McDONALD BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri ==================================================================== McDONALD, Chapman H. - b: 1833 Frankfort, KY source: 1883 History of Henry Missouri , National Historical Co. - page: 716 residence: White Oak Twp Chapman H. McDonald, merchant, farmer and stock dealer, was born May 13, 1833, in Frankfort, Kentucky, his parents being John McDonald, born December 2, 1805, in Culpeper County, Virginia, and Elizabeth W. (Knight) McDonald, born May 26, 1808, and also a Virginian by birth. They were married in Franklin County, Kentucky, in 1826 or 1827, and moved to the state of Illinois in 1834, in 1838, settling in Audrain County, Missouri. Here, on the 20th day of August, 1854, Mrs. McDonald died, leaving a family of eight children. In 1857 Mr. McD. came to Henry County, Missouri, and died June 29, 1880. They reared eight children, five sons and three daughters, only two of whom are now living: Chapman H. and Josiah G., the latter born September 20, 1836, at Mechanicsburg, Illinois. They emigrated with their parents about 1838 to Audrain County, Missouri, and were educated in the common schools in their locality. The elder brother subsequently attended a course of studies at the Commercial College, in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1857. He commenced life for himself in 1856, at Montevallo, Vernon County, Missouri, having chosen the mercantile channel for which he had been previously making preparation. On May day, 1879, he was married to Miss Mariah E. Benner, of Vernon County. He opened his place of business as a merchant at Montevallo, in 1856, where he continued until 1863, then closing his store on account of the war. After the cessation of hostilities he resumed his business, settling in Henry County, Missouri, at Lucas Post office, in White Oak Township, where he has since remained, doing business at present with his younger brother, Josiah G. Their interests in the main are one, both in merchandising, farming, and as general raisers of stock. Mr. C. H. McDonald is postmaster here, succeeding his father. He owns ninety acres (aside from the business interests) in or near his place of business. He has five children : William, Ida, Betsy, Olive and Parel. Politically he is a Democrat and religiously a Christian. ==================================================================== McDONALD, Josiah G. - b: 1836 Sangamon Co, IL source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 336 residence: Henry Co Josiah G. McDonald, a Civil War veteran and an early pioneer of Henry County, is a native of Illinois. He was born in Sangamon County September 26, 1836, a son of John and Elizabeth (Knight) McDonald, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Culpeper County, Virginia. John McDonald came to Missouri from Illinois with his family in 1841, driving the entire distance with an ox team and wagon. Upon coming to this State he first settled in Audrain County and came to Henry County prior to the Civil War. He settled at the town of Lucas, which was then quite a commercial center, for pioneer days, and here he engaged in the mercantile business. He also owned land in that vicinity. He died about 1883. His wife died in Audrain County before the family came to Henry County. They were the parents of the following children: Joseph and John, who are deceased; Josiah G., the subject of this sketch; Chapman, deceased; Frank, deceased; Mrs. Mattie Hargraves; Mrs. Ellen Ridgeway and Mrs. Mollie Carter, the last three named being also deceased. Josiah G. McDonald spent his boyhood days amid the pioneer surroundings of Audrain County and attended school in a primitive log school house of the early days. He was engaged in farming in Clinton when the Civil War broke out. He then joined the Confederate Army and served about three years. During his military career he served, principally, in Missouri and Arkansas. He participated in the battles of Springfield, Wilson's Creek, Prairie Grove and numerous other engagements and skirmishes. At the close of the war he and his brother, Chapman, engaged in the general mercantile business at Lucas, which they conducted for a number of years in partnership, when the brother died and Josiah G. continued until 1897. Mr. McDonald was united in marriage January 15 1865, to Miss Mary M. Snedigar, a daughter of Robert and Malinda Jane (Clinkscale) Orear Snedigar, early Missouri pioneers. The father was a Confederate soldier and died at Springfield, Missouri, in 1862, and the mother died at Lucas, Missouri, January 18 1910, at the advanced age of ninety-one years and two months. Mrs. McDonald was born April 2, 1840, in Rawls County, Missouri, and was one of the following children born to her parents: Mrs. Martha J. Mason, deceased; Mary M., wife of Josiah G. McDonald; Mrs. Sarah Katherine Lee, deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Josiah G. McDonald were born seven children as follow: Dora, who resides at home with her parents; Robert E., Urich, Missouri; Catherine, married D. Gates, Craig, Colorado; Josiah, Urich, Missouri; George W., Urich, Missouri; Mary Florence, married James Marksbarry, Blairstown, Missouri; Viola, married Estelle Pelley, Craig, Colorado. Mr. and Mrs. McDonald are truly entitled to be classed among the foremost pioneers of Henry County. They have lived on their present place for forty-five years. When the McDonald family settled in Henry County deer, wild turkey and other game of the unsettled frontier were in abundance. Clinton was a mere village and the few settlers that lived in the section of the country where the McDonalds located have long since passed to their reward. The McDonald family have in their possession a number of interesting relics of pioneer days, among which are a Seth Thomas clock which is over seventy years old and still measures time as accurately as it did during the Civil War. They also have a cherry dresser which has been in the family for four generations. The McDonald family are among the respected pioneer families of Henry County. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. 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