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McDonald
DESCRIPTION
NameMcDonaldDescriptionSamuel McDonald was born 1810, County Tyrone, Ireland.
He arrived in Australia aboard ‘Moffatt’ in 1841, when he was 26 years old.
In 1846, he married Mary Ann Hobson at Balmain. The couple had 12 children;
George b.1847 (married Elizabeth Russell, died 1927, Albion Park)
William b.1849 (married Annie Ball, died 1920, Bowral)
Robert b.1852 (married Emmeline Davis, died 1924, Goulburn)
Samuel b.1856 (died 1873, Jamberoo)
Charles b.1857 (married Elizabeth Moore, died 1937, Bowral)
Sarah b.1858 (married Alexander Davidson, died 1921, Sydney)
Henry b.1860 (married Harriet Knight, died 1933, Chatswood)
Rederick b.1862 (married Charlotte Coleman, died 1941, Auburn)
Alexander b.1865 (married Margaret McCarthy, died 1896, Bowral)
John b.1869 (married Ida Losby, died 1929, Drummoyne)
Wallace b.1871 (died 1938 Wyong)
Emma b.1873 (died 1877, Berrima)
Samuel and family lived in Bowral/Berrima and Illawarra districts.
In 1860, Samuel purchased land on the newly divided Terry’s Meadows estate, on the eastern side of Terry Street at Albion Park.
Samuel McDonald died in 1885 at Bowral, and his wife Mary Ann in 1897. They are both buried at Bong Bong Church Cemetery.
In 1871, Samuel and Mary’s child, George married Elizabeth Russell, daughter of pioneer Ebenezer Russell of Croom. The couple had seven children;
Ebenezer Russell b.1871 (died 1918, Albion Park)
Mary Ann Matilda b.1873 (married Thomas Binks, died 1947 Petersham)
Samuel Hercules b.1877 (married Mary Jane Bell, died 1962, Kiama)
Marian b.1879 (married George Raison, died 1932, Jerrara)
Frederick b.1881 (married Florence Timbs, died 1943, Marshall Mount)
Annie b.1888
Florence b.1891
George and Elizabeth lived on a farm along the Illawarra Highway for a time before moving to Marshall Mount in 1896.
In 1890, Henry Osborne’s Marshall Mount estate was subdivided, and sold at public auction. George and Elizabeth, along with Elizabeth’s brother John Russell, purchased 146 acres including the Osborne’s home, 'Marshall Mount House' for twenty-three pounds per acre.
The McDonalds moved into their new home in 1896 and members of the family still live on the property today.
George and Elizabeth McDonald’s son, Samuel Hercules McDonald married Mary Jane Bell at Albion Park in 1903. The couple farmed ‘Bellmont’ at Croom, named for Mary Jane’s family. Samuel and Mary Jane had five children;
John Henry b.1904 (married Catherine Mathie, died 1971, Albion Park)
Samuel Richard b.1906 (died 1960, Albion Park)
Gertrude Elizabeth b.1908 (died 1915, Shellharbour)
Emily Jean b.1910 (married Clifford Russell Wenham East, died 1998, Wollongong)
Mary Gwyneth b.1914 (married Frank Jones)
Lorna Eunice b.1916 (married William Brown, died 2005, Albion Park)
Elizabeth and George McDonald’s grandson George McDonald, was the third generation of McDonalds to live at 'Marshall Mount House'. His grandchildren are the fifth generation to live on the property. George did much to ensure the preservation of the history of Shellharbour. In the words of author Jim Derbyshire, ‘We are all fortunate to know George McDonald. He is a household name. He is synonymous with Marshall Mount House, Old Time Dancing and community involvement. George always wears a smile and had a heart bigger than Phar Lap’.
External LinkReminiscences of Illawarra - Marshall Mount HouseMany Happy ReturnsMr George MCDonaldFuneral of Mrs Samuel McDonaldDeath of Mrs Samuel McDonaldThe Late Mrs Mary Jane McDonald
He arrived in Australia aboard ‘Moffatt’ in 1841, when he was 26 years old.
