DUNCAN McDONALD

page 224-25
Duncan McDONALD, one who is closely connected with the farming interests of Lawrence County, is the grandson of Thomas McDonald, who was from the Highlands of Scotland and of the Highland clan of McDonalds. Thomas settled in Virginia near the Tennessee line, and here followed farming. He was a first-class accountant and a very fine penman. He went security for the sum of $1,200, which he had to pay. After this he went security for $8,000 more, and lost this, which crippled him financially. He had been a prosperous merchant in Scotland. He lived to be ninety years of age. His wife was a Miss SCHULER, whom he had married in Scotland. They were the parents of five children: Thomas, John, James, George, and one daughter, whose name is forgotten, who went to Alabama, and whose sons are Methodist ministers. Thomas McDonald, Jr., father of the subject of this sketch, was a native-born Virginian, and was reared in Tennessee on a farm. He married Miss Charity TEETERS, who was the daughter of Capt. TEETERS, and to them were born thirteen children: John, Samuel, James, Thomas, George, Duncan, Mary, Elizabeth, Susan, Nancy, Charity, Julia A. and Angelina. Mr. McDonald was with Gen. MASSEY, and assisted in laying out the city of Chillicothe, Ohio. He first settled in Ross County Ohio, and bought 640 acres of land in Union County. The gold coin was weighed instead of counted that was paid for the farm. He began with but little other property, but finally owned 1,300 acres of land. He was a prosperous farmer and a good liver. He was a member of the Universalist Church, but was very liberal to all churches. He died in Champaign County, Ohio, at the age of seventy-five years. He was a man of powerful build, and was one of the strongest men of his day, possessing an iron constitution. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. His son, Duncan McDonald, was born on his father's farm in Ohio in 1818, and was named by Gen. McARTHUR, who was in the War of 1812, and who lived near Chillicothe, where he was a prominent man. He was the father-in-law of Gov. William ALLEN, of Ohio. Mr. McDonald was reared on the farm, and received a meager education in the common schools. When a young man hewent to Green County, Wis., and mined for lead in this county. He here married Miss Jane A. GREEN, daughter of William C. and Joanna (PHILLIPS) GREEN. Both the Green and Phillips families were early settlers of Rhode Island, and of English descent. They were also early settlers of Green County, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. McDonald are the parents of two children: Charity, born January 1, 1849, and Bron H. who was born October 27, 1855. After marriage Mr. McDonald and family moved to the old McDonald homestead in Union County, Ohio, and there remained for five years. They then went to Iowa, and purchased 1,200 acres of land. After living on this farm for seventeen years, they came to Lawrence County, Mo., in 1887, and here purchased a farm of Judge Richard H. Landrum, consisting of 260 acres of fine farming land. Both Mr. and Mrs. McDonald are Universalists in religious belief, and Mr. McDonald is a stanch Republican in his political opinions. He is a man of property, owning 670 acres of land, besides other real estate and business interests. He is a self-made man, and although seventy years of age still works on his farm. Mrs. McDonald was born near Buffalo, N.Y., in 1827, and is an active, intelligent woman. Their son, Bron H. McDonald, is secretary of the Home Lumber Company of Nevada, and is a prosperous man; he was married to Ada BANKS, of Virginia, and is the father of one child, Fred B. The daughter, Charity, married William HARRIS, and is now living in Iowa. They have four children: Herman H., Bertha J., Edith D. and Edna E.


From "A Reprint of Goodspeed's 1888 History of Lawrence County; Reprint Lawrence County Section of Goodspeed's Newton, Lawrence, Barry And McDonald Counties History; published by the Goodspeed Publishing Co., in 1888; Reprinted by Litho Printers Of Cassville, Missouri In 1973." as transcribed by JJR.

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