Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
VANTROMP DONNELL is a native
of Bates county, Missouri, born July 15, 1866, the son of Anzi and Tresia
(Moore) Donnell, the father a native of Virginia and the mother of Kentucky.
The parents were married in Missouri, where they lived until the father's
death in 1870. The mother has been again married and is now living
in Missouri. Mr. Donnell has one sister, Leona, and one half-brother,
and one half-sister, Frank and Berthola Davidson.
Vantromp Donnell has a good common school
education, which he acquired in the state of his birth, in Henry and Jasper
counties. At the age of eighteen he began life for himself by working
in a smelter. He was thus engaged four years, then took up teaming.
He followed this occupation three years, or until 1889, when he came to
Adams county and located as a homestead his present farm. He subsequently
purchased a quarter-section of land in addition to his homestead, and he
has all of his land in an advanced state of cultivation and improvement.
He has a fine house and barn, an excellent orchard and a herd of well-bred
cattle.
On September 17, 1902, Mr. Donnell was married
to Ella E. Raney, daughter of G. F. and Susan (Williams) Raney, the father
a native of Virginia and the mother of Tennessee. The parents settled
in Little Rock, Arkansas, afterwards removing to southern Missouri, where
they lived seven years. Again removing, they went to Webster county,
Missouri, where they lived nine years, after which time they established
a home in Taney county, of the same state, and there the father died.
The mother continued to live there until 1903, when she came to Adams county,
Washington, where she still lives. Mrs. Donnell is a member of a
family originally comprising eight children, six of whom, besides herself,
are living, Fannie, Mary L., Belle, Epps, Emma, and May. One brother,
William, is dead.
Mrs. Donnell is a member of the Rebekah fraternity
and of the Methodist Episcopal church. The subject of our sketch
is a member of the M. W. A., and in his political convictions he holds
aloof from either party, leaving himself free to vote according to the
dictates of his conscience and for the man of his choice irrespective of
the political party upon whose ticket he is a candidate.
Mr. and Mrs. Donnell have one child, Thelma
E., born June 26, 1903.
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