McDonalds In Wayne Co., MI, Probate

Two things in this probate file caught my attention; the deceased's first name was "Richmond" and I thought perhaps he had Richmonds in his ancestry as do I--the second was Ann Lysandra McDonald's California residence.

The information was taken from Probate records from archives of Wayne County, Michigan / Michigan Works Progress Administration, Vital Records Project, published by the DAR:

#3057
McDonald, Richmond [Richard] of Detroit
Intestate
Filed: 28 April 1863
Petitioner and Gdn: Susannah McDonald (w)
Beneficiaries: Mary Maples, Betsey Ann Thayer*, John C. McDonald, heirs of Martha McFarland, late wife of John McFarland, William McDonald, Charles McDonald, and Helen McDonald, all of Michigan and Ann Lysanda McDonald of California
Proved: 26 Jany 1864

Joseph & Mary Maples lived in Greenfield, Wayne, MI, in 1850 as did Richard (subject of the probate file) & Susan McDonald (1850).

*Betsy Jane Thayer
Death Date: 14 Mar 1907
Death Place: Springwells Twp., Wayne, Michigan
Age: 74
Birth Date: 1833
Father's Name: Richard Mcdonald
Mother's Name: Susana Landon
Source Film Number: 1380391
Reference Number: yr 1907 p 247
Collection: Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800-1995
[Note: Betsey's husband was John J. Thayer]

Did John Macfarlane, widower of Martha, marry Martha's sister Helen? It appears so:

Groom's Name: John Macfarlane
Groom's Birth Date: 1840
Bride's Name: Hellen Macdonald
Bride's Birth Date: 1845
Marriage Date: 25 Feb 1868
Marriage Place: Greenfield, Wayne, Michigan
Source Film Number: 1377626
Reference Number: misc bk, p 79 rn393
Collection: Michigan Marriages, 1822-1995

No additional information surfaced pertaining to the two items that originally attracted my attention. As an historical side note, Henry Ford was born in Greenfield Twp., Wayne Co., Michigan, where these McDonalds lived. An historic map of Greenfield Township can be found here.