

Ancestry is going very slowly tonight so will have to try again tomorrow (looking for Margaret's birth).

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks for looking, Kate and Mary. I'll have to buy some more credits for Scotlands People.

I wish Margaret had died in Scotland, then I would have known her parents!

I haven't found anything on Family Search for her except a girl of the correct name born in Jamaica in 1782. The military births haven't given me anything either as they seem to be for later events.

[kiterunner]

Ah, now that ancestry is working properly, I have found the marriage record image that is linked to on one of the public trees:
http://mv.ancestry.co.uk/viewer/7d8c7f57-aa2e-47f1-8d49-dfe5b725fcb2/3392230/-1740369982

It isn't a parish register page but a list of monies recieved and paid out.

1806
May 18
Bride Money Margt McKillop 2 shillings
Ditto Mary Graham 2 shillings

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks, Kate. I already have that but it's a pity there are no details of the groom.
The lady whose tree it is has posted lots of records.

[Shona]

Might it be worth sending an email to the main library in Dominica to see if they have anything?

National Documentation Centre and Public Library of Dominica, Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica, tel: (767) 448-2401, email: [email protected].

General Registrar, Bay Front, Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica, tel: (767) 448-2401.

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks, Shona. It is certainly worth a try.

[Shona]

I keep going back to the baptism record on 17 Oct 1782 in Hanover, Jamaica, of Margaret McKillop, parents Alexander McKillop and Sarah Pinnock. Could she have been born on Dominica and baptised in Jamaica?

Looking at the history, Dominica was ceded to the British in 1763 and in 1768 a separate legislative assembly was established. The French repossessed the island in 1778, but the assembly continued to function as normal. The French officially returned Dominica to the Brits in 1783. So there could easily have been British coming and going throughout this period. Most British landowners were absentee, visiting only from time to time, and had overseers look after their affairs on Dominica.

Margaret's return to the UK could be connected with the abolition of slavery. I noticed that Dominica was the first Caribbean colony to elect a black-majority legislature - in 1838. I should imagine that may have made some people up sticks.

[ElizabethHerts]

That was the only one I could find, Shona.

However, she died in 1876 aged 89 and this gives an approximate year of birth of 1787, which tallies with the census entries.

[kiterunner]

There is a Margaret Mckillap who married a William Samuels 12 Nov 1796 at Hanover, Jamaica, possibly the one who was baptised in 1782, but would only be 14 if she was baptised as a baby.

[Shona]

That was the only one I could find, Shona.

However, she died in 1876 aged 89 and this gives an approximate year of birth of 1787, which tallies with the census entries.

Good point. Back to the drawing board.