Margaret was born on the Isle of Skye to William Watson, a shepherd, and Margaret "Peggy" Ross. It is unclear what inspired her to move south but she married Edward Ford in Sussex in 1890. The couple would go on to have five children: Dollina Margaret, Frances Mary, Edward Watson, William Neal Thomas and Robina Maggie.

Edward reportedly deserted the family at some point in 1911 and Margaret was left to attempt to survive as a poultry farmer. Her daughter Frances had emmigrated to the US and had work as a domestic servant on Long Island and her tales of her new life inspired the family to travel together to join her. They were joined by Margaret's sister Elizabeth Johnston and her family and a family friend Alice Phoebe Harknett. Margaret and Elizabeth planned to meet their brother Thomas in New London, Connecticut prior to reuniting with Frances. 

Sadly, the entire party was lost without a trace in the disaster. Later Edward Ford filed a claim for the loss of the family he had abandoned and was awarded 5 shillings a week.

Frances Ford, having lost her family, later went to live in Haverhill, Massachusetts with her uncle Thomas Watson and later worked as a laundress. She married Charles Henry Langley in 1916 and they had two children, Muriel (b. 1920) and Charles Henry (b. 1922). The fate of Charles Langley is lost to history but Frances remarried before 1930 with a leather dealer from New York, Michael Nathanson. Frances passed away in 1969.