John McDonald III

of Tennessee and Madison County, Ohio
1803 - 1883

This page is based on a family history written in 1906 by John McDonald III's half-brother Robert B. McDonald (b. 20 Jul 1832), which sparked interest in the family including correspondence from 1909 and 1910 between Robert's nephews James M. McDonald (b. 1842, son of John III) and George M. McDonald (b. 26 Feb 1857). All are descendants of John McDonald I of Argylshire (b. 1736) who sailed to the United States in 1752.

If anyone reading this has common interests, I would be delighted to hear from you. (email address at bottom of page.)

With thanks to my cousins
Diane and Janet
for Thomas McDonald's information and the beautiful family bible pages
and to
Roberta
for finding them

THIRD GENERATION: John McDonald III of Tennessee and Ohio 1803-1883

According to the family bible, John McDonald III was born in Washington County, Tennessee on 29 Dec 1803. He was the youngest of three children born to John McDonald II and his first wife, Mary E. Melvin. The McDonald clan had settled on the Old Daniel Boone farm in Tennessee around 1785 (see John McDonald II's page for details on his parents, grandparents and aunts and uncles). At about the age of three, John III's family moved on to Ohio, together with the families of several of his uncles.

In April 1807 John's father, John McDonald II, settled as a pioneer farmer on the Upper Glade of Deer Creek in what was later to become Madison County, Ohio (established March 1st, 1810). John III grew up in Madison County and was married there on 19 March 1825 to a local widow, Sally McCoy (married name Davidson). John III continued the family farming tradition and set up home next to his father. His wife, Sally (or Sallie), was born 11 Oct 1805 in Virginia.

John III and Sally had six boys and five or six girls, all raised in Ohio. We have names for all six boys and five of the girls:

1. John IV Wilson McDonald, born 1824, lived in Lafayette. (See details below)
2. Thomas McDonald, born 11 Jul 1827, raised a family in Washington County, Iowa. (See family bible pages and headstone photos below)
3. Joseph M. McDonald, born 1831, d. 1885 - lived in Deer Creek, Madison County, Ohio. Married Mary A., had children William M., Olive M. and Howard. (See census and headstone details below)
4. Maria "Mary" M. McDonald, born 1832/3 - lived in Ohio.
5. Sarah Ann McDonald, born 4 Dec 1835 - married Nathan C. Vickers c. 1852 and lived in Creston, Union County, Iowa. Seven children of which four lived to adulthood: Loriad Valdi Vickers, Daisy, Effie May, John S. (See details of the McDonald-Vickers family below). (family researched by Marigay Warriner and Julie Anderson)
6. William A. McDonald, born about 1837.
7. Sylvina "Vina" J. McDonald, born about 1839.
8. Philomena "Phila" C. McDonald, born about 1841.
9. James M. McDonald, born 1842 - married Lucy A. and lived in Deer Creek, Madison County, Ohio with his children Stella (b. c. 1866), John (b.c. 1869), Sarah E. (b. c. 1871), Perry (b. c. 1874), Imogene (b. c. 1876). In 1885 he moved to Creston, Iowa to live across the street from his older sister Sarah Anna. Corresponded with his cousin George M. McDonald (b. 26 Feb 1857) providing some of this family history.
10. Albert S. McDonald, born 1845, died 1882 (see headstone, below).
11. Estelle McDonald, birth date unknown.

Five years after marriage, John III and Sally appear in the 1830 Federal Census of Madison County, Ohio with two young sons under the age of five (John IV and Thomas). He is listed as John McDonald Jr., alongside his father John McDonald Sr.

John's father, John III, had married for the third time on 22 Mar 1825, only three days after John II married Sally. When his father, John II, was widowed for the third time with a young boy (James Byers McDonald) and twin babies (William and Mary) to care for, it was John III and Sally who cared for the children until John II remarried and his new wife (Mariah Boyd) could care for them. John III and Sally must have been fond of the twins because shortly afterwards they named two of their own children after them. John and Sally lived to have a dozen children and many grandchildren.

The 1850 Federal Census for Deer Creek shows John III as John McDonald Jr. living next door to his father, John II. His son John Wilson McDonald was living nearby in Lafayette township (see below).

Ten years later, on 16 Jul 1860, the 1860 Deer Creek Census shows John and Sally with only three teenage children left in the house: Philomelia C. (19), James (17), Albert (14). John's young half-sister Barbara J. McDonald (19) was also living with them to help Sally around the house.

Sally died on 12 Jun 1869 at the age of 63 and was laid to rest in Deer Creek Cemetery, Madison County, Ohio. Her death was the first in the family bible.

