Ellen McRae

Other Events and Attributes:

• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 44681311
• _UID: 13D80ADF7FD046E28F0C8672722964502DCE

Notes:

FindaGrave Memorial ID:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/44681311

Died:
Her name was possibly Margaret Ellen McRae. Ellen was born in Wick, Caithness, Scotland, apparently the daughter of Peter and Margaret (Fraser). The family story says that she left there in the 1830's as a Nanny with a family to the south of England where her employers sailed away leaving her behind so she was out of a job. She stayed in the Devonshire area where she met John Oatway, a man with a farm by Barnstaple. They married and started a family, bearing children Richard McCrae, Mary Ann Fraser and William Henry. Shortly after their fourth child George Brodie Oatway died during the Devonshire crop failure period of the 1830s-40's, they emigrated to Canada West, formerly called Upper Canada. She worked hard on their new property and bore a large family of four more children, Sarah Jane, Margaret Helen, Elizabeth Matilda, and Jessie Clara. On Sundays, if John was far away working, she would ride her horse sidesaddle to church in nearby Perth. The photo of her and John was taken in a studio in Perth, Canada West (Ontario) in 1861. (too bad it's not in colour as she had beautiful blue eyes)

Ellen married John Oatway in 1834. John was born on 25 Jun 1815 in Barnstaple, North Devon District, Devon, England; died on 11 Oct 1899 in Perth, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Perth, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. William Henry Oatway was born on 12 Nov 1839 in Barnstaple, North Devon District, Devon, England; died on 14 Jun 1902 in Burgess North Twp, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Perth, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada.
2. Margaret Helen Oatway was born on 6 Jan 1845 in Burgess North Twp, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada; died in Jan 1915 in Burgess North Twp, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Perth, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada.