[Home | Clan Donald | Records by County | Census Records | Contact]
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES / OBITUARIES / NOTICES/ ETC. - CAMBRIA COUNTY
Gen. Joseph M'Donald, our candidate for prothonotary it is only necessary to mention. Born in our midst and having grown with our growth his name is "familiar as a house-hold word" to every voter in Cambria County.
[Cambria Freeman September 7, 1859, p2 c5]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Died on Sunday the 31st ult., at Ebensburg, Richard Andrew, son of Joseph and F. M. M'Donald, aged 6 months.
[Democrat and Sentinel Wednesday August 17, 1864 p2 c4]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
McDONALD
Died in this place on Wednesday 23d instant, after a protracted illness and much suffering, Joseph, youngest son of Joseph and Francis McDonald, aged 8 years and 8 months.
He was a bright, intelligent boy, but the tender flower of his young life has withered and wasted away, just when it gave fair promise of bursting into full and perfect bloom. "Suffer little children to come unto me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven".
[Cambria Freeman August 31, 1871]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Obituary
Died October 26, 1901, at the residence of his son-in-law, Dr. J. A. Doerner, 78 Union St, Cumberland, Md., Gen. Joseph McDonald, of apoplexy, in his eighty-first year.
The subject of this sketch, Gen. Joseph McDonald, was born at the family residence, "Glencoe", about a mile east of Ebensburg, on what is now the county farm. On his father's side he was of Scotch-Irish extraction, a descendant of one of the sturdy McDonald clans of the Highland of Scotland; brave warriors, staunch confessors of the Roman Catholic faith. His mother's maiden name was Miss Rachel White, of Baltimore, a member of an old Maryland family of revolutionary celebrity, her father and brother having fought in the wars for American Independence, and her grandfather being an officer on the staff of Gen. George Washington, and a valued friend of the "Father of our Country." Dr. Charles I. White, a learned priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, was a cousin of the deceased, who was also closely related to Most Rev. William H. Gross, of Portland Oregon, and the Very Rev. Mark S. Gross, of Washington, D.C. Senator Joseph E. McDonald, of Indiana, was his first cousin.
At an early age Gen. McDonald went to Georgetown College, and later was admitted to the Cambria County Bar after having studied law in the office of the late Hon. John Fenlon, in Ebensburg. He passed many years of his long life in the practice of his profession and in politics. As an able lawyer and politician he was well known throughout Pennsylvania. during the Mexican war, President Polk appointed him Brigadier General of militia in Western Pennsylvania. Had another call for troops been made he would have proceeded to the scene of action with his well-drilled brigade. He was elected prothonotary of Cambria county in 1845, serving one term; he was again elected to the same office in 1856, and re-elected in 1859 and 1862, serving in all four terms or twelve years as prothonotary. His father, Cornelius McDonald, also served for three terms as prothonotary of Cambria county.
Gen. McDonald was elected to the Legislature in 1881, and was appointed Chairman of the Judicial Committee. Gen. McDonald succeeded in having a Judicial bill passed which had been pending twenty-two years. By this bill no county in the state was entitled to a judgeship[ that did not have a population of at least 40,000.
He was married in early life to Miss Francis Sarah Gibson, an English lady residing in Philadelphia, and a sister of the late Alfred Craven Gibson. At the death of his wife, October 30, 1891, Gen. McDonald severed his connection with the Cambria County Bar and went to reside with his daughter, Mrs. J. A. Doerner, of Cumberland, Md. Before leaving Ebensburg, a meeting of the Bar Association was held in the court house. Speeches of regret and mutual esteem were made in regard to General McDonald's departure from his old friends, and a substantial proof of attachment and appreciation was made by the presentation to the retiring member of a handsome gold-headed cane. Two years later, his daughter, Mrs. Doerner, died in the bloom of youth, leaving two girls. At Dr. Doerner's earnest request, Gen. McDonald continued to reside with him, constituting himself the guardian of his grandchildren, aged respectively seven and two.
About two years and a half since, Gen. McDonald became partially blind, unable to read or write. His health, however, remained excellent until a year ago, when softening of the brain in a mild form, set in. No regret, no murmur was ever known to escape his lips perfect submission to the decrees of Heaven and constant prayer became the occupation of his declining days. His son-in-law, Dr. Doerner, attended him with all the affection and interest of a true son. Until the end, Oct. 26th, he had the regular attendance of the Very Rev. E. J. Wunder, of Cumberland, and three physicians.
Gen. McDonald outlived his legal friends on the Mountains, they have all since joined "the great majority." He had extraordinary powers of eloquence and was a noted public speaker.
He had eight children, five sons and three daughters; four sons and one daughter died in youth. Those that survive him are Mrs. J. A. Shoemaker, of Ebensburg; Sister M. Thecla, a Visitandine of Baltimore; and Mr. Philip C. McDonald, of Altoona. Miss E. A. McDonald, of Evensburg, is his first cousin. He leaves a number of grand-children, also great-grandchildren.
Gen. McDonald was baptized at Loretto by Prince Gallitzin, and served his Mass for years and at his death had the honor to be one of his pall-bearers. His only brother was Major Philip White McDonald, U.S.A., a graduate of Mt. St. Mary's College and of West Point. He took an active part in the Mexican war and died some years later at New Orleans of yellow fever. His only sister, Alice, died at the early age of fifteen, and is buried at Emmitsburg. Gen. McDonald was the last of an old pioneer Roman Catholic family of Cambria County.
His remains were brought to Ebensburg, immediately after his happy death, arriving here Sunday afternoon and taken to the home of his son-in-law, Mr. J. A. Shoemaker. The funeral took place on Monday morning at 9 o'clock and after a Requiem High Mass in the Church of the Holy Name, interment was made in the adjoining cemetery.
Gentle Spirit, 'neath they native mountain oaks,
Mid the lightning's lurid strokes,
Near they loved and loving folks,
Rest thou in peace.
[Cambria Freeman, Nov 1, 1901. p3 c4]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ebensburg, Pa.
Dedication of the New Court House!
Large Attendance of strangers and Citizens!
Hon. John Fenlon Presides Over the Cerermonies!
Gen. Joseph McDonald, Hon. R. L. Johnston, Hon. John Dean, and Hon. Samuel Calvin Deliver Adresses! ...
... The Address of Welcome was delivered by Gen. Joseph McDonald, and was brief but eloquent... [etc].
[ 1882, paper?, from the Court House file at the HIstorical Society]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------