Sally McCoy McDonald b. 11 Oct 1805 d. 12 Jun 1869

By 24 Jun 1880, at the time of the 1880 Federal Census of Deer Creek, Madison County, Ohio John III was a 76 year old widower living with his son James M. McDonald and family. The household was well to do: they had two servants living with them to help around the farm.

John died in London, Ohio just before his 80th birthday. According to the family bible, he died on Christmas eve 1883 but his headstone says Christmas day, 1884. He was buried in Deer Creek Township Cemetery.

FOURTH GENERATION: John Wilson McDonald of Ohio b. 1824

John III's eldest son, John Wilson McDonald was known as Wilson to distinguish him from his father, John III. He lived his whole life in Madison County, Ohio. He married Mary Jane Melvin on 16 Mar 1846 but died childless. The couple can be seen living together in the 1850 Federal Census of Lafayette Township, Madison County, Ohio. He was to die later the same year.

John Wilson McDonald died 3 Dec 1850 at the age of 25, followed a year later by his wife on 2 Mar 1852, age 25 (she was born 1827). Both are buried in the Old Davidson family cemetery, Deer Creek.

FOURTH GENERATION: Thomas McDonald of Ohio/Iowa b. 1827

With thanks to my newfound cousins, especially for these beautiful bible pages from the ornate McDonald family bible which belonged to Thomas' son William Arthur, and now belong to his great granddaughterDiane:

John III's son Thomas McDonald was born in Madison County, Ohio on 11 Jul 1827 (See the family bible Births page). On 16 Nov 1854 he married Anna Elizabeth "Eliza" Byers, born 7 Jan 1833 in Madison County Ohio. (See family bible Marriages page). Eliza was the daughter of Moses Watson Byers and his wife Mary Ann (Brandenburg) Byers, born respectively in Nov 1805 in Chilicothe, Ohio and Apr 1805 in Maryland. Anna Elizabeth "Eliza" Byers was named after her aunt Ann Eliza "Betsy" Byers, who was both Moses' sister and John III's stepmother (she was John II's third wife). Thomas and Eliza moved to Washington County, Iowa where they farmed and raised their family:

• Clara Albertine McDonald - b. 20 May 1856 Washington County, Iowa. Married Newton B. King on 16 Nov 1891. Died 11 Apr 1915. Had a daughter:
  • Helen Irene King - b. 2 Dec 1893 in Denver, Colorado. Became Mrs. Winchell, died in Los Angeles 25 Apr 1957.
  
  
  
• William Arthur McDonald - b. 15 Oct 1858 Washington County, Iowa. Had a large farm, and later lived at 926 Grand Avenue, Ames, Story County, Iowa. Married Ella Lohr and had five children:
  • Lelah McDonald - b. 12 Jun 1888 in Cambridge, Furnas County, Nebraska. Stayed in Ames, Iowa and never married. Died of a cerebral hemorrhage on 21 Aug 1966; ashes buried with parents.
  • Charles Byers McDonald - b. 12 Mar 1891 in Washington County, Iowa and lived most of his life in Ames, Iowa. On 18 Aug 1916 married Hazel Ingham in Whitten. In 1976 moved to Brady, Texas and died there in 1977. Buried with parents. Had three children: William A. of San Marcos, Texas, a son C.K. McDonald of Brady, Texas and a daughter Imojene (McDonald) McHose of Nevada.
  • Warren Thomas McDonald - b. 22 bDec 1893 in Washington County, Iowa. Lived in McMinndville, Oregon. Died on or before 1966.
  • Violet McDonald - b. 4 May 1896 in Washington County, Iowa. Married Mr. Kendrick, lived in Davis, California.
  • Marjorie McDonald - b. Lexington, Iowa on 16 Jul 1902. Married Mr. Easley, lived in Corpus Christi, Texas and Golden, Colorado.
  
  
  
• Edgar Byers McDonald - b. 11 Oct 1860 Washington County, Iowa. Died 3 Dec 1860 in Lexington, Iowa. (See family bible).
  
  
• Lois Anna McDonald - b. 14 Nov 1861 Washington County, Iowa. Married Ernest Likins on 22 Jun 1892 and divorced 2 Apr 1895 after having a son:
  • Howard McDonald Likins - b. Keola, Iowa on 10 Jul 1893.

