DONALDSON, JACOB M. and ROBERT S. Among the leading families of Washington county, none are more worthy of prominent mention in the pages of this Biographical Record than that of the gentlemen whose names open this sketch. Jacob Donaldson, their grandfather, was born in 1763, in Ireland, and came to America in early manhood, locating in Washington county, Penn. He married a Miss McKinney, and first settled on a farm in Hopewell township, thence moving to the farm in Mt. Pleasant township, which is yet owned by his descendants. He was a member of the Seceder Church at Hickory, this county, afterward uniting with the U. P. Society. In April, 1850, he moved to the village of Hickory, where he died in August of the same year, having been long preceded by his wife, who had borne him the following children: William (who settled in Somerset township, this county, where he died), James (who settled in Hopewell township, and died in Claysville), Richard (a tailor, of Hickory, who afterward bought a farm and was killed by a falling limb while on his way home from Noblestown), Andrew (who resided in Mt. Pleasant township, where he died), Isaac (of whom further mention is made), Margaret (who died in Hickory), and Mary (deceased wife of James Ackleson, of Hanover township).
Isaac Donaldson was born July 4, 1805, in Hopewell township, this county, where his boyhood was passed. On January 31, 1828, he was united in marriage with Sarah Maxwell, who was born February 18, 1808, in Hopewell township. The young couple resided on a farm in Mt. Pleasant township several years (the farm where William Donaldson now lives), and about 1838 moved to the farm now owned by their son Jacob M., where the remainder of their lives was passed. The father was a prominent farmer, and in politics voted the Democratic ticket, giving that party his cordial and hearty support. In church relations he was formerly a member of the Seceder Church at North Buffalo, later transferred his membership to the United Presbyterian Church, of West Middletown, and afterward united with the Associate Reformed Church at Patterson's Mills. He died November 13, 1882, and was followed by his wife August 19, 1883, in her seventy-fifth year. They were buried in the cemetery at North Buffalo, and left three children, all now living, to mourn their loss, viz.: Jacob M., Robert S. and Hannah J. (wife of David Davidson, Hopewell township).
JACOB M. DONALDSON was born June 5, 1829, in Mt. Pleasant township, this county, and was reared and educated on the farm adjoining his present home. In 1862 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Elizabeth Pry, a native of Cross Creek township, who was reared in Hopewell township, a daughter of John and Hester Ann (Forester) Pry. Mr. Pry was born August 10, 1811, in the "Old Dominion," and in early manhood came to Washington county, Penn., and settled in Hopewell township, where, in June, 1838, he married Hester Ann Forester, born June 2, 1817, in Maryland. She was a daughter of George William and Elizabeth (Clark) Forester, natives of Maryland, of English descent, who moved to Washington county, Penn., about 1817, settling in Buffalo village, Hopewell township. Mr. Forester was a school teacher, which profession he followed for many years, and in religion was a member of the Old Presbyterian Church. He died in Mt. Pleasant township, having been preceded by his wife many years.
Mr. and Mrs. Pry located on a farm in Cross Creek township, and in 1853 moved to Hopewell township, thence to Canton township, and finally settled in Burgettstown, Smith township. He died April 12, 1882, his wife having died October 7, 1868. Their children were as follows: J. Conrad (a soldier in the Civil war, who afterward married Minnie Aiken, at Prairie du Sac, Wis., and lives in Montecito, Cal.), Mary Elizabeth (Mrs. Donaldson), George William (deceased in infancy), James D. (enlisted at Washington and served till the close of the war; he married Mary Bigelow, and lives in Minnesota), John Henry (who died May 8, 1885, was married to Mary Boley, of Allegheny), Samuel Clark (married to Emma Root, of Minnesota, lives in Prairie du Sac, Wis.) and Catherine Rowena (deceased December 11, 1885, in Burgettstown, Penn., wife of Edward B. Evans).
Nine children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob M. Donaldson, viz.: Ina Hester (who was married in 1880 to Dr. McClure, of Alpha, Greene Co., Ohio, and has five children: Roy Donaldson, Robert Templeton, Carl Ralston, James Albert and Mary Etta); Willard Brady (who was married September 11, 1888, to Jennie F. Jackson, a native of Mt. Pleasant township; he graduated from the Western Pennsylvania Medical College with the class of '89, and located at Midway, this county, where he is now successfully following his profession as physician and surgeon. They have had two children, one deceased at the age of six months, and Mary L.); Leoline (who was married June 5, 1890, to Rev. D. T. McCalmont, a U. P. minister of Butler county, Penn., and has one child, Howard Donaldson); Minnie Etta; Edmund I.; John P.; James C.; Robert Lester and Percy J. M.
Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson since their marriage have lived on the farm in Mt. Pleasant township, containing 230 acres of good land, a portion of the old homestead. Politically he is an enthusiastic Democrat; is actively interested in educational matters, and has been a member of the school board. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church at Mt. Prospect.
ROBERT S. DONALDSON was born June 16, 1831, on the home place in Mt. Pleasant township, this county, where he was reared to manhood, and received an education in the district schools. On May 14, 1857, he was united in marriage with Rachel V. Walker, daughter of John Norris and Ann (Vance) Walker, of Cross Creek township, and natives of Jefferson and Smith townships, respectively. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Walker settled in Cross Creek township, this county, where he died in February, 1882, aged seventy-six, having been preceded by his wife in 1870. Both were members of the Presbyterian Church at Cross Creek village.
Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson began wedded life on the farm in Mt. Pleasant township, where he is yet living. Mrs. Donaldson died May 26, 1871. She was the mother of six children, viz.: Frank W., who was married November 8, 1883, to Annie, daughter of James Taggart, and has three children: Earl, Mabel V. and James T.; Flora M., who was married in November, 1880, to James M. Dinsmore, and has four children: Grace W., Mary J., Robert Edwin and William Lloyd; Anna V., who was married December 25, 1884, to Dr. Hugh Hanna, a graduate of Jefferson Medical Institute, class of '92, and has two children: Eva and Hugh; Sarah M., who was married in October, 1887, to John M. Thompson, a farmer of Buffalo township, this county; Charley I. (at home); and Harry N., a dentist of Bellevue, Ohio.
|After the death of his first wife, Mr. Donaldson was married June 25, 1873, to Hettie J. Byers, a native of Donegal township, this county, and daughter of Thomas Byers. Her grandfather, Thomas Byers, was born September 7, 1757, in Ireland, and came to this country in early life. On September 18, 1783, he was united in marriage with Margaret Shannon, of Scotch descent, and settled on a farm in Finley township. The children of this couple were as follows: Samuel, born July 10, 1784 (lived in Ohio); John, born July 22, 1786 (a physician of Piqua, Ohio); Sarah, born March 25, 1788 (wife of Dr. Wiley, of Ripley, Ohio); Thomas, who enlisted in the war of 1812; Jane, born April 3, 1792 (wife of David Stewart, of Ohio county, W. Va.); Margaret, born February 7, 1794 (Mrs. John McDonald. of Donegal township); Ann, born June 20, 1797 (wife of Andrew Yates, of Ohio county, W. Va.); James, born June 20, 1799 (lived in Noble county, Ohio); Nancy, born February 21, 1802 (married to John Brice, of Belmont county, Ohio); Rachel, born June 22, 1804 (Mrs. Hugh Wilson, of Ohio); and William, born March 13, 1809 (resided in Butler county, Penn.).
Thomas Byers, father of Mrs. Donaldson, was born April 22, 1790, in East Finley township, this county, where his boyhood was passed. On April 12, 1813, he was married to Margaret Hamilton, who was born May 9, 1794, in Canton township, this county. After marriage the young people resided in Donegal township till 1851, when they moved to Washington, where Mr. Byers died September 8, 1863. He lost a limb in early life, but the sad accident made him none the less a useful and energetic citizen. He was an ardent advocate of temperance, and held many township offices. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church, and he was superintendent of the Sabbath-school for years. They were the parents of the following children: R. H. (a Presbyterian minister of Houston, Tex.), Thomas (who died December 25, 1870, an attorney of Fairfield, Iowa), Mary R. (wife of James Todd, of Ohio county, W. Va.), Margaret S. (deceased October 11, 1887, married to Benjamin Oldham, of Dallas, W. Va.), John C. (an attorney of Stockton, Cal.), Samuel (deceased February 22, 1872, in Marshall county, Ill.), Alexander R. (a physician and surgeon of Pike county, Ind.), Hettie J. (Mrs. Robert S. Donaldson) and Sarah J. (deceased April 11, 1852).
Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson have continued to reside on the farm in Mt. Pleasant township, upon which he has made many improvements; in 1860 he erected a comfortable brick residence, and has also put up other buildings. The farm contains 235 acres of good land, which is cultivated to the highest degree. Mr. Donaldson votes the Democratic ticket, and in religious faith he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church at Buffalo, of which he is a trustee.
Text taken from page 803 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]