A to Z Challenge – Margaret

Hello and Welcome to M Day! Our half-way point is upon us! How are you feeling about it all so far?

Name:

Margaret McGibbon

Vital Information:

Margaret was born in 1757 in Ireland (possibly Belfast) and died on 27 April 1837 in Indiana, USA.

Relation to Me:

Margaret is my Maternal 5x great grandma.

Tidbits/Characteristics/Commonalities:

There have been many moments in many of the lives of my ancestors that have taken my breath away…

That have left me pondering how perfectly the Universe has to align so that each of us, any of us, might be here, alive and well, carrying the lineages we carry.

Margaret is an amazing example of this wonder.

As the story goes, Margaret fell in love with a man named David when she was only ~14 years old. It is unknown exactly when David was born, but it is believed that he was 15-20 years Margaret’s senior. Facing an arranged marriage, she decided to run away with him to the USA. By all accounts, David was also deeply in love with the young Margaret.

David had big plans for establishing a new weaving business in the US and the two set sail with a large crew and all the hopes their hearts could carry.

The ocean, however, did not treat them kindly. First, there were horrible storms followed by deadly sickness. Their well-planned trip turned into a nightmare as all aboard, except Margaret, David, and five crew members died before they reached New York.

Margaret was the sole female survivor of the trip.

Margaret, safely back on land, was also incredibly sick and took many weeks to recover. All of David’s business plans were lost to the ocean and no one would marry the two until Margaret was a bit older. So, while they waited, Margaret spent her days with an older couple David met on a previous trip to the USA and the wife taught Margaret everything she might need to know (cooking, cleaning, sewing, weaving linen, etc.) in preparation for becoming a wife.

The two married a couple of years later, had many children (including Letitia, my 4x great grandma), and moved a few times before settling in Indiana. The years were not always kind to them, but they carried each other through the hard times and lived many decades together.

There is much written about Margaret and David, including a history of the Forsyth family that goes back many centuries. I have to be honest, though, the more I read about Margaret, the more I want to sit with her, listen to it all in her own voice, and soak in her adventurous spirit and phenomenal resilience.

In Your Research…

Have you come across stories of your ancestors that blow your mind? Stories that could have played out wildly differently, changing the course of your lineage and existence?

Housekeeping

My theme for the 2025 A to Z Challenge is Kin! The first names of direct lineage kin, to be more specific.

I’m spending the majority of the month focusing on the first names of many of my direct lineage kin. I’ll include their full names, any vital information I’ve found in my research, their relation to me, any fun tidbits/characteristics/experiences, and any commonalities I may have gleaned between myself and them.

In a couple of cases, where I have not identified an ancestor whose first name starts with a particular letter, I will choose a unique middle name, a direct line surname, and/or ancestral lands/places of significance.

Pop over here to read my full theme reveal: A to Z 2025 Challenge Theme Reveal: Kin

Pop over here to visit our host and see what they’re up to throughout this year’s challenge: A to Z Challenge

If you’re visiting from the A to Z Challenge please leave a comment so I can visit you, too! If your comment bio doesn’t link back to your site, please feel free to add the link to your most recent post to the comment field so I can be sure to find you.

Thanks for being here! See you again soon!

Onward,

Melissa