Thomas and Eliza appear in the 1860 Federal Census of Seventy Six Township, Washington County, Iowa with their first two children and two lodgers:	1894 Map of Washingto Co., Iowa incl. Seventy Six Township (on western edge of county)
First Name Last Name Age Sex Occupation Real Value Personal Value Born McDonald Thos 33 M Farmer 3,400 398 Ohio McDonald A.E. 27 F - - - Ohio McDonald Clara A. 4 F - - - Iowa McDonald William A. 1 M - - - Iowa Reed Henry 16 M - - - N.Y. McDonald Wm 23 M School Teacher - - Ohio
Twenty years later, at the time of the 1880 Federal Census of Washington County, Iowa, Thomas was still farming in Seventy Six at age 52 with his wife Ann E. (age 47), daughters Clara A. (23) and Lois A. (18), and mother in law Mary A. Byers (75). Thomas and wife Ann were born in Ohio, while the children were all born in Iowa. His mother in law, Mary Ann Byers, was born in Maryland, daughter of a German father.

Seventy Six Township, on the western edge of Washington County, was so rural that there was not a single town within its borders. The nearest town, Keola, was just across the border in Keokuk County (see 1894 map). Thomas died in Keola, Iowa on 30 Jan 1890 (see family bible deaths page). His wife, Ann Eliza, died in Canon City, Colorado on 25 Sep 1908.
Thomas' son, William Arthur McDonald, is listed in the 1892 Farmers Directory as McDonald, A.W. of Keota (Keokuk County) This would explain why his father was in Keola when he died. Thomas himself died 30 Mar 1933 in Ames, Iowa and was buried in Ames Municipal Cemetery, Story County, Iowa. His wife, Ella (Lohr) McDonald died in Ames, Iowa on 21 Mar 1950 and was buried with him, as were their chidren Lelah (died August 1966) and Charles Byers McDonald (died 10 Jun 1977).	W.A. McDonald family grave
Headstone of W.A. McDonald	Headstone of Ella Lohr, wife of W.A. McDonald

Putting it all together, the family tree for Thomas McDonald (born 11 Jul 1827) looks something like this:

Note: "Norman" should read "Warren".

In James M. McDonald's letter of 22 Feb 1910 he wrote that his brother Thomas's

son W.A. McDonald lives at Ames Iowa, just at the West line of the City he owns 260 acres of land worth $150.00 per acre, he is a real farmer.

With only this to go on, and with the help of a remarkable lady in Ames, Iowa (thank you Roberta!) we found William Arthur McDonald's grave in Ames Municipal Cemetery, Story County, Iowa. His obituary and funeral home papers showed he was indeed our man. This was very exciting since it finally proved that at least that part of the family history was accurate.

And here are a couple more pages of Marriages and Memoranda from the family bible. The Memoranda page opens with an exceptionally rare divorce in 1895 between Lois Anna McDonald and her husband Ernest Likins. (Does anyone know when divorce law was passed in the US? I think Lois Anna may have the unfortunate distinction of being a pioneer here!)

FOURTH GENERATION: Joseph M. McDonald of Deer Creek, Ohio 1831 - 1885

Joseph died a year after his father and is also buried in Deer Creek Cemetery.	Joseph M. McDonald b. 1831 d. 1885	Mary A. McDonald b. 1848 d. 1913
Joseph and Mary's children are buried with them.	William McDonald b. 1867 d. 1932	Howard McDonald b. 18 Jun 1873 d. Jun 1966	Alice M. Walker wife of Howard b. 1878 d. 1902	Minnie J. McDonald b. 1882 d. 1963

Joseph and family appear in the 1880 census in Deer Creek:

Name	Relation	Marital	Sex	Race	Age	Born	Occupation	Father born	Mother born
Joseph McDonald	Self	M	M	White	49	OH	Farmer	TN	VA
Mary A. McDonald	Wife	M	F	White	34	OH	Keeping House	OH	OH
William M. McDonald	Son	S	M	White	12	OH	At School	OH	OH
Olive M. McDonald	Daughter	S	F	White	9	OH		OH	OH
Howard McDonald	Son	S	M	White	6	OH		OH	OH

