Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Macdonald, Norman 
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Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 14, 2008, 2:21 am

Author: Past & Present Will County IL 1907

Norman Macdonald, deceased, who for fourteen years was a blacksmith at the 
steel mills at Joliet-a remunerative position involving large responsibilities—
came to this city in 1878. He was a native of Skye, Inverness, Scotland, born 
in December, 1840. His father, Samuel Macdonald, remained a resident of that 
country throughout his entire life. The son Norman was afforded only common-
school privileges in his native country. When a young man he began learning 
the blacksmith's trade and afterward opened and conducted a shop in his native 
town, working at blacksmithing and horseshoeing there for several years. He 
was the only one of the family that ever came to America, and on crossing the 
Atlantic first settled in Canada, where he had an uncle living. After a brief 
period, however, Mr. Macdonald crossed the border into the United States and 
made his way to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he worked at the blacksmith's trade 
for a few years. He then went to Chicago, where he was also employed in the 
same line for several years. It was while living in that city that Mr. 
Macdonald was united in marriage to Miss Annie Bowman, a native of Scotland 
and a daughter of James Bowman, who was a contractor by trade and likewise 
made his home in the land of hills and heather, but died in New Zealand. His 
wife, however, passed away in Scotland. For a time Mr. and Mrs. Macdonald made 
their home in Chicago, where Mr. Macdonald followed black-smithing for a short 
time, or until 1878, when he came to Joliet to accept a position in the great 
steel mills of this city. He gradually worked his way upward until he became 
recognized as an expert workman, occupying a position there for fourteen 
years, or until the mills were closed. He then worked at his trade in Joliet 
for the firm of Humphrey & Sons, founders and machinists, with whom he 
remained for three years, after which he was employed elsewhere in the city 
for a short time, when he became ill, and on the 17th of February, 1895, 
passed away. He was a republican in politics and held membership in the 
Central Presbyterian church at Joliet, to which his wife also belonged. He was 
very successful in his business life by reason of his expert ability and 
knowledge of the trade, and he won many friends in business and social 
circles. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Macdonald were born three children: Fannie Mary, 
who died in 1881, at the age of four years; Norman, who is a clerk in the 
chief engineer's office of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway at Joliet and 
resides with his mother; and Annabella, who for six years has engaged in 
teaching piano music and resides at home. Mrs. Macdonald has been an invalid 
for the past few years. She and her children occupy a nice home at No. 311 
Herkimer street. 

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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