     |
Person Sheet
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouses | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notes for Donnaidh "Donald/Daniel" McPHERSON | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The "Legend" of Daniel McPherson... [The] McPherson line goes back to a Daniel McPherson who was stolen from his parents in Scotland as a child and pressed into service on a ship. He managed to escape in or near Philadelphia. [The author's] information states that William Penn heard his story and befriended him, leaving him some land near Philadelphia. He married Ruth Shires and settled in Chester Co., PA.27 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Comments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Comment: There are McPherson Family notes in the family notes section of the Wren Memorial Library in Siler City, Chatham County, NC.7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Research | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Daniel McPherson Biography [Authored by John Calvin McPherson, 12 Nov 1846 - May 1891]26 Daniel was born in Scotland, at or near Inverness, about the year 1682, and was brought to America about the year 1696 and settled in Pennsylvania. Two traditions concerning Daniel's childhood have come down to us. By one, he would appear to have been reared in good circumstances, for it is said that "he lived at home with his parents, and entered college in 1696." As has been said, Daniel was brought to America some time about 1696, or, perhaps, a few years later. The manner of bringing is thus described by the tradition already quoted. "While at home during a vacation, and while-leisurely strolling on the wharf, he was kidnaped together with many others, gagged and put into the hold of a vessel bound for Philadelphia. On arriving at Philadelphia, he was sold until he should become of age, for the payment of his passage." The forgoing account of Daniel's childhood and capture is the version among some of his descendants. Another tradition was repeated to the writer of this article. It is to the effect that he was captured while tending a flock of sheep; was down in a well when taken by the men of the ship; the ship sailed immediately to the Delaware river. Daniel was sold until he became of age ("bound-out" was the term used by the narrator), which would be six years, according to the version now being quoted; but he was represented by the kidnappers to be only fourteen years old, hence was bound for seven years. There are three theories of a cause for his kidnaping: to defraud an heir; to reduce the military strength of the Highland (which had been for years in a partly rebellious state); to profit by supplying labor to the colonies. The last theory is more probable than either of the others alone; although the second received some credit among the descendants. The inducing of people to come to the colonies, either by deception or violence, and then selling their service to pay their passage was quite a business with ship owners and their confederates at that time. The second tradition would seem to indicate a childhood in different circumstances from those indicated by the first tradition. Living with his parents in the capital of the Highlands, and attending college, as set forth in the tradition first quoted, would lead to the supposition that he was connected with a more pretentious class than herders of sheep. Yet the second tradition seems to have been believed, at the least in part, by some of the descendants who were acquainted with the first tradition. In an obituary notice of a member of the family, the following language was used. "His ancestors were from the Highlands of Scotland; were shepherds by trade, and mostly large men; of which the deceased was a fair specimen being about six feet high, and having a strong constitution." Little is known of Daniel's condition during the years of his service. It is narrated that he often dreamed of seeing his home; and once, so great was his feeling of homesickness, he started to run in the direction of that spot. The fact of Daniel's abduction seems to have been known among the Scotch who settled near Cross-creeks (now Fayetteville) North Carolina. It is related that once when Joseph (Daniel's son) was at Cross-creeks on business, an old Scotch woman asked him - "Was it your fayther or grandfayther who was the kidnaped bye?" But whether she had heard of the kidnaping before she left the old country, or had learned that there in North Carolina some people of Scotch name who were descendants of a kidnaped boy, are questions upon which no light can now be obtained. As it was fifty years after the kidnaping when the Scotch settled at Cross-creeks, and must have been twenty more before an opportunity occurred for the conversation, the latter supposition is more probably. It is said that in later years Daniel was discovered by a kinsman or friend of his family, and was at the time of the discovery "well to do and in easy circumstances," and the communication with his relatives was thus re-established. This tradition seems to be as clear as any we have, and renders the theory of defrauded heirship more improbable. "After he became of age", proceeds the first tradition, "William Penn gave him a hundred acres of land in Chester County, Pennsylvania, on which he lived until the time of his death. "Previous to occupying this land, he was married to Ruth Shires, of Pennsylvania". Ruth Shires came to this continent with a married sister, whose husband's name was Pemberton. It was said that, in after years, an estate in the old country fell to these two sisters or their heirs, and was secured by the Pemberton descendants. Some correspondence was had among the grandchildren of Ruth, with a view to making an effort to secure their portion. Joseph communicated with his cousin Isaac, of Baltimore, on this matter. Finally, the word came, that "Pendletons (I don't know if this is ment to be Pemberton) had got the whole of it". Ruth died before her husband. It was told of him that, after her death, and in his old age, he would walk - such was his great strength of body - some seven miles to attend meeting at the place where she was buried. One account is that her grave was his place of prayer. When he returned from meeting, he would bring some flower or twig, and show it to his children, saying: "That is from your mother's grave." No events in the middle life of Daniel or in the life of his wife Ruth, have been brought down to our time. There is some confusion as to their places of residence and burial. The first account told to the compiler, gave " Delaware or Maryland" as the state in which he was bound to service; and it was thought more likely Delaware, as mention had frequently been made by Joseph to his children, of the Delaware river (which touches Delaware state, and not Maryland). The meeting attended by Daniel, and the place of his wife's burial, is reported as "Kent" or Kennett". If the meeting would be in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Six children are named as born to Daniel and Ruth Shires, his wife. DANIEL - date of birth and name of wife unknown. ANN - married Nathaniel Carter. JOHN born November 6, 1718 and married Mary