In 1846, he married Mary Ann Hobson at Balmain. The couple had 12 children;
George b.1847 (married Elizabeth Russell, died 1927, Albion Park)
William b.1849 (married Annie Ball, died 1920, Bowral)
Robert b.1852 (married Emmeline Davis, died 1924, Goulburn)
Samuel b.1856 (died 1873, Jamberoo)
Charles b.1857 (married Elizabeth Moore, died 1937, Bowral)
Sarah b.1858 (married Alexander Davidson, died 1921, Sydney)
Henry b.1860 (married Harriet Knight, died 1933, Chatswood)
Rederick b.1862 (married Charlotte Coleman, died 1941, Auburn)
Alexander b.1865 (married Margaret McCarthy, died 1896, Bowral)
John b.1869 (married Ida Losby, died 1929, Drummoyne)
Wallace b.1871 (died 1938 Wyong)
Emma b.1873 (died 1877, Berrima)
Samuel and family lived in Bowral/Berrima and Illawarra districts.
In 1860, Samuel purchased land on the newly divided Terry’s Meadows estate, on the eastern side of Terry Street at Albion Park.
Samuel McDonald died in 1885 at Bowral, and his wife Mary Ann in 1897. They are both buried at Bong Bong Church Cemetery.
In 1871, Samuel and Mary’s child, George married Elizabeth Russell, daughter of pioneer Ebenezer Russell of Croom. The couple had seven children;
Ebenezer Russell b.1871 (died 1918, Albion Park)
Mary Ann Matilda b.1873 (married Thomas Binks, died 1947 Petersham)
Samuel Hercules b.1877 (married Mary Jane Bell, died 1962, Kiama)
Marian b.1879 (married George Raison, died 1932, Jerrara)
Frederick b.1881 (married Florence Timbs, died 1943, Marshall Mount)
Annie b.1888
Florence b.1891
George and Elizabeth lived on a farm along the Illawarra Highway for a time before moving to Marshall Mount in 1896.
In 1890, Henry Osborne’s Marshall Mount estate was subdivided, and sold at public auction. George and Elizabeth, along with Elizabeth’s brother John Russell, purchased 146 acres including the Osborne’s home, 'Marshall Mount House' for twenty-three pounds per acre.
The McDonalds moved into their new home in 1896 and members of the family still live on the property today.
George and Elizabeth McDonald’s son, Samuel Hercules McDonald married Mary Jane Bell at Albion Park in 1903. The couple farmed ‘Bellmont’ at Croom, named for Mary Jane’s family. Samuel and Mary Jane had five children;
John Henry b.1904 (married Catherine Mathie, died 1971, Albion Park)
Samuel Richard b.1906 (died 1960, Albion Park)
Gertrude Elizabeth b.1908 (died 1915, Shellharbour)
Emily Jean b.1910 (married Clifford Russell Wenham East, died 1998, Wollongong)
Mary Gwyneth b.1914 (married Frank Jones)
Lorna Eunice b.1916 (married William Brown, died 2005, Albion Park)
Elizabeth and George McDonald’s grandson George McDonald, was the third generation of McDonalds to live at 'Marshall Mount House'. His grandchildren are the fifth generation to live on the property. George did much to ensure the preservation of the history of Shellharbour. In the words of author Jim Derbyshire, ‘We are all fortunate to know George McDonald. He is a household name. He is synonymous with Marshall Mount House, Old Time Dancing and community involvement. George always wears a smile and had a heart bigger than Phar Lap’.
External LinkReminiscences of Illawarra - Marshall Mount HouseMany Happy ReturnsMr George MCDonaldFuneral of Mrs Samuel McDonaldDeath of Mrs Samuel McDonaldThe Late Mrs Mary Jane McDonald
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Person
Event
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CollectionFamiliesFamilyRussellOsborneMcDonaldLocalityMarshall MountAlbion ParkCroomPlaceMarshall Mount HouseBellmont
McDonald. Shellharbour City Council, accessed 20/01/2026, https://discover.shellharbour.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/830







