My Genealogy Hound

J. D. DONNOHUE, who is numbered among the wide-awake and pushing young business men of Sedalia, is engaged in real-estate and loan transactions, and is Secretary of the Sedalia Loan and Security Company. Fortunately possessed of just those persevering and energetic qualities which bring sure success, he has a bright and promising future before him in the world of finance.

Capt. J. C. Donnohue, our subject’s grandfather, was in the Union army during the late war, and there won his title. He was born in Kentucky, near Mt. Sterling, and came to this county about 1835, locating in the southern part of Dresden Township. There he engaged in farming until his death, which occurred in 1880, at the age of seventy years. He was a faithful member of the Christian Church. Daniel Donnohue, father of J. D., is a native of Pettis County, and at one time owned a valuable farm in Dresden Township, but now lives on the home farm in Bates County. He was also a soldier in the Union army, and fought gallantly in defense of the Old Flag. The good wife and mother, Olivia Kidd, was born in this county, being a daughter of Oswald Kidd, who was humorously called “Captain Kidd.” The latter was an early settler of Georgetown, and kept a hotel there for many years. Mrs. Donnohue departed this life in 1876, when our subject was but ten years of age. The other child, Marian, resides with her father.

The birth of the gentleman whose name heads this article occurred near Sedalia, December 23, 1866, where his boyhood was passed, and later he went to Bates County. After leaving the public schools he entered the Butler Academy, from which he was finally graduated. In 1887 he obtained a position as clerk in the freight office of the Missouri Pacific Railroad at Kansas City, and there he remained two years. In 1890 he came to this city, and, entering the firm of Porter & Van Riper, devoted his attention to the real-estate business for one year. In the spring of 1891 he embarked in trade on his own account and opened his present general real-estate and loan office. He laid out the Donnohue & Hughes Addition, comprising eighteen lots in the eastern part of the city, and twelve acres known as the Donnohue & Ramsey Addition, in the northern part of Sedalia. To the south of the city lies the Donnohue & Hoffman Addition, a tract of five acres, and in this also Mr. Donnohue is interested. Besides his real estate he conducts a general loan, brokerage and financial business. In 1891 he organized the Sedalia Loan and Security Company, with a capital stock of $10,000. From the beginning he was the Secretary, and the former President, P. G. Stafford, has been succeeded by B. F. Hughes.

Socially Mr. Donnohue is identified with the Royal Tribe of Joseph, being a charter member of the lodge, and is a Knight of Pythias. His right of franchise he exercises in favor of the Republican party.