My Family Tree

John was born in December 1880, the son of Samuel McDonald and Charlotte McLean. Around 1892 his family emigrated to the United States. He married Jane (Jennie) Walsh in Boston, Massachusetts on March 18 1903. Jennie's family was from the same area of PEI.[1]

John and Jennie had two children, Ella Irene and John Wellington. In 1920, Jennie was divorced, living with her widowed mother and two children. The family story is that John walked out one day and never came back.

John McDonald born 22 December 1870, a naturalized citizen, was living in Niagara, New York when he filled out a registration form for the first World War. His contact, at the same address, was Ida Ricker or Vicker. He was a labourer.

John, son of Samuel and Charlotte (McLean) and born on Prince Edward Island married again, to Ida M. Ricker, in Niagara, New York. He said it was his first marriage, and it was Ida's second. A Buffalo paper noted that it was a double ceremony, with Ida's son George K. Ricker. The newspaper added that Mr and Mrs McDonald would made their home in Los Angeles, California.

John, age 50, and Ida May, 57 were in California in 1930. A step-daughter, Alice Ricker, was living with them. John was the foreman for a pipe company; he had not served in the war. He said he had married for the first time at age 40, which could mean he never told his second wife about his earlier marriage or children.

Ida died in 1945.

There is a John A. McDonald in the same cemetery as Ida May, who died in 1945. The date of birth for John in California records matches other documents known to be him.