Donald Alexander McBain, the first child of Angus and Catherine McKay McBean, was born December 1, 1865 at Drumderfit, Knockbain, Inverness.  He worked as a farm labourer.  A passenger ship record search found a Donald Mcbane of Scotlland arriving at the port of Philadelphia on June 28, 1888, age 23, port of departure, Glasgow, on the ship "Prussian".  His destination was Oxford, Maryland.  He is single.  Although the age and year of birth are the same, there is no confirmation as of February 2007 that this passenger was our Donald A. McBain. 

Donald sent postcards to Jane (Jeannie) Murray, daughter of his sister, Annie McBean Murray.  Jane kept the postcards until her death, at which time they went to her daughter, Betty.  Because of these cards, we are able to determine that Donald lived in the United States and also visited Scotland from time to time.  The next date found is the arrival of the ship "The California" at Ellis Island, New York, from Glasgow, on August 27, 1911.  The passenger manifest lists Donald and Annie McBean, place of residence - Baltimore, Maryland.  Donald's occupation is shown as engineer.  From the postcards we know they lived at Sparrows Point, Maryland, outside of Baltimore.  It is possible they lived in a company housing project as the picture on one of the postcards appears to be of such a project, their home indicated with an arrow.  The first steel for Bethlehem Steel was produced at Sparrows Point in 1889 by the Pennsylvania Steel Company.  It's possible that Donald worked for the Pennsylvania Steel Company, or the Maryland Steel Company which built ships, however as of 2007 this is conjecture.  It's not known where Donald received his education to become an engineer.

No record has been located to date of Donald's marriage to Annie MacLennan, known as "Auntie Ullapool" to distinguish her from all the other Annies in the family.  They did not have children.  Donald died February 11, 1912 of phlebitis and general septicemia at Sparrows Point.  He is buried in Brookview Cemetery, Rising Sun, Maryland.  (It may be of interest that the names of the people buried in the same plot as Donald are:  John Fraser (age 36), and Kenneth McLennan (b. 1858, d. 1/29/14), both born in Ross Shire).  Annie returned to Scotland at some point following Donald's death.  The records office in Edinburgh shows the following:

 Death 1929 Inverness - Annie MacLennan, widow of Donald MacBain, shipbuilder's engineer. Died 14th June 1929 at 40 Old Edinburgh Road, Inverness from cancer of stomach, aged 75. Usual address Market Street, Ullapool.  Father Alexander MacLennan, crofter, deceased, mother Euphemia MacLennan ms MacRae, deceased. Registered by Chris McBain, sister-in-law of 11 Duncraig St., Inverness. 

Where Annie is buried in Scotland is unknown at this time.

Donald McBean & Annie McLennan

Circa 1910

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