My Genealogy Hound

Michael McDonald, whose native county was Farmanaugh, Ireland, came to the United States in 1857, when eighteen years of age. He came alone, but had a brother in Lowell, Mass., clerking for Ben Butler at the time, and also a sister living in Boston. After remaining one year in Massachusetts he came to Illinois, remained there until in the fall, and then came on to Missouri and settled in Laclede County, where he was engaged for some time on a farm, working by the month. During the war and for two years after that event he was in the employ of Capt. Owen, in the quartermaster’s department of the United States, located at Raleigh, and afterward at Springfield, Mo. The next fall after the war, or in 1866, Capt. Owen was appointed quartermaster at Fort Relief, Kas., where the subject of this sketch was engaged until the fall of 1868, when he returned to Morgan County, Mo. He was married to Miss Hannah A. Hoist, daughter of Nicholas Hoist, of Morgan County. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. McDonald settled on the place which he had purchased about two years before, and there they remained for seventeen years. He then sold out, and purchased 240 acres about four miles below, where he has since resided. He has added 135 acres, and has a very nice place. Mr. McDonald is Democratic in politics, but a Union man. He says, “all Democrats are not rebels.” He is a member of the Catholic Church. By his marriage to Miss Hoist he became the father of eight living children: Patrick H., Mary A., John N., Peter W., Louis R., Sarah A., Robert E. and Rosa E. Mr. McD. is the son of Patrick McDonald, and grandson of Michael McDonald, of Ireland.