McCall, Dougald G.

Submitted by: Avis Wells Walton- 3 greats granddaughter of Dougald G. McCall
Lake Jackson, Texas

The first account we have of the McCall family is a paper written by Dougald McCall dated Wednesday, January 1, 1851. The following is a statement he left, “ I thought it would be right to leave something to tell who I was, and from whence I came. I have not much knowledge of my family. I lost my father when I was quite young, not more than two and a half years old. My father was named Samuel, and his father was Hugh, and his father was John, and his father was named John, is as far back as I am able to learn their origin. My mother’s name was Nancy or Ann; her maiden name was McLaughlin; of them I do not know anymore. I was the youngest of the family; there were eight of us, five sons and three daughters, Hugh, John, Daniel, Catherine, Ann, Christene, Duncan, and myself.

I was born in Scotland in Argyllshire on the 12th of January 1790. My parents landed in Wilmington, North Carolina about Christmas of that year. I lived in South Carolina until March 7, 1808. I landed in Natchez Mississippi on the 8th day of May. I have been here ever since.” This statement was signed, “Dougald G. McCall”. Dougald and his brother, Duncan, had left S.C. going through the country to Nashville, Tenn. where they were separated for a while; Dougald taking employment with a horse drover to help drive horses to Natchez, coming through Choctaw Indian Nations, who were in possession of this land at the time. He arrived at Natchez on May 8, 1808. His brother Duncan had taken employment as a hand on a flat boat going down the Cumberland, Ohio, and Miss. Rivers.

Dougald arrived in Natchez before his brother. We don’t know how long they remained in Natchez. Dougald’s first employment was riding for the U.S. Mail from Natchez to Nashville, Tenn. Over the route he had just come. He had many hardships and perils that he encountered in crossing the over-flow stream, and then there was the cold and inclement weather. We don’t know how long he followed this occupation. Dougald was known to be a man of strong religious faith. In his travels he had seen what drink and gambling had done to men he had met, so he made a decision to not drink liquor.

He was of the Methodist belief, and served as class leader and steward up until his last days. In 1825, he married Susan B. Coleman, daughter of Jerimiah and Pheroba Jones Coleman. She was born in the Mississippi Territory, now Adams County, Miss. They settled near Rodney, Miss. On a place they called “The Hills”, near a Presbyterian School, Oakland College, which is now known as Alcorn University. Dougald served as a trustee at the school. He became a Planter and later owned a Mercantile Store in Rodney. The banks failed in 1837. Dougald had gone security for many of his customers and was fighting lawsuits for himself and two other large estates for which he was administrator, for years.

He and Susan had four children, one died as a young child, his name was Horace. His two sons Duncan and Edwin were educated at Oakland College, Duncan graduated in 1845, and Edwin in 1856. Dougald died in 1854, and was buried at the McGill Cemetery near his home. After his death Edwin lived on with his mother. Duncan had married Margaret Clifton of Louisiana. They had moved across the river to a family owned plantation called Clio, in Tensas Parish La. By this time Dougald and Susan’s only daughter had married William W. Watson of Tensas Parish and was living on a Plantation named Cross Keys.

Shortly before the Civil War started Edwin was married to Mary Bowman, and soon went to war. Duncan was not able to serve because of an old leg injury. He and his family moved to Texas, and settled in Cherokee County. After the war, Edwin followed and his family remained in the Jacksonville Texas area until his death. Duncan was back and forth for a few years from Texas to La. finally settling in Texas. This family’s lives changed drastically after the war, as did all of the families of that period. Some of the Blacks who had been with the McCall’s in La. chose to come to Texas with them, so they could start new lives. After the slaves were freed some were at a loss as to how where to go and how to start out to make a living. This was a period of much change! The McCall family was always interested in history and left a wealth of information for their family to come.

A great granddaughter of Dougald McCall, Josie Lee Ramsey Garner was our family historian. She compiled most of this information. She died in 2000, and I would like to dedicate this article to her memory.