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Individual Page


Family
Marriage: Children:
  1. Mary "Minnie" M. Finlayson: Birth: 1864 in Moore, Lambton Co., Ontario, Canada. Death: 29 OCT 1883 in Grand Forks, North Dakota

  2. Marcella "Ella" Jessie Finlayson: Birth: 28 AUG 1868 in Moore, Lambton Co., Ontario, Canada. Death: 17 MAR 1940 in Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana

  3. Peter Duncan Finlayson: Birth: 14 APR 1869 in Moore Twp, Lambton Co. Ontario, Canada. Death: 15 JUN 1915 in Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois


Family
Marriage: Children:
  1. Daniel Wallace Finlayson: Birth: 28 AUG 1876 in Huron Co., Ontario, Canada. Death: 13 SEP 1945 in Kerrville, Kerr Co., Texas

  2. Archibald Mcleod Finlayson: Birth: 13 DEC 1879 in Huron Co., Ontario, Canada. Death: 12 NOV 1946 in Kerrville, Kerr Co., Texas

  3. Malinda Mae Finlayson: Birth: 04 MAY 1883 in North Dakota. Death: AFT 1947


Sources
1. Title:   1891 Census of Canada
Page:   Year: 1891; Census Place: Ashfield, Huron West, Ontario; Roll: T-6345; Family No: 133
Author:   Ancestry.com
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2008;
2. Title:   1871 Census of Canada
Page:   Year: 1871; Census Place: Moore, Lambton, Ontario; Roll: C-9895; Page: 36; Family No: 136
Author:   Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2009;
3. Title:   Web: International, Find A Grave Index
Author:   Ancestry.com
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2013;
4. Title:   Ontario, Canada, Marriages, 1801-1928, 1933-1934
Page:   Archives of Ontario; Series: MS932; Reel: 17
Author:   Ancestry.com and Genealogical Research Library (Brampton, Ontario, Canada)
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;
5. Title:   Canada, Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
Author:   Ancestry.com
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2012;
6. Title:   1880 United States Federal Census
Page:   Year: 1880; Census Place: Americus, Grand Forks, Dakota Territory; Roll: 112; Family History Film: 1254112; Page: 520B; Enumeration District: 069; Image: 0346
Author:   Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Publication:   Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;

