Newfoundland's Grand Banks Message Board

Currently researching three families that the trail leads to New Foundland, towns unknown. The info I have is real thin and not much to go o so please bear with me.

Henry McAllister - According to US Census he was born in 1866 in New Foundland and immigrated in 1888 to US. He married a Mary Downs, born in New York. Marriage date/place unknown, asumming New York, based on immigration date and Mary was born in New York. At this time no marriage record can be found. First child born in New York in 1889. According to a picture found of his mother and father from 1890 it just has his father's name on it, William "Curly Bill" McAllister, in North Dakota. At this time do not know his mother's name or when his mother and father immigrated to the US or if he had any siblings.

Thomas Downs - According to US census he was born in 1822 in New Foundland, parents unknown. He married a Sarah, born in ireland. Marriage date/location or immigration is unknown. First child Mary born in 1859 in New York (spouse of Henry McAllister).

Henry McDonald married Mary Krause - According to paperwork from my Grandfather, James McDonald aka William McAllister, his mother Mary died when he was young 3yrs old and the children where sent to orphanges except him, he was sent to live with Henry and Mary McDonald, thus his name change from McAllister to McDonald. According to his marriage record state his parents the McDonalds are from New Foundland. At this time we are not sure how the McDonalds tie into the family or in they were just friends.

Like I said the info I have is very thin and not alot to go on, so if anyone can give me any giudance would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to contact me, thank you. Bill

The earliest McAllisters to settle in Newfoundland were in the early 1800s. They settled at Carbonear, Newfoundland. James McAllister was the earliest registered. He was shown on the 1832 voters list and having to be at least 21 years of age to vote at that time he would have been born in 1811 or earlier. My great grandfather, William McAllister, who may have been his son or his nephew, was born in 1835. There were several other McAllisters in Carbonear at the time, John, Alice, Ellen, another William. A fair number of them moved to the U.S. Henry may very well have been one of them. The next generations moved to St. John's, Newfoundland & Deer Lake area of Newfoundland. These McAllisters are the only families by that name. The occasional McAllister sometimes lives here temporarity, probably due to work transfers etc.