FOURTH GENERATION: Sarah Ann McDonald of Iowa, 4 Dec 1835 - 23 Feb 1915

Sarah Ann McDonald was born in Madison County, Ohio on 4 Dec 1835. She married Nathan C. Vickers c. 1852 (probably in Ohio) and the couple went to live in Afton, Union County, Iowa where where they had seven children, of which four lived to adulthood. Nathan enlisted in the Civil War at London, Ohio on 10 Aug 1862 and joined Company A of the 113th Ohio voluntary infantry regiment, but resigned in January 1863 after being injured in the arm. Nathan and Sarah later moved to Creston, Union County, Iowa where Nathan appeared in the Creston General Directory of 1876 as a carpenter. He also worked as a brakesman on the railroad. Sarah died 23 Feb 1915 in Creston and is buried at Graceland Cemetery, Creston, Union County, Iowa. Nathan was born 1821 in Maryland and died 19 May 1919 in Creston. He was buried with Sarah at Graceland Cemetery. Loriad Valdi Vickers - b. 10 Feb 1854 in Ohio. Listed in the Afton General Directory of 1876 working as a post office clerk. First marriage to Carrie Belle Racquet ended in divorce, second marriage to Hilan Olivia "Olive" Barkdull produced four children raised in St. Louis. Loriad Vickers died on 7 Jun 1938 in Overland, St. Louis County, Missouri. Buried at Lake Charles Park Cemetery, Bel-Nor, St. Louis County, Missouri. (Line researched by Marigay Warriner) son - b. 29 Dec 1885 (announced on 7 Jan 1886 in the Afton Enterprise John S. Vickers - born c. 10 Jun 1860 in Ohio. Died 14 Jan 1891 age 30 years, 7 months, 4 days in a train boiler explosion. Effie May Vickers - b. c. 1866, married Casper Weydert, a German engineer working for the C.B. & Q. Railroad. Moved to East Chicago, Indiana. Children: Vernon Weydert - b. 1886, married Adelaide, lived near Chicago. Had twins Betty and John Weydert,b. 1925. Lora Weydert - b. 1898, became Mrs. Parsons. Daisy Maude Vickers - b. 1875 in Afton, Union County, Iowa. In 1893 married Caleb Demuth Agnew, born 1871 in Ohio to Samuel Agnew and Elmira Demuth (b. c. 1845, d. 19 Apr 1936). Daisy died in 1961, Caleb in 1953 (aged 83). (line researched by Julie Anderson) Children: Natalie Agnew - B. 1898, d. 1898 age 11 days. Mervyn Demuth Agnew - b. 16 Nov 1899, m. 23 Aug 1924 to Laurel Everette Anderson (d. Jan 1993), had two children (living) John Vickers Agnew - b. c. 1903, had two children (living)

pictures by Marigay Warriner Sarah McDonald 1835-1915

Nathan Vickers 1821-1919 Loriad V. Vickers 1854-1938

Sarah and Nathan and family appear in the 1880 Federal Census of Creston, Union County, Iowa:

Name	Relation	Marital	Sex	Race	Age	Born	Occupation	Father born	Mother born
N.C. Vickers	Self	M	M	White	46	OH	Carpenter	OH	OH
S.A. McDonald	Wife	M	F	White	45	OH	Keeping House	OH	OH
L.V. Vickers	Son	S	M	White	26	OH	Route Agt. US Mine	OH	OH
John S. Vickers	Son	S	M	White	20	OH	Laborer	OH	OH
Effie Vickers	Daughter	S	F	White	14	IA	At School	OH	OH
Daisy Vickers	Daughter	S	F	White	6	IA		OH	OH

FOURTH GENERATION: James M. McDonald of Deer Creek, Ohio & Creston, Iowa b. 1842

James M. McDonald was born in 1842 in Deer Creek, Madison County, Ohio to John II McDonald and Sally (McCoy) McDonald. He married Lucy A. and remained in Deer Creek, Madison County, Ohio to raise his children: Stella - b. c. 1866 John - b. c. 1869 Sarah E. - b. c. 1871 Perry - b. c. 1874 Imogene - b. c. 1876 In 1885 he moved to Creston, Iowa to live across the street from his older sister Sarah Anna (McDonald) Vickers. In the early 1900's, James corresponded with his cousin George M. McDonald (b. 26 Feb 1857) and these letters providing much of this family history.

FOURTH GENERATION: Albert S. McDonald of Iowa 1845 - 1882

Albert S. McDonald was born in 1845 and died in 1882. He is buried in Graceland Cemetery section C, Lot 58, Grave 2, in Creston, Union County, Iowa.

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Other Family Pages

• Main McDonald page: John I McDonald, 1736-1811
• Thomas McDonald, born 1774
• James McDonald, born 1776
• Malay McDonald, born 1823
• McDonald Biographies: citations from county history books
• McDonald Obituaries: from old newspapers
• Annemarie's Dutch family: the Bruinsma, De Vet and De Leeuw families of Friesland, The Netherlands.

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email to Annemarie Bruinsma Hanlon / Copyright © 2004 - 2010 / Last updated 24 Feb 2010