Notes
a. Note:   Most of this information on Donald came from Ken Finlayson: Donald C. Finlayson was born in Erbusaig, Scotland around 1835. Erbusaig is a village 2.5 miles north of Kyle of Lochalsch. In 1849, at the age of 14, he emigrated to Canada with his parents John Finlayson and Janet Cameron to Moore Township, Lambton Co., Canada. He traveled with his four other brothers and two sisters. Donald was a sailor in the St. Claire River and Great Lakes area. He married Marcella Beaton, daughter of Peter Beaton and Mary McKenzie, around 1863 in Moore Township. They had three children: Mary (b. 1864); Marcella (b. 1867); and Peter Duncan (b. 14 Apr 1869). Marcella died on 12 Sept 1872 at the age of 35 years of a heart condition. Peter Beaton 'adopted' the children while Donald continued his sailor profession. Donald met his second wife, Alexandria MacLeod (b. 23 July 1849) in Goderich, Ashfield Township, Huron Co., Ontario and they were married 14 January 1875 in Ashfield Township. They had three children: Daniel Wallace (b. 28 Aug 1876); Archibald (b. 1879); and Malinda Mae (b. 4 May 1883). From May 1879 until 1885 Donald developed 160 acres for wheat in Reynolds, North Dakota (Township 149, Range 50, NE Section 34). Mary Finlayson, his daughter accompanied Donald to Reynolds where she met and married Leonard H. Peters (b. 1859 in PA). Mary died in 1885 in Reynolds ND at the age of 21. Ken Finlayson has tracked a rather troubling and turbulent story of the lives of Alexandria and Donald. In September of 1876, Donald was admitted for the first of a number of times, into the London Ontario Asylum. He reportedly was having financial problems, manic, religious, merry, good health, sober/industrious, but suicidal and dangerous. He was released about a year later, and worked for a couple of years as a sailor. In 1879, Donald purchased 160 acres of Homestead land in Grand Forks County, Dakota Territory, apparently intent on becoming a wheat farmer there. Apparently Alexandria initially refused to go with him and remained in Canada with their two children. In the 1880 census however, Alexandria is listed in the household in North Dakota with Donald and their two youngest children. On the 1881 census, the next year, she is listed in the household of her parents back in Ashfield Township of Huron County, Ontario. Ken seemed to think that Donald did not spend his winters in North Dakota during this time period, returning to Ontario. Alexandria was back in North Dakota in 1883, because their third child Malinda Mae was born there that year. Donald was ultimately not successful as a wheat farmer. Reportedly the property was foreclosed upon and sold by the Sheriff in 1886. Although it was later determined that this foreclosure had not been legal and in a court case in 1900 Alexandria won back ownership with her lawyer, the family never lived there or tried to farm there after this. Reportedly by 1889 Donald had more mental health issues and was admitted again into the London Ontario Asylum. Although he was out for a while in 1891, and living in Lucknow with Alexandria in the census that year, by the next year he was back in the asylum. He was reportedly out for some time in the mid-1890's, but back in again for several years in 1897. It was during this time period that Alexandria filed and won the suit in North Dakota to get partial ownership of that property back, which she sold in 1902. In the 1901 Canadian census, Alexandria is listed as the head of the household with her daughter Malinda in the town of Lucknow. She is listed as a weaver, working on her own. Reportedly Donald was again released some time after this, but was back in the asylum by 1906. On the 1910 U.S. census in Houghton County, Michigan, Alexandria is listed in the household of her brother Alexander, with Malinda and Malinda's two children, in the household of her brother Alexander. Donald was reportedly released in 1912. Donald died in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, in September of 1918. He had apparently been living in the area there for a number of years. Donald's body was shipped to Lucknow, Bruce County, Ontario. Alexandria and Donald are listed on the headstone as apparently being buried together in the South Kinloss Cemetery, just north of the town of Lucknow. This is connected to what was apparently their church when they were living in the area, the South Kinloss Presbyterian Church. Alexandria died in 1929. ========== From Ken Finlayson ([email protected]): From the 1841 Census; Scotland; Ross/Cromarty; Lochalsh Parish; Erbersaig; FHS Film #0101923 Donald Finlayson; age 6, born Ross and Cromarty County. ============ From Ancestry.com and Genealogical Research Library (Brampton, Ontario, Canada). Ontario, Canada Marriages, 1801-1930 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010: Schedule b- Marriages File no. 003524 His name: Donald Finlayson Age: 35 Residence when married: Sarnia, Lambton Co. Place of birth: Scotland Status: widowed Occupation: sailor Name of parents: John Finlayson, Janet Cameron Her name: Alexi Mary McLeod Age: 25 Residence when married: Ashfield Place of birth: Canada Status: spinster Names of parents: Archibald McLeod, Janet Nicholson Names and residences of witnesses: Allan McKenzie and Roderick Cameron of Ashfield Date and place of marriage: January 14, 1875; Ashfield Religion of groom: Presbyterian Religion of bride: Presbyterian By whom married: Rev. Alexander Grant Marriage type: license Division: Ashfield ============= From Ken Finlayson ([email protected]): "...In May of 1879, when Donald first arrived in Reynolds, Township 149, Range 50, NE quarter of Section 34, he paid $250 for the materials to build the 10X12 house and 18X30 stable. His application cost $14 and, on November 5, 1980, he purchased the 160 acres for $186 . His testimony in the homestead application also stated he went back to Ontario on December 5, 1879 and returned on April 10, 1880. On his homestead application in July of 1880 he stated he broke 30 acres of land and sowed 10 acres of wheat..." ============= From the 1880 Federal Census of Americus, Grand Forks County, Dakota Territory, district 69, page 7b/ 520b, taken June 16, 1880, household 74; from ancestry.com, image 8 of 17: Findlayson, Donald; male, age- 45, married, occupation- farmer, born- Scotland, parents born- Scotland ------ Alexa; female, age- 31, wife, married, occupation- keeping house, born- Scotland, parents born- Scotland ------ Mary; female, age- 16, daughter, single, at home, born- Canada, parents born- Scotland ------ Jessie; female, age- 13, daughter, at school, born- Canada, parents born- Scotland ------ Peter; male, age- 10, son, in school, born- Canada, parents born- Scotland ------ Donald; male, age- 4, son, born- Canada, parents born- Scotland ------ Archibald; male, age- 1, son, born- Canada, parents born- Scotland (The older children in this record, Mary, Jessie and Peter, are children of Donald and his first wife Marcella Beaton. In the 1881 U.S. census in Ashfield Township, Huron County, Ontario, Canada, Alexandria is listed with her sons Donald and Archibald, in the household of her parents.