August 9, 1956

Transcribed by Janette West Grimes

* CAL’S COLUMN *

[ Continued form last week]

Byrd McDonald, another son of William and Elizabeth Sadler McDonald, married a Williamson, by whom he was the father of: Martha McDonald, married a Womack; Polly McDonald, no further information; Joe McDonald, went to Texas; and John McDonald, also went to Texas.

Jennie McDonald, daughter of William and Elizabeth Sadler McDonald, married a Clark, by whom she was the mother of "Judge" Clark, who never married; George Clark, never married; A. J. Clark, married a Sadler; Robert Clark, never married; Henry Clark, married a Follis; and Dick Clark, who married a Martin.

Polly, daughter of William and Elizabeth Sadler McDonald, married an Apple and became the mother of: Ridley Apple, married a Stewart; Roy Apple, married a Timberlake, a daughter of David Timberlake, a Baptist minister; Wash Apple, married a McDaniel; Fate Apple, married a Apple; John Apple, married a Anderson; Barbara Apple, married a Beatty; Mary Apple, married a brother of Donald, married a brother of Barbara's husband; and Jane Apple, no further information.

Nancy, daughter of William McDonald and his wife, Elizabeth Sadler McDonald, married a Elrod and became the mother of: William Elrod, married a Hurd; John Elrod, married a Warren; Jimmie Elrod, killed in Civil War; Red Elrod, no further information; Mary Elrod, married a Huff; Missie Elrod, married a Sadler; Lina Elrod, married a Glover; and Azie Elrod, married a Boulton.

There are some indications that Henry McDonald, son of William McDonald and his wife, Elizabeth McDonald, was probably known as Hal McDonald. This William McDonald appears to have been a brother of Magness McDonald, from whom are descended all the McDonalds in Macon County.

We have the following additional information gleaned from Tennessee records: Alexander McDonald was one of the executors of the will of John Crawford, Lincoln County, Tenn., dated Jan. 10, 1846. Alexander McDonald lived at that time at Fayetteville, Tenn., and no doubt has been dead for many many years. Eliza Chambers, daughter of Lewis Chambers and his wife, Annie Hunter Chambers, married Randall McDonald, and here our information about this McDonald ends.

Bryan McDonald and Mary McCombs, his wife, located in Newcastle, Delaware before 1689. In his will, probated in 1707, he mentioned the following children: John, William, James, Bryan, Richard, Annable [perhaps Anna Belle], and Mary who married a man named Danger.

Bryan McDonald, Jr., married Catherine Robinson, daughter of James Robinson, and his wife, Catherine Howell, and settled in Botetourt County, Virginia. The writer may add that his mother's people, the Ballous, lived in Botetourt County prior to their coming to what is now Tennessee in 1795. In the will of Bryan McDonald, probated in August, 1757, he mentions the following children: Bryan III, Richard, Prisla, Joseph, Edward, killed by Indians; James, Rebecca, married a Bane; Catherine,who married John Armstrong; and Mary, who married Tobias Smith.

Tobias Smith was the son of Ericus Smyth, said to have been a Swedish priest, who died in August, 1757. After the death of Mary's husband, she settled at Glad Springs, Washington County, Virginia, where she is buried. Their children are as follows: Rebecca, married a Crabtree; Jonas; Elizabeth or Mary, married a Kelly; Catherine, who married Elisha McNew. The children of Catherine and Elisha McNew were: Nancy, married Joseph Worsham; Catherine, married John Hackett; Thomas, married Elizabeth Ivitt; Rebecca, married William Ivitt, Feb. 23, 1791; Elish and Elizabeth, who married Adam Thomas. We have some additional information on the children of Elizabeth and her husband, Adam Thomas, if any of our readers desire same.

Edward McDonald married Nancy Smith on Nov. 22, 1796, in Knox County, Tenn. This was not the Edward Green McDonald, who married Sarah, daughter of James Dobbins Gregory, some time before the Civil War. James Dale married Nancy McDonald on Aug. 30, 1817, in Knox County, Tenn. Samuel Lyle married Susan McDonald on Jan. 30, 1820, in Knox County.

Henry B. McDonald was surety on the bond given by Nathan Simpson who married Polly S. Mitchell, in Wilson County, Tenn., on Dec. 16, 1817. On Dec. 30, 1817, James McDonald married Anne Moore, in Wilson County, Tenn. Gabriel Barton was surety on McDonald's bond. Gabriel Barton married Jane Johnson. Willis Coferld, perhaps Coffelt, married Maria McDonald, with Stephen McDonald as surety on the bond. The date of this marriage is Oct. 10th, year not given in my records.

On July 16, 1836, Joseph McDonald married Emily Furlong, in Wilson County, Tenn. On September 29, 1834, William McDonald married Polly Chandler in the same county. On Sept. 15, 1828, Wilee McDonald married Mary Yandle in Wilson County, Tenn. John McDonald died July 3, 1875, and is buried in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, supposedly located at Nashville. Judith McDonald, aged 64 years was buried in the same cemetery, died Aug. 3, 1876. M. A. McDonald, aged 15 years, buried in same cemetery, died Sept. 10, 1878. Mary Frances McDonald, daughter of John K. and Martha E. McDonald, in Greenwood Cemetery but we do not know where it is located. S. O. McDonald, born Nov. 24, 1830, died June 15, 1863, and was buried in Rucks Cemetery, near Rome in Smith County, Tenn.

