Searching in the early records of the various jurisdictions that eventually made up Canada was a hit and miss proposition. There were some records but by no means was the whole population covered. The search for the birth of Margaret McPherson was further complicated by the fact that in the three censuses where I've found her listed each recorded a different birthplace: P.E. Island, Ontario and, in 1881, just a dash. Maybe the 1881 informant was also confused as to where she came from.
Wanting to take my search further back, I decided to check the Prince Edward Island, Baptism Index, 1788-1943 for Margaret McPherson. That didn't come up with anything early enough for the Margaret I'm looking for who, according to ages given in the censuses, would have been born between 1817 and 1821. But then the index was for baptisms rather than births so the information was by no means comprehensive.
I am still far from certain where Margaret was born. A check of births in Inverness-shire, Scotland on Find My Past turned up many possibilities for a child named Margaret with a father Donald McPherson in the correct time period. Perhaps I should concentrate on finding more records in Ontario as I have placed her there through multiple records but there are still more left to find. I have not located her in the 1891 census yet. She must have been alive then as Alexander Matheson's letters started in 1895. Perhaps doing an exhaustive search for records in Ontario might turn up something that will help me to take the McPherson line further back.
Sources:
PEI information: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/service/search-public-archives-material-online
Find My Past: Scotland, Parish Births & Baptisms
1564-1929
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