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Note: Alexandria was born to her parents Archibald McLeod and Janet "Jessie" Nicholson in 1849 on a ship on the Atlantic Ocean, as they were sailing from Scotland to Canada. She describes this as her place of birth on almost every census. She went with her family to Ashfield Township, Huron County, Ontario, where she grew up, and later met and married her husband Donald Finlayson. Donald was a widower, and that they married in Ashfield Township on January 14, 1875. Alexandria and Donald had three children born to them, with the first two sons, Daniel and Archibald, being born in Huron County. 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 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. It is unknown what exactly became of Donald after this. 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 in Bruce County, Ontario. This is connected to what was apparently their church when they were living in the area, the South Kinloss Presbyterian Church. It is not known for sure if Donald is actually buried there, but according to the headstone and cemetery records, Donald died in 1918 and Alexandria died in 1929. ============= From the 1851 Canadian Census of Ashfield Township, Huron County, Ontario, film 1125/ reel 17 of 60, page 27. Alexandria is listed in the household of her parents: Alexandria McLeod; born- on sea, religion- Presbyterian, age at next b-day- 2, female ============== From the 1861 Canadian Census of West Ashfield Township, Huron County, Ontario, page 51, film #2202/ C-1035. Alexandria is listed in the household of her parents: Alexandria McLoud; born- At Sea, religion- C of E, age- 11, female ============== From the 1871 Canadian Census of Ashfield Township, Division 2, North Huron County, Ontario, pages 36-37, family # 121, microfilm roll #9930. Alexandria is listed in the household of her parents: McLeod, Lexie; female, age- 21, born- on the Atlantic, religion- C. Presbyterian, origin- Scotch, occupation- servant =============== 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 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. Alexandria is listed in the household of her husband: ------ Alexa; female, age- 31, wife, married, occupation- keeping house, born- Scotland, parents born- Scotland =============== From the 1881 Census of Canada; Ashfield Township, Huron North County, Ontario, Canada; District 175, page 24, family #113; Alexandria is listed without her husband Donald, but with her two children, in the household of her parents: - Alexandria Finelson; female, married, age- 31, origin, Scottish, born- at sea, religion- Presbyterian - Donald Finelson; male, age- 4, origin- Scottish, born- Ontario, religion- Presbyterian - Archibald Finelson; male, age- 2, origin- Scottish, born- Ontario, religion- Presbyterian (Apparently Donald was in North Dakota.-RW) ============= From the 1891 Canadian Census of Ashfield Township, Huron County West, Ontario, District 1, page 28, taken April 18, 1891, household 142. Alexandria is listed in the household of her husband: Finlayson, Alexandria; female, age- 41, married, wife, born- at sea, parents born- Scotland, religion- Presbyterian ============= Ken Finlayson sent me the following 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. (This was apparently was the 160 acres of homestead land purchased in 1879 by her husband Donald. Apparently it had been foreclosed upon at some point. According to Ken Finlayson, the agreement Alexandria made with the lawyer was to split the proceeds if they won. Also according to Ken, at the time of this action, Donald was again in the London Ontario Asylum, apparently being treated for severe depression. -RW) ============= From the 1901 Canadian Census of Lucknow Village, District 50 West Bruce County, page 10, household 117; from the Library and Archives of Canada on-line, found at (http://www.collectionscanada.ca/02/02012202_e.html), Microfilm Reel Number: T-6462, Finding Aid Number: 31-40: Finlayson, Alexy; female, head of household, married, born- 23 July 1849, age- 51, born- England, immigrated to Canada in 1849, origin- Scotch, nationality- Canadian, religion- Presbyterian, occupation- weaver, working on own account, works at home, reads/ writes, speaks English ------ Melinda; female, daughter, single, born- 4 May 1883, age- 17, single, born- U. S., origin- Scotch, nationality- Canadian, religion- Presbyterian, read/ writes, speaks English (According to Ken Finlayson, Donald was still in the London Ontario Asylum. Also according to Ken, Alexie and Melinda were living in the next to last house on Wheeler Street in Lucknow.-RW) ============ Also from Ken Finlayson: On 18 April 1902, Alexandria and co-owner W.H. Standish, sold the above noted North Dakota property to Charles F. Sims $3,600. Malinda Mae and Hugh Morrison, the notary public, witnessed it on the above date. Standish signed it in Grand Forks on 2 May 1902. It was recorded on 2 May 1902. The only interesting statement is: "The above lands is not the homestead of either of said grantors." That is because Alexandria obtained ownership through the courts after default of her homestead property. =========== From the 1910 Federal Census of Calumet Township, Houghton County, District #105, page- 17A, taken April 23, 1910; from ancestry.com, #105, image 33 of 72: Alexandria and her two grandchildren are living in the household of her brother Alexander, at 2113 Log (Rambault) Street, household #241: Finlayson, Alexie; housekeeper, female, age- 59, married 34 years, mother of 5 children/ 5 children living, born- At Sea, parents born- Scotland- Gaelic, immigrated in 1910, occupation- housekeeper/ private family, working on April 15, 1910, not unemployed last year, r/w's ----- Pearl; niece, female, age- 9, born- Canada- English, father born- Scotland- Gaelic, mother born- at sea, immigrated in 1910 ----- Lawrence; nephew, male, age- 5, born- Canada- English, father born- Scotland- Gaelic, mother born- at sea, immigrated in 1910 (Although Pearl and Lawrence are listed as niece and nephew to Alexandria's brother Alexander, the children are actually children of Alexandria's apparently unmarried daughter Malinda Mae. Apparently Alexandria and the two children had just moved to Michigan. Also, it appears Alexandria went to great lengths to make it appear that she and her husband Donald were the parents of these two children. It is not know where her daughter Malinda Mae was at the time, but presumably in Canada. According to Ken Finlayson, Donald was back in the London Ontario Asylum. It is also noted on this census that Alexandria was listed as born "at sea."-RW) =============== According to their headstone, Alexandria and her husband Donald are buried in the South Kinloss Cemetery, in Kinloss Township, Bruce County, Ontario. This is very close to Ashfield Township, North Huron County. It is a mile north of the town of Lucknow. Alexandria's parents, Jessy and Archibald McLeod are buried nearby. There seems to be a question as to whether Donald is actually buried here. Their headstone reads: Donald Finlayson 1830-1918 ------------------- Alexy McLeod his wife 1849-1929
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