Green. WILLIAM - married (1) Mary---- (2) Phebe Passmore. STEPHEN - married unknown. OTHNIEL - killed by lightning, when about 10 or 12 years old. The manner of the death of Othniel is related as follows: He was standing behind the chair of Mary Green, then the wife of his brother John. Mary was spinning. The lightning was supposed to have been attracted by the wheel. The flax at the wheel took fire. Othniel was thrown into a closet standing open, and in the excitement of the moment the door was pushed to, and his death not discovered until late in the day. Daniel lived to be somewhat advanced in years, but was very strong in his old age. His walks to meeting have already been mentioned. He would go out early and be back before the family thought he could have had time for the journey. He had a friendly feeling for his daughter-in-law, Mary Green McPherson, (John's wife), and, as she was quite tall, he was wont to call her his "lang-legged Heelander". By some calculations, which I now forget, we were led to suppose that he reached this continent about the year 1698 and died about 1765. In his will it was found that all his property was given to his oldest son (Daniel). The other children were much incensed there at and proposed to leave that part of the country. One statement accuses the oldest son of using improper means to induce the old man to sign a will favorable to [Daniel]. However, I believe that under the English law of primogeniture then in force in the English colonies, the result would have been the same in the absence of a will, and the younger children would have received little or nothing of whatever their father might have to leave. The children all sought new locations, except Daniel, the eldest, who remained upon the homestead. John, William and Ann went to North Carolina and Stephen to south-western Virginia. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Research | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Donald McPherson Letter of 1717 Posted by Barbara Krol, March 02, 2001 I have a transcript of a letter from Donald McPherson (Daniel?)to his father in Inverness, Scotland dated June 2, 1717, written from Port Tobacco, Maryland. He talks of his servitude, his master and the person who wrote the letter for him, James McKenzie. Does anyone know of this Donald/Daniel or of this letter? I am in the line of Donald/Daniel McPherson b. abt 1682 who came to America supposedly at age 14 as an indentured servant and married Ruth Shires around 1712. This letter dated 1717 would not fit this Daniel profile. Were there two different Daniel/Donalds that came to America as indentured servants around this time?? Looking forward to discussing this. Barbara Krol Posted by A.L. Kennedy in reply to post by Barbara Krol, July 19, 2001 "I have had a copy of that letter, that I received from the Maryland Historical Society back about 1992/3. The letter was originally written in broads Scots, for this Daniel/Donal, by a Shames McKeyne (which could be rendered James McKean or McKenzie). It was written to Daniel's father James. Unfortunately, the Historical Society says the letter is a copy of a broadside and they do not know its provenance. Supposedly there is a copy in the British Museum, but I can't find a living person who has seen it, only people who corresponded with someone who had. Still, the letter is correct historically - a Mr. Nichols did handle the "distribution" of indentured transportees in southern Maryland, and there were a number of Bean or Bayne families, with a number of Johns, present in Charles Co. at the time. I have tried to find a record of a ship, with a Daniel/Donal/Donald McPherson, but so far with no luck. I am pursuing the possibility that some compilers have mistaken Charles Town, Maryland (the "official" name of Port Tobacco until the early 1800s, though everyone locally called it Port Tobacco), with Charleston, South Carolina, and am trying to examine shipping records with that in mind. If this is a true letter, the Daniel should be identified with Daniel McPherson, whose wife was named Elizabeth (probably Thompson), who had sons Richard, Basil, and Alexander, and two daughters. He died in Charles Co., Maryland in 1740. I say that, because he was the only Daniel McPherson present in Maryland about that time. The other(s) were sons of either William or Alexander McPherson, who were also transported to Maryland about 1716, and were not born at the time of the letter." Post by Alan G. Macpherson, March 04, 2001 "Everyone interested in Barbara's question should read "The Macphersons of Charles County, Maryland, Part 3: The Story of Daniel McPherson" in "Creag Dhubh No 47, 1995: 35-40 (The Annual of the Clan Macpherson Association). The short answer is that they were different individuals with different wives." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notes for Ruth (Spouse 1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| From: Daniel McPherson Biography [Authored by John Calvin McPherson, 12 Nov 1846 - May 1891]26 "Ruth Shires came to this continent with a married sister, whose husband's name was Pemberton. It was said that, in after years, an estate in the old country fell to these two sisters or their heirs, and was secured by the Pemberton descendants. Some correspondence was had among the grandchildren of Ruth, with a view to making an effort to secure their portion. Joseph communicated with his cousin Isaac, of Baltimore, on this matter. Finally, the word came, that "Pendletons (I don't know if this is ment to be Pemberton) had got the whole of it." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Research | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Web Post to Shires Forum on Genealogy.com Posted by Richard Crotwell October 25, 1999 http://genforum.genealogy.com/shires/messages/30.html "I have the following stories about Ruth. I do not have proof of the information. Ruth Shires reported to be from London, England with brother William and sister Ann who married Thomas Bond or a Mr. Pemberton. Ruth died before her husband and may have been buried at a location in Chester Co., Pa. known as "Kent" or "Kenett." I also have information indicating she was buried at Kennett Square, Chester Co. Pa. Ruth Shires came to this continent with a married sister whose husbands's name was Pemberton. It was said that in after years an estate in the old country fell to these two sisters or their heirs and was secured by the Pemberton descendants. Some correspondence was had among the grandchildren of Ruth, with a view to making an effort to secure their portion. Joseph communicated with his cousin Isaac, of Baltimore, on this matter. Finally the word came that the Pembertons "had got the whole of it". Ruth died before her husband. It was told of him that after her death and in his old age he would walk, such was his great strength of body, some seven miles to attend meetng at the place where she was buried. One account is that her grave was his place of prayer. When he returned frm meeting he would bring some flower or twig and show it to his children saying: that is from your mother's grave." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Modified 14 Jan 2007 | Created 8 Feb 2007 Laura K. Henderson |
|
|
