Grace Barclay McDonald

Keith’s mother Grace was busy raising a family while her husband Ronald (R.S.) was involved with the lumber business and politics in the town of International Falls. 

Grace about 1896

 

This photo is of Grace as a young girl and it is this young girl that my grandfather Ronald fell in love with and met somewhere in Minnesota.  Maybe it was when he visited her father in Pine River to talk about lumber? Maybe it was on the train to St. Paul/Minneapolis where she attended school?  Miriam her daughter didn’t seem to know the story of how they met or even the date of the marriage as was reflected in her notes that she sent me.  

Ronald and Grace were married in September of 1898 and eventually settled in International Falls with their family.  I wrote about the marriage in my post dated February 20, 2010.  

Grace Barclay

 

Keith’s cousin Mary McDonald Louiseau told me when I visited her in 2000, that Grace liked to read so the library at their home was filled with books.  There is no date on this oval photo of Grace.  

Grace in the Snow

 

Here Grace is sweeping the snow?  Not sure why, but I enjoy the look which reminds me of her daughter Eddie.  I like the contrast in the pictures of my father’s mother and my grandmother.  I have very little information about her.  I think these photos start to show a little of her personality.  In this snow photo she is in a rather shabby dress.  For some reason I think she was pregnant at this time? I do not know the year this snow photo was taken. 

Grace and her children Jan 1911

 

In this picture Grace looks lovely and happy.  Written on the photo is the year 1911.  Left to right:  in the back row is Vivian,  Gordon, and Grace.  In the front row is Miriam, Eddie, Jean and then baby Keith, main star of this blog.  Grace is holding Keith, my dad, close.  If you look closely you can see that Miriam and Eddie’s hair is cut like a boy’s hair cut.  I am wondering if there was a lice problem? 

I have had the good fortune to know all of these siblings of my father Keith.  They were very much a part of my life.  The only one I never knew was Grace for she died very young as you will see.  

I have another blog that I am writing that covers Grace Barclay McDonald’s parents and ancestors.  It is called the “Barclays of Pine River, The Lives of George and Amarilla Barclay.”  You will find it at: http://barclayspineriver.wordpress.com/  Grace’s ancestry goes back to the Mayflower through Grace’s grandparents Elizabeth Keller Spracklin and Daniel Dair/Dare Spracklin.  I will eventually talk more about Grace’s earlier years in that blog up till she meets Ronald (R.S.).

Keith and Gordon – Two Brothers

Gordon and Keith

Keith had a great relationship with his older brother Gordon.  In this photo Gordon is standing proud and holding firmly to his little brother’s hand.  Keith is next to him on the elephant with a happy face.  This photo of the McDonald brothers was probably taken about 1911 in International Falls.  Gordon was born 1904 and Keith was born in 1910 to Ronald and Grace McDonald.  There was 6 years difference in their ages.

Ronald and Grace: Family Life!

Life was good for Ronald and Grace McDonald’s family during the first 10 years they spent in International Falls.   

1910 U.S. Federal Census

 

 The 1910 U.S. Federal Census for International Falls, Koochiching Co., Minnesota shows Keith’s complete family.  It lists his parents Ronald age 46 and Grace age 28, married 12 years. This places their marriage in 1898.  Grace had 7 children of which 6 are living.  It lists all his siblings:  Vivian age 8, Gordon age 6, Miriam spelled Marian age 4, Edna age 3, Laura age 2 and last Keith who is just a baby at 1/12 years old.  All are born in Minnesota except Ronald who was born in Canada.  

McDonald Children circa late 1910

 

This photo was probably taken in late 1910 or early 1911.  There isn’t any snow on the ground but the McDonald children are dressed in fancy outfits and in heavy coats.   The children are left to right:  Jean (Laurie Jean) , Eddie, Miriam, Gordon and Vivian.  Keith is the one on the ground in front of Gordon.   

Keith, Jean, Eddie

 

Another photo of Keith shows him on the left.  His sister Jean seems to be holding him carefully while he is intently looking at the camera.  Jean is so cute in this photo.  Eddie is on the right in a fancy dress with a hat and coat. It is hard to see her face. I love how her hands are clasped.  I wonder if this was regular clothing or dress up that Eddie is wearing?  The hat is very fancy.  This photo was probably taken in 1911.   

