Descendants of John H. McDonald

On Oct. 3, 1998 the descendants of John H. McDoanld gathered in Kildare for a family reunion and to erect and dedicate a marker in fond memory of their ancestor while listening to the strains of Amazing Grace from the Bagpipe.

The following remarks were made by Howard Rosser and Norma Scott Creed at the marker dedication.

A family story is that John H. McDonald was born on a ship coming over from Scotland. The story passed on to us is that his mother, Mary died at his birth and was given a sea burina. From recent research, his father, James, is believed to have come in to the Port of New Orleans and first lived in Natchitoches Parish, La.

From there the family migrated to northeast Texas to the Mings Chapel area in Upshur County, just south of Gilmer. Here John married the pretty Sarah Elizabeth Beavers, granddaughter of Joheph Beavers of NC, who was in the Texas Revolution. They had three sons, Monroe, Bus and Lolo before she died at or shortly after the birth of the youngest. She is buried in the Mitchell Cemetery near the old home place. A marker was placed by Monroe in the 1940's.

John then married Caroline Ivy in Upshur County and they raised the three boys and a daughter, Nancy by her first marriage. They had five children of their own. John later moved to Cass County, settling near Kildare junction. Gus & Lolo McDonald married sisters, Belle and Janie Whatley, the daughters of Miles Jefferson Whatley and Savannah Gaither.

These two families lived in peace and harmony as neighbors for many years on their farms southwest of Kildare, their descendants devolping a special kinship. They were the McDonald's of the Lewis Community, men of character and upright conduct, their women gentle but strong pioneer stock. When in his early 40's John died of pneumonia one extremely cold winter in the 1890's. He was buried in the shade of the big red oak trees in the back of the Kildare Cemetery.

Floye McDonald Thornton (descendant of Gus) remembers the grave being marked for many years by a large brown rock. On Oct. 3, 1998, a marker was placed near the place John was buried. Contributions were made by all family maembers through the efforts of Howard Rosser and Norma Scott Creed who is one of the most avid McDonaly-Whatley genealogists.

Front Side of Marker:

John H. McDonald of Scotland, b. at sea about 1852, d. between 1894 and 1900
m. #1Sarah Elizabeth Beavers, b. 1854, d. before Aug. 1879, buried Upshur Co., Tx.

Children:

Monroe Joesph b. 11-12-1873, d. 3-8-1947
Guss Hamilton b. 1-27-1876, d. 1-5-1943
Lolo Allen b. 3-7-1877, d. 6-24-1946 m. #2Caroline Ivy, b. 10-1860, d. 11-11-1949 buried Kildare Cemetery
Mary, b. 1882,
John H. Jr. , b. 1886
James, b. 1890
Mattie, b. 1893
Claud, b. 1894
Caroline 1878-1962 (Caroline Ivy's child from 1st marriage)

Back Side of Marker:

McDonald

Erected Oct. 3, 1998 by the descendants of the children of: Monroe & Carie:

Leah Doris 1898-
Lewis Cecil 1900-1956
Myrtle Loray 1903-1979
Guss & Belle:
Ethel Pearl 1903-1986
Jesse Leon 1905-1976
Wilford Hamilton 1907-1973
Floye Velvie 1909-1998
Irby Lucille 1912-1982
Milford Monroe 1915-1990
Raymond Wayland 1918-1982
Elsie Muriel 1920-
Wilma Maurine 1924-
Lolo & Janie
Miles Earlton 1898-1900
Myrtle Mae 1900-1964
Jewel Savannah 1903-1979
Annie May 1907-1992
Miles Thomas 1909-1974
John Earl 1910-1983
Clara Bea 1912-1996
Robert Lolo 1915-1994

This information was taken from the Cass County Connections, Vol. 24, Dec. 1998, pg 98-100.