Maggie Union

In 1869 Maggie married her cousin Samuel Alexander, a shoemaker. In 1871 they were living at 141 Gallowgate in Glasgow and Samuel was a private soldier with the 31st Foot, when their infant Samuel died of the childhood wasting disease Tabes Mesenterica. By 1875 when their twin children John and Margaret were born, they lived in Pollockshaws and Samuel had returned to his father's occupation of shoemaker. Samuel died tragically on 10th February 1875 of kidney disease after 18 days' illness.

Maggie's 1871 signature from a son's death certificate is reproduced here...
...followed by her 1892 signature from a daughter's death certificate.

In 1879 Maggie married John Union, and they had at least a further 8 children, 5 of whom survived to adulthood. In 1902, Maggie's husband John and son William went to the USA. On 5.2.1903, Maggie (aged about 50), and sons Samuel (22), Nimmo (17), Charles (11), and Wilford (10) arrived at Ellis Island on the SS Pomeranian from Glasgow. All went to join John and William in Pawtucket, RI. Her daughter Maggie Bryceland and children also travelled with her.

In 1930, Maggie was living with her son William in Newport News, Virginia [9]. On occasions she was known lovingly by her family as "mean old Maggie Ferguson" [8]!

Sources: Census [1]1881, [2]1891, [3]1901; [4]IGI; [5]GRO marriage records; [6]Ellis Island; [7]descendant John Bryceland, USA; [8]descendant J Walker, USA; US Census [9]1930;

Page last updated 10 February 2004