Major General Sir John Macdonald

Major General Sir John Macdonald, son of Norman Macdonald of Scalpa and Barnisdale and Susanna MacAlister, inherited Williamsfield estate in Jamaica through his marriage to Dora Graham. Brother-in-law of Donald Martin (q.v.).

1. Date of birth questionable as inconsistent in the censuses. Marriage: 27/04/1805 "at Pancras Major Macdonald assistant-quarter-master-general to the only daughter of the late Charles Graham Esquire of Williamsfield, Jamaica." 1841 census: at Bruton Street, Middlesex, aged 60 with wife Dora, occupation "Army", born in Scotland. Buried 04/04/1850 at All Souls Cemetery, Hazel [=Kensal] Green, aged 76. 1851 census: 23 Bruton Street, Dora Macdonald is a widow, aged 62, occupation given as "widow of Sir John Macdonald, Major-Gen, GCB".

2. Boyle's Directory 1836 shows Major General Sir John Macdonald, K.C.B. at 25 Pall-mall.

3. Parents Norman MacDonald of Scalpa and Barnisdale and Susanna MacAlister, sister Ann Macdonald married Rev. Donald Martin (q.v.).

4. The ODNB entry for Sir John Macdonald excludes any mention of his parents or of his marriage, or of his slave-owning.

T71/915 Manchester claim no. 915.

1. Gentleman's Magazine Vol 97, 27th April 1805; 1841 census online; Ancestry.com, London, England, Deaths and Burials, 1813-1980 [database online]; 1851 census online.

2. Boyle's Directory 1836.

3. 'Scotland: Ministers of Scotland', Community Tree, familysearch.org, person id I68222 ; Scott, Rev. Hugh, Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae Vol. 1 (Edinburgh, Oliver and Boyd, 1915) p. 387.

4. Sweetman, John. "Macdonald, Sir John (d. 1850), army officer." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 23 Sep. 2004; Accessed 9 Dec. 2019. https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-17442.