-RW) ============ From Ken Finlayson ([email protected]): "... (Donald) purchased the land on November 5, 1880 for $1.25 per acre in advance of the five year period for free title of the land. The title signed in Washington, D.C. on April 9, 1881 and recorded in Grand Forks on September 7, 1881. In his homestead "Testimony of Claimant" dated July 1, 1880 Donald stated: "I was married in 1861 and became the father of three children with this woman. My first wife died A.D. 1871 and my father in law adopted the two younger children. I again married in 1874 and have become the father of two children with my second wife. She refuses to come and live with me here or let the two children come. I have my daughter of my first wife with me. I have done all in my power to have my wife come. I do not support my wife or children who do" (testimony cut off in margin).... It is clear that Donald went back to Ontario in the winter of 1881 ... It is clear that Donald talked Alexandria and the children into coming to North Dakota in the Spring of 1882. Melinda Mae, the third child, was born there in 1882 On November 7, 1882, Donald arranged a $1000 mortgage with Robert S. Gurd an attorney in Sarnia, Ontario. It was recorded by Alexandria and Donald in person in Grand Forks on November 27 1882. I do not know if Donald and Alexandria returned to Ontario that winter. They had a newborn child and may have had to return to Sarnia with the executed documents to receive the mortgage funds. Donald must have made some progress in the planting season of 1883, because he arranged a $3000 loan from the McLeod family. The agreement was signed in Bruce County, Lucknow on March 6, 1884. The condition of the agreement was that Alexandria obtain sole title to the land. It was witnessed by Kenneth McLeod. .... It is not know when he gave up and returned to Ontario. On January 25, 1886 the following was filed in the Recorder of Deeds Office in Grand Forks, N.D.: "I, James A. Jenks, Sheriff of the County of Grande Forks and Territory of Dakota, do hereby certify that under and by virtue of a certain indenture of Mortgage bearing date the twenty seventh day of November A.D. 1882 made and executed by Donald Finlayson and Alexy Finlayson his wife to Robert S. Gurd upon the lands and premises hereinafter particularly described, and recorded in the office of Register of Deeds in and for said County on the ninth day of February A.D. 1883 at 2:15 o'clock in the afternoon, in Book S. of Mortgages, on page 410 and whereby the Mortgage therein named, his heirs, executors, administrators and assign, was authorized and empowered in case of default of payment of the moneys thereby secured or any part thereof, to sell and dispose of said lands and premises according to law, which said mortgage, as appears of record is now held and owned by the mortgage and default having been made in the payment of the moneys secured in an by said mortgage, and the said mortgage having, as by statute he is authorized to do, proceed to foreclose the same, according to the power of sale therein contained, I, the undersigned Sheriff of said County, due notice of sale of said mortgaged premises" The land was sold at Sheriff's sale to James Milne for $1368.19 on November 13, 1888. Mr. Gurd received around $1500 on $1000 lent in 1882. Donald Finlayson and the entire family show up in the 1891 census data in the town of Lucknow, District 78 Huron West. Donald is 54, Alexie is 41, Daniel is 14, Archibald 12, and Malinda Mae 8. By 1900 Archibald left for Maine and Pennsylvania, Daniel joined the U.S. Army, and Donald left for Tennessee (verbal family history). Alexandria stayed with Malinda Mae and help raise two illegitimate children until just before 1910 when Melinda Mae left for California to ultimately become a cook for actor Gary Cooper. Alexandria raised Pearl and Lawrence, Melinda Mae's children...." ============ From the 1891 Canadian Census of Ashfield District, Huron West, Ontario, page 25, taken April 18, 1891, family 133; from ancestry.com, image 15 of 82: Finlayson, Donald; male, age- 54, married, head of household, born- Scotland, parents born- Scotland, occupation- sailor, employed, r/w's Finlayson, Alexandria; female, age- 41, married, wife, born- Atlantic Ocean, parents born- Scotland, r/w's Finlayson, Daniel; male, age- 14, son, born- Ontario, father born- Scotland, mother born- A. Ocean, r/w's Finlayson, Archey; male, age- 12, son, born- Ontario, father born- Scotland, mother born- A. Ocean, r/w's Finlayson, Malinda; female, age- 8, daughter, born- states, father born- Scotland, mother born- A. Ocean, r/w's (Donald and Alexandria are not too far from the household of Alexandria's parents.- RW) =========== Ken Finlayson found this newspaper story from Grand Forks, North Dakota: Grand Forks Herald - 21 December 1900 Judge Morgan stopped here yesterday to finish the case of Finlayson vs. Peterson and entered judgment in favor of Mrs. Finlayson, by which she recovers a quarter section of land four miles east of Reynolds, and a personal judgment for $1,361.31 and costs against C. Peterson. The plaintiff was represented by W. H. Standish. The case is an old one. Several years ago a mortgage on the farm in question was foreclosed, and the claim was set up that the sale was invalid because the notice of foreclosure had not been published for the required number of days. The supreme court sustained this view, and the recent suit was to determine the value of the rental. This was found by the court to be sufficient to pay the mortgage and interest and give to the plaintiff judgment for the amount above specified. (The deal with the lawyer Standish was that he apparently became co-owner of the property with Alexandria, and they subsequently sold the property in 1902. Donald was apparently in the asylum while all this took place. -RW) ========== From The Signal, in Goderich, Ontario, Thursday, September 26, 1918: The remains of Donald Finlayson, who died suddenly at Buffalo, arrived in Lucknow Tuesday of last week and were interred in Kinloss cemetery. The cause of death was apoplexy. =========== According to the headstone, Donald is apparently buried with his wife Alexy, in the South Kinloss Cemetery, in Kinloss Township, Bruce County, Ontario. This is just about a mile north of the town of Lucknow, which is on the border between Huron County and Bruce County. The cemetery is adjacent to the South Kinloss Presbyterian Church, which is reached by taking Havelock Street north out of town, where it runs into South Kinloss Avenue. The graves of Alexy's parents, Jessie and Archibald McLeod are nearby. The cemetery record, transcribed by the Bruce County Genealogical Society, lists them in Lot I30. Their headstone reads: DONALD FINLAYSON 1830 - 1918 ALEXY MCLEOD HIS WIFE 1849 - 1929


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