McALLISTER, James ¹

   Other names for James were McALISTER, James ² and McALLASTOR, James.⁴

  General Notes:

In 1881 James McAlister was recorded by the census living at 152 Long Row Auchinleck Ayrshire. He was a boarder in the family whose head was a widow Agnes Gibson, but given the names of the two youngest children and later history, it seems clear that there was a personal relationship between James and Agnes. James was recorded as unmarried, aged 40 years, and of Irish birth. He worked as an iron miner.

In the birth certificates of his two daughters in 1889, James McAllister was recorded as an iron miner. He was a co-informant with Agnes Gibson of the girls' birth and made his X mark.

The 1891 census recorded James McAllister as head of the household at 152 Common Loch, Auchinleck, Ayrshire. Agnes Gibson, a widow, was noted next on the list as 'housekeeper'. Six children were listed as James McAllister's. There were also three visitors, two called Gibson , Mary [married, aged 28, born Carluke Lanarkshire] and Marion [aged 5, scholar, born Wishaw Lanarkshire], and two boarders, one of whom was John Gibson, probably the son of Agnes and Thomas Gibson, the other Edward M. Bell [unmarried, aged 23, coal miner, born Galston]. James McAllister himself was recorded as 50 years of age and born in Ireland. He worked as an ironstone miner.

James McAllastor [sic] was recorded by the 1901 census for the district of Lugar as head of a household living in the parish of Auchinleck. The household consisted of himself, his wife, three daughters and a son. James was recorded as 60 years of age and born in Ireland. By occupation he was an ironstone miner.

In 1912 when Isabella Gibson married in Massachusettes, her father's name was noted as James without any surname being inscribed in the record - the assumption being it was the same as the son of daughter's surname - and her mother's name was noted as Agnes Donaldson. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

James married Agnes DONALDSON, daughter of William DONALDSON and Elisabeth PORTER. (Agnes DONALDSON was born 1840s in Tarbolton, Ayrshire, Scotland ^{3 4 6 7 8} and died after 15 April 1910 ^{3 4 8 9}.)