My Family Tree

The Donald Ramsay who married Marie or May Cannon is said to belong to this branch of the Ramsay family. Keep in mind that there were other Donalds! His name was probably Donald, but the nickname for Donald was Dan, which could lead to his name being Daniel in some records. At that time in Scottish families, the two names were somewhat interchangeable.

His date of birth was most likely between 1770-1782, and he was married sometime after the 1798 census. His marriage was not in the License Cash Book (to 1805), or in PEI church marriage records - the Presbyterian marriage records date from about 1821 onwards, and the Church of England from about 1823 onwards. So likely between 1805 and 1821...

He could be Donald Ramsay the younger of Lot 13 who signed a land indenture with the landlord Seymour in 1823. Land Conveyance Records vol 29 pg 310

There was only one daughter, named Mary, for Donald and Mary Cannon, in the PEI Baptismal Index. This might not mean they only had one child, this was simply the date that Presbyterian records become available. Donald and Marie (Cannon) Ramsay were George's parents on his marriage record in 1839.

Based on their years of birth, and having a connection to Lot 13, other possible children were:

Flora Ramsay, who married Hugh McDonald

Archibald - perhaps the Archibald age 56 in the 1881 census - or maybe the Archibald Ramsay who married Sarah Ramsay, born about 1816.

Angus - one of the two Angus Ramsays (born 1811 and 1812) who went to New Brunswick - see Angus - NB - both Angus Ramsays named a son Donald, so that doesn't help.

Andrew Nelson Ramsay (1824-1887)

Given that Mary had a brother Nathan, the Nathan Ramsay born 1823 might also belong to this branch of the Ramsay family.

There were two Catherine Ramsays in Lot 13. One was the Catherine Ramsay, born about 1818, who married John Harkness, and named a son Donald. The other was the Catherine Ramsay who married William Ramsay. William Ramsay also came from an unidentified branch of the Ramsay family. One of these Catherines might have belonged to the family of Michael Ramsay. (If William was Donald's son, then that might help with placing his wife)

Another tree suggests that this is the same Donald who then married Nancy Grant - no marriage records have been found to show if the Donald Ramsay who married Nancy was a widower. In that case, another Ramsay home has to be found for Andrew Nelson Ramsay, who married Donald and Nancy's daughter Maria, or Archibald who married Donald and Nancy's daughter Sarah. I don't think this second marriage is likely.

He was alive in 1822, when he was mentioned in the will of Nathan Cannon as brother in law Daniel Ramsay. George's marriage record in 1839 gave no indication that either parents was dead - the Priest did not say the son of "the late Donald", which was pretty common usage at the time.

He could be the Donald Ramsay, next to William Ramsay, on the Rent Roll for Lot 13, c.1846.

He is not the Donald Ramsay, age 91, living with Michael and Mary Ann McDonald in Lot 8 in the 1881 census; that Donald was a single man and fits into another branch of the family. Archibald Ramsay, age 56, was on the same page of that census.

He could be the Donald Ramsay who signed an agreement with the landlord Seymour for 100 acres in Lot 13 on 29 July 1822, vol 29, pg 308, and for an additional 50 acres in 1824.

In the absence of records, names we might expect in this family, from the Cannon side: Keziah, Charles, George, Otis, Frederick, Nathaniel and Nelson; from the Ramsay side, Donald, Mary, John, Neil, Archibald, Angus, Malcolm, Michael. Mary and George are the only verified names; Nathan seems likely, as does Andrew Nelson. Perhaps one of the Angus Ramsays who went to New Brunswick. Archibald Ramsay's marriage bond was supported by Frederick Cannon, so I have placed him here. Catherine Ramsay's daughter said her mother's maiden name was Cannon - did she have her mother's or father's mother mixed up? Both were Ramsays from Lot 13. Catherine or Cassie might have been named for her grandmother Kezia.

Liber 2 Folio 23
Will of Nathan Cannon, St. Eleanors, Richmond Parish, PEI. Bequests: to father & mother; to Mary Cannon, wife of his brother Federick Cannon; to Elizabeth, daughter of Frederick Cannon. Executors: brother Frederick Cannon, brother in law Daniel Ramsay, senr., Lot 13, & Thomas C. Compton, St. Eleanors. Witnesses: Elizabeth Waite, George Waite, J.P. Sherlock. Will signed 18 Nov., 1822; probate granted 4 Dec., 1822. see http://www.islandregister.com/wills/earlywills.html

DNA link to a descendant

NOTE= other than George and Mary, the other names are Ramsays who were from Lot 13, born around the right time, who didn't have a "home" assuming Mary had children about every 2 years.