Is the Margaret Macdonald -- Mrs John S Kennedy

who died in 1905 age 64 actually a niece of the Hon.

John Sandfield MacDonald, Premier of Ontario??
It makes sense that if you are a niece or nephew of a person, Then your mother or your
father has to be a brother or sister of that same person for this to happen.

The following is looked at from my perspective of what I am presently aware off. It is

all subject to change & correction. AWF

This is the obituary from the Glengarry News Feb 17, 1905
of
Mrs. John S. Kennedy, nee Macdonald passes

ROCKLAND, ONTARIO
February 12th, Mrs Margaret E. Kennedy, died here recentIy of Bright's disease at the
age of 64 years, The deceased was a widow of the late John S. Kennedy, of 0sgoode,
Ont, a pioneer merchant and lumberman of the Ottawa district. She was a descendant
of two, of Canada's most prominent families, the Macdonells of Glengarry, and the
MacDonald's known as the King MacDonalds, of which Hon; John Sandfield MacDonald,
1st premier of Ontario was a member and uncle of the deceased.

Her paternal grandfather, Lt. Col Archie MacDonell, Commanded the Glengarry
Fencibles in the war of 1812, and was a gallant and Conscientious officer, as were his-
cousins, Col George, nicknamed ‘the red' and' Lt. Col Arch, aide de- camp, to General
Brock.

Mrs Kennedy leaves two daughters, Mrs Lafontaine and Mrs George W. Higginson of
Rockland and 3 sons, Alex. of Lachute, Quebec, John A. and Aeneas of Port Arthur,
Ontario to mourn her death. Mr. Allan MacDonell of Metcalfe, Ontario, Dr. John A., of
Chicago, Illinois USA, James of Elmira Heights, N.Y., USA, and Dr. Angus of North
Adams Mass., USA are brothers and Mrs. Duncan Kennedy of Newark, N.J., USA, sister
of the deceased.
Interment took place at Metcalfe on Monday.

From the News, Alexandria, Ontario, Friday, April 18, 1913 fp col. 6 top
EX - GLENGARRIAN PASSES AWAY

From the obit of ALEXANDER SANDFIELD MACDONALD

The late Mr. Macdonald was a member of one of the most prominent and influential
families in this part of Ontario. He is the last and the youngest of a family of four
brothers, one of whom the late Hon. John Sandfield Macdonald, was Premier in the
Government of Upper and Lower Canada from 1862 to 1864, with the Hon. Mr. Sicotte
as leader in the Province of Quebec, and who at Confederation became the first Premier
of Ontario. Another brother, the late Hon. D. A. Macdonald, was Postmaster General in

1
the Mackenzie Administration and was subsequently appointed Lieut. Governor of
Ontario. The other brother was Mr. Ranald S. Macdonald, of Lancaster.

In the obit for Margaret in 1905 it is stated that her age is 64, thus she was born in
1841. It is also stated that her surname is Macdonald. This would also assume that the
spelling of her fathers surname was Macdonald. Her mother being a MacDonell
tentatively a dau of Lt Col Archie? A minor but not conclusive as there was a tendency
to spell it both ways Macdonald & Macdonell.

The obit also states that the father of her father was Lt Col Archie MacDonell of the
MacDonells of Glengarry. This assumes that her father surname should have been spelt
MacDonell rather than Macdonald.

In the obit of Alexander Francis MacDonald the brother of the Honourable John
Sandfield MacDonald Premier of Ontario, that he, Alexander “is the last and the
youngest of a family of four brothers” This statement assumes, implies that there were
no girls, no sisters of these 4 Sandfield MacDonalds brothers -- Donald, John, Ranald,
Alex, who were born between 1812 & 1818. Thus Margarets mother or father was not
of this family.

Since it states that Margaret of which Hon; John Sandfield MacDonald, 1st premier of
Ontario was a member and uncle of the deceased. That eliminates him as the father.
Since Alexander Francis Sandfield was never married, that also eliminates him as the
father.

This leaves only 2 choices for the Hon; John Sandfield MacDonald to be an uncle of
Margaret, namely that of Donald & Ranald.

In the obituary of Donald Alex Sandfield 1896 there is no mention of a daughter as a

Mrs Kennedy,

Donald Alex Sandfield MacDonald by his 2nd marriage to Catherine G Fraser has 2
daughter named Margaret, 1 Margarette Anne born Feb 17 1848, baptised at St
Finnan’s Mar 1st, 1848. There is not indication of an early death: the 2nd Margaret was
Margaret Josephine born 16 June 1849, baptised at St Finnans 7 July 1849 who
married Sir William H Hingston, in his 9 children of which 4 died as infants [ Daniel E.,
Edwin A., Donald A., Alexander Fraser]. These children were born between 1848 &
1863. The names of the remaining 3 children of Donald Alex are Mary Louise b 1857-;
Catherine Ida b 1861-; Alex G Fraser b 1863; This list of Donald Alex’s 9 children
came from St Finnan’s RC BMD Alexandria in part & from the family tree chart I got
with the book by Eugene macDoanld Some of the Sandfields. A copy of this chart will
be included in Version 3 of my MacDonalds of Loupe, Luanda & Fraser line &
connections.