These photos are those postcard photos that were popular back then.  You can flip them over an address them and write notes on them.  Unfortunately nothing was written on the backs of these two photos.   

I think the handwriting of their names was done by their mother Grace.

Riverside Drive, International Falls!

Keith at the Window

Ronald and Grace lived in a house on Riverside drive in International Falls.  It was supposedly the fancier part of town.  The house still stands having been turned into apartments.  It is situated very close to the Rainy River which is just across the street behind a stand of bushes.  You can pick your way to a break in them so you can climb down to the beach.  The house  is just across from the lumber mill.  It is probably very altered from what it looked like back then.    

Ronald and Graces Home circa 1905-1915

When I visited International Falls in 2000 and 2001, I visualized my father Keith running and playing in the town and along the banks of the Rainey River but it slowly dawned on me that he might not have remembered the town that much.  He was only there for the first 5-6 years of his life.  My memories of my childhood go back only to about age 4.  So I wonder just how much my father remembered as I walked the banks of the Rainy River. 

Keith by Window, Riverside Drive

In these two photos of my father he is by the window of their house. You can see a little of the interior of the house.  I was told that  Ronald built this house.  I have not been able to prove that family story.

A Baptism In International Falls!

Keith Baptism

The St. Thomas Catholic Church in International Falls has baptimal records on file.  I obtained one for my cousin when she mentioned she didn’t have it.  My dad also had a baptimal document from this church and parish in his papers. 

• The Birth and Baptism Record names him as Keith Barclay John.  My understanding is that the third name is the baptismal name. 
• His parents’ names are given as Ronald MacDonald (note surname spelling) and Grace Barclay. 
• The place of birth is International Falls, Minn.
• The date of birth is March 13, 1910 and the date of baptism is April 1, 1910. 
• The Godfather is John Ryan and Godmother was a Carrie Bacon.  I do not know these names. 
• The priest baptizing him was P. [J.] Killeen.  It was signed May 7th, 1940 but I cannot make out the handwriting of the final signature.   A seal is embossed on the lower left corner.

St. Thomas Catholic Church, International Falls, MN

The spire from this church can be seen from many directions.  It is made of stone and is very beautiful to see from many angles.  This picture was taken in 2000.

A Life Begins in International Falls!

Birth Record Jacket

 

 Keith Barclay John McDonald, was born in International Falls, Koochiching County, Minnesota on March 13, 1910. On occasion his birthday would fall on Friday and his children would tease him about Friday the 13th. He took it in stride.   

It was his custom to always take a day off from work on his birthday.  I thought it was a great idea.  So in honor of this tradition, I took a day off work for my birthday.  He believed in celebrating the events in his life especially birthdays.    

His birth certificate was dated — issued April 3, 1941.  I found it among his papers.  Many people at this time sought out their birth records so they could apply for Social Security.  It was not always an easy task to obtain a birth record.  His older sister Vivian had letters and affidavits to determine her birthdate and was eventually successful.  

Here is the front jacket and nothing is written on it.  Inside it reads as follows:  

• For his name “—— McDonald (unnamed in return)” 
• Birthdate is Mar. 13, 1910. 
• He is listed as male, 7th in order of birth, 7th child of the mother. 
• Father is given as Ronald Sanfield McDonald, age 43, W., birthplace Canada, occupation - Business
• Mother is Grace A. Barclay age 27, W., born Minnesota, occupation – Housewife. 
• Physician was Mary C. Ghostley residing in International Falls
• Date of the report was March 13, 1910.
• The Registrar was a G. F. Swinnerton, International Falls, Date of filing March 20, 1910.  It was signed the State of Minnesota, County of Koochiching, in District Court – Fifteenth Judicial District. 
• J. H. Drummond was the Clerk of the District Court etc. etc.etc.  

This is what I viewed personally as written in the birth registers at the Koochiching County Courthouse in International Falls when I visited there in 2000.  I know this unnamed baby to be my father, Keith.  

Koochiching County Courthouse

 

 Wikipedia gives some very interesting information on Friday the 13^th and its impact on our culture.  I was just teasing him about his birthday being on Friday, but maybe I shouldn’t have???  Oh dear did I just admit to being the culprit?