Capt. Alfred T. Donnelly, a prominent lawyer and farmer, was born at the old Donnelly homestead near Mountain City, March 9, 1888, the son of Richard and Rebecca (Doran) Donnelly, the former born in Albemarle County, Va., August 17, 1790, she of Robert, a native of Dublin, Ireland, who came to the above county, thence. to Rockingham County, Wilkes County, N. C., and finally to Carter (now Johnson) County, Tenn., where he was a farmer. The father, also a farmer, was a prominent magistrate and constable, whose death occurred on August 26, 1870. The mother was born September 9, 1796, in Washington County, Va., the daughter of Alexander Doran, who came to this county in its early settlement and settled at Head of Laurel, where he was a prominet farmer, and major in the militia. Richard Donnelly enlisted in the war of 1812 and served one month, when peace was declared, and assisted in removing the Indians; was also in the Legislature at Knoxville. She died December 28, 1876. Our subject, the twelfth of thirteen children, was educated at Taylorsville (now Mountain City) Academy and at Boone’s Creek, in Washington County. In September, 1863, he left teaching the study of law, to join Company D, Thirteenth Tennessee Federal Cavalry, became a sergeant-major, and afterward lieutenant, and, while in camp near Knoxville became captain. He was mustered out September 5, 1865, and resumed his law studies this county, where he was admitted to the bar the same year. He first entered into partnership with the late Col. H. Love and N. M. Taylor, now of Bristol, Tenn. At the end of one year he formed a partnership with Judge H. R. Butler (his brother-in-law), which partnership has continued twenty years and still exists. (Judge R. R. Butler was in Congress for eight or ten years after the late war, and is the present member from the First District of Tennessee). Mr. Donnelly has been successful in practice, and became county school superintendent in January, 1878, serving six years. He also has a farm of 175 acres near Mountain City, which he cultivates. He is a Mason. He was also deputy assessor and collector of internal revenue for several years.

Transcribed from Godspeed’s History of TN (1896)