Margaret based on what is stated in her obit as age 64 in 1905 was born in 1841.

Margarets brothers from the obit are Mr. Allan MacDonell of Metcalfe, Ontario, Dr. John
A., of Chicago, Illinois USA, James of Elmira Heights, N.Y., USA, and Dr. Angus of North
Adams Mass., USA are brothers and Mrs. Duncan Kennedy of Newark, N.J., USA, sister

2
of the deceased. None of these brothers & sister match the names of the children of
Donald Alex or his brother Ranald.

It makes sense that if you are a niece or nephew of a person, Then your mother or your
father has to be a brother or sister of that same person for this to happen.

Based on the above info that I am presently aware of, there is no way that this
Margaret Macdonald who was Mrs John S Kennedy who died in 1905 at age 64 in
Rockland , Ontario was a niece of the Hon. John Sandfield MacDonald.

This does not imply in any way that the father of her father --Her paternal
grandfather, was Lt. Col Archie MacDonell,-- was not in fact accurate. Likewise
was connected in some way to the King MacDonalds. More specific clarification is
required on both these aspects.

The King MacDonalds Ref From St Raphaels RC Records 1848 Deaths

Henrietta MacDonell
The 27th day of April 1848, the undersigned priest buried in the burial ground of St
Raphaels the body of Henrietta MacDonell widow of the late Patrick (Peter) MacDonell
of lot 26 in the 5th of Lancaster and daughter of John MacDonell ‘King’ and of
Catherine MacDonell. She departed the day before yesterday at the age of 76 years.
John MacDonald, Map
NB ; (Peter of Angus of Allan Lundie) MacDonell - awf

from St Raphaels RC BMD 1811 Marriages

M11 ALEX MACDONALD AND ANNE MCDONELL
On the 20th day of February 1811, Alexander MacDonald lawful son of Allan McDonald
and of Mary McGillis, and Anne McDonell lawful daughter of John MacDonell and of
Catherine McDonell after 3 proclamations of banns were joined in marriage in the
parish church of St. Raphaels by me in the presence of several witnesses.
Alex McDonell M AP
The is the marriage in 1811 of the parents of the 4 Sandfield brothers

Are the parents of Anne McDonell who married Alex MacDonald, that is -- lawful
daughter of John MacDonell and of Catherine McDonell-- the same John MacDonell
and of Catherine McDonell the parents of Henrietta MacDonell wife of Peter MacDonell
with this John, the father of Henrietta designated ‘King’.

From my perspective, if the MacDonald's known as the King MacDonalds, of which

Hon; John Sandfield MacDonald, 1st premier of Ontario was a member, then it seems
likely that is is via his mother Anne McDonell the dau of John & Catherine.

Which one of the number of Lt. Col Archie MacDonells, was this Archie? This seems
to be & I think is a different Lt. Col Archie than the 2 listed in the Dictionary of
Glengarry Biography on p 361 by Royce MacGillivray

Since the above obit states that Margaret grandfather is Lt. Col Archie MacDonell is
he the same Col Archibald MacDonell of Osgoode Township who died in Nov 1853 &

3
buried in St Catherine’s cemetery Metcalfe? As listed in the Dictionary of Glengarry
Biography on p 361 by Royce MacGillivray.

Since Margaret’s paternal grandfather was Lt. Col Archie MacDonell, then this also
eliminates Margaret as a niece of the Hon John Sandfield MacDonald, as his & that of
brothers Ranald, Alex F., Donald Alex, grandfather on their father side was Allan son of
Ranald and on their mothers side, the grandfather was John MacDonald, Maybe
John’King’ MacDonald.

Also Catherine G Fraser the 2nd wife of Donald Alex Sandfield MacDonald was a
grandaughter of an Col Archie MacDonell of Leek who died before Feb 1816. These
2 Archibald MacDonells were not the same person. Maybe this is where part of the
confusion arises.

This Lt. Col Archie MacDonell raises additional questions as does the King MacDonald
connections. Both of these aspects are to vague to provide any concrete benefit to
the identity of who this Margaret E Macdonald widow of John S Kennedy actually is.

I can be proven mistaken on my above perspective, as this is only one view point..

Comments are welcomed

Alex W Fraser
Courtenay, BC
April 8, 2011 info [at] glengarrycounty.com
This outline will be included in my upcoming work Version 3 on my MacDonalds of Loup,
Lundie & Fraser line & connections, presently over 10400 entries.
http://glengarrycounty.com/loup.html

Description Is the Margaret Macdonald -- Mrs John S Kennedy who died in 1905 age
64 at Rockland, Ontario actually a niece of the Hon. John Sandfield MacDonald, Premier
of Ontario?? the following outline by Alex W Fraser, Courtenay, BC show otherwise.
This is based by obituary of Margaret in 1905, Alex F Sandfield MacDonald in 1913 &
church records, & Sandfield MacDonald family chart.

Tags Alexwfrawer.tel, glengarry county ontario, sandfield macdonald, John S Kennedy,

Rockland, Ontario, Metcalfe, ontario, Lt col Archie macdonell,

History research

Title Margaret Macdonald Mrs John S Kennedy 1841-1905