The following McDonald names are found in Cathcart's Baptist Encyclopedia:

Rev. Alexander McDonald

He was born in 1814 in Scotland. He was converted at Margaree, Cape Breton, and baptized by Rev. William Burton. He studied at Acadia College from 1838 to 1841. He was ordained pastor in Prince Edward Island. He was pastor of Carleton Baptist church, St. John, New Brunswick, from 1846 to 1849. He died Jan. 27, 1851. He was an earnest, faithful and useful minister.

Gov. Charles J. McDonald

He was born in Charleston, S. C. , in July, 1793. His parents removed to Georgia in his infancy. In his youth he was sent to a classical school in Hancock County, Ga., and was graduated at the University of South Carolina during the presidency of Jonathan Maxey, who at 24 years of age, was president of Brown University. Returning to Georgia, young McDonald studied law, and even in his early manhood took rank with the best lawyers in the State. In a short time he was elected by the Legislature to a judgeship of the Supreme Court. Though his duties were confined to a district, he acquitted himself so handsomely that he became known throughout the State as one of its ablest jurists. Having been previously a member of the Legislature, he had acquired some standing among politicians; and in 1839 was elected Governor of the State by a handsome majority. In 1841 he was re-elected to the same office, although the State, at an election held for President of the United States only a short time previously, had given a large majority to his political opponents. The fact shows that he was a far more popular man with the people than with the party with which he was identified. Retiring from the gubernatorial chair, and being still in the vigor of his days, resumed the practice of law. But in a short time the people called him to be a judge of the Supreme Court of the State, and he continued in the office until disabled by illness which terminated in his death. He died at his beautiful home in Marietta, Ga., in Dec., 1860.

Perhaps no man was more popular in his day than Gov. McDonald. Besides commanding all the votes of his party when a candidate for office before the people, he was sustained, from personal considerations, by many who dissented from his political views. This was not because he descended to the low expedients of the partisan in seeking supporters. He utterly despised all unworthy means. It was his fine character which commanded universal respect. His integrity was above reproach, whilst as a politician he always aimed at the general good. On one occasion during a heated canvass, a friend suggested a method by which he might gain great advantage over his opponent. "It is not honorable," said the governor. "What of that, it shall never be known." "I shall know it myself; and a man cannot afford to know anything mean of himself."

The confidence which the people resposed in his judgement was another source of the support he enjoyed at their hands. His mind was remarkable well balanced. He was singulaarly sagacious and discriminating; and had he been connected as intimately with the national as with State politics, would have left the impress of his wisdom on the legislation of the country. Throughout life, he was a man of the strictest probity and morality. It is believed by those who knew him best that he had experience converting grace, and, though not baptized, he was a decided Baptist in sentiment; and like Nicholas Brown, was closely identified with the Baptists.

Rev. D. G. McDonald

Rev. D. G. McDonald was born Feb. 15, 1834, at Uigg, Prince Edward Island, where his conversion and baptism took place in 1863. He studied at Acadia, and was ordained at Newport, Nova Scotia, Jan. 16, 1873. He labored as missionary for some time on Prince Edward Island. Subsequently he became pastor of the Baptist church at Charlottetown, the capital of that providence, where his ministry proved highly beneficial.

Henry McDonald, D. D.

He was born in the county of Antrim, in the north of Ireland, Jan. 3, 1832. He was educated in the Roman Catholic Church, to which his parents and ancestors all belonged. He was educated in the national schools of Ireland, and afterward passed through the regular course of the Normal School, Dublin. In 1848 he left his native country in consequence of the failure of the patriots to throw from them the yoke of British oppression, and reached New Orleans, which city he left after a few weeks to visit Kentucky. He taught school for some time in Greensburg County, Ky., and later studied law and was admitted to the bar. During his residence in Greensburg County, he made a thorough examination of the doctrines of Roman Caatholicism, the results of which, after a severe mental struggle, was the rejection of the whole system as unscriptural. Abandoning his faith in the church's dogmas, he was led to complete trust in Christ alone for salvation. In consequence of this radical change in his religious views and feelings, he publicly professed his faith in Christ, and united with the Baptist church in Greensburg, having been baptized by the pastor, Rev. George Peck. He soon felt it to be his duty to devote himself to the ministry, and was accordingly licensed by the church and subsequently ordained, in May, 1854. He was invited to the pastorate of the church in Greensburg, and served with great success for nearly ten years. During this period he was also pastor, at different times, of the Friendship and Campbellsville churches, in Taylor County; and the Mt. Gilead church in Green County. For one year he was the pastor of the Tate's Creek and Waco churches in Madison County, and for six years of Danville church. He was afterward pastor of the church in Georgetown, Ky., and at the same time elected to a professorship of Theology in the Western Baptist Theological Institute, from which position he subsequently retired to fill the chair of Moral Philosophy in the Georgetown College, Ky. The honorary degree of A. M. was conferred upon him by the Georgetown College, and the degree of D. D. by both the Georgetown and Bethel Colleges, Ky. Several years ago, Dr. McDonald was invited to the pastorate of Second Baptist church, Richmond, Va., which he accepted, and where he still [1889] labors with eminent success. In 1856 he married, in Greensburg, Mattie Harding, daughter of the Hon. Aaron Harding, for several successive terms a representative in Congress from Kentucky. Dr. McDonald is a greatly gifted preacher, impassioned, eloquent and a master of men's emotional nature. Those who know him intimately honor him greatly.

We may add that we perhaps have some other McDonald information that we can draw on at some future time. But for the present this will have to suffice. We should have added that we have quite a lot of other information relative to the McDonalds of Macon County, one of whom, Elder J. E. McDonald, of Lafayette, is an able and well informed Baptist minister. He is the son of W. D. McDonald, son of Edward Greene McDonald, mentioned earlier in this article.