Mrs. D. J. Sinclair Dies After Short Illness

Heart Ailment Fatal Today to Member of Prominent Steubenville Family

Mrs. Mary Donaldson Sinclair, socially prominent and active in numerous lines of public welfare here for many years, died at her home, 523 North Fourth Street, at 4:45 a.m. today.

She was the widow of Dohrman James Sinclair, banker and philanthropist, of this city to whom she was married November 19, 1884, and who preceeded her in death, August 6, 1915.

Mrs. Sinclair returned ten days ago from St. Petersburg, Florida, where she had spent ten weeks at the Hotel Deermont. She was ill when she came home and heart conditions became aggravated to such an extent that her condition became critical two days ago. News of her death was received with regret by the entire community.

Mrs. Sinclair was born in Steubenville, the daughter of William B. and Emelda Junkin Donaldson, pioneer and influential early residents of this city. She was educated at Steubenville Female Seminary and Washington, Pa., Seminary. She was a member of the Steubenville Seminary alumnae.

Mrs. Sinclair had the ability, education and refining personality that endeared her to others and made her a born leader in public endeavor. SHe was ever a gentle woman, with queenly physical presence. SHe was always prominently active in church work, first in the Second Presbyterian and later Westminster Presbyterian Church.

AUTHORITY ON GENEALOGY
She was an organizer and was first president of the Y. W. C.A. She was head of the Red Cross knitting for Jefferson County during the World War. She was organizing regent of Steubenville chapter D. A. R., and a member of the Daughters of the American Colonists.

In recent years Mrs. Sinclair became an acknowledged authority on American genealogy and was a member of the Institute of American Genealogy. She was awarded a certificate of merit by the council of the Institute in recognition of original research and a meritorious contribution to the archives of American genealogy.

Her most recent accomplishments were the compiling and indexing of the first fifty years of marriage licenses of Jefferson County, comprising more than 10,000 names and indexing the early records of Jefferson County, which is the official record used by the D. A. R. headquarters in Washington, D. C.

Her death closes a life of unbounded activity, one of cheerful industry for others in seeking out information about ancestors, when it was difficult to obtain. She had spent days and driven over many miles seeking such information, for which there was no reward beyond a letter of thankful appreciation.

Mrs. Sinclair delighted in helping others, doing so unselfishly, the very acme of public service.

Five children were born to her union with Mr. Sinclair. One, Marie, wife of Henry Fay Grant, died in March 1917. These children survive: Wilma, wife of Garrett B. LeVan; Katherine Emelda, wife of Dr. Howard H. Minor; Frank Dohrman Sinclair and Dohrman James Sinclair, at home.

These grandchildren survive: Garrett B. LeVan, Jr., Dohrman Sinclair Grant, Mary Carolyn and Katherine Evelyn Minor; also these great-grandchildren, Garrett Julian LeVan, Katherine Wilma LeVan and James Denison Grant; also one sister, Mrs. H. H. Henderson.
*****The Herald Star, Monday, April 1, 1940*****