Samuel F. Donaldson

DONALDSON, FELTON, KINCADE, MARSHALL, WEISNER, VAN DORN

Posted By: Marthann Kohl-Fuhs (email)
Date: 3/24/2009 at 17:28:00

SAMUEL F. DONALDSON, a farmer of Lincoln Township, was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, October 18, 1837. He is the youngest of a family of eight children of Robert and Ann (Felton) Donaldson.Her mother was Catherine Kincade, of Scotch Irish descent, who came to America to look after her father, who was supposed to have lost his life in the Revolutionary war. The great grand father of Samuel F. Donaldson, Isaac Donaldson, after serving in the Revolutionary war, was killed by the Indians in 1783, in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. At the same time an aunt and seven children were taken prisoners. The children were killed by the Indians, and after ten years the aunt made her escape. James Donaldson, the grandfather of Samuel F., served in the war of 1812. Robert Donaldson, the father of S. F. Donaldson, was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, on the farm owned by his father, James Donaldson. The grandfather on the mother's side was Robert Felton, a native of Scotland. He also served in the war of 1812. The father of our subject, Robert Donaldson, remained in Westmoreland County, following the occupation of a carpenter until 1850, when he removed to the wild woods of Indiana, settling in Wells County. There he cleared out a farm and remained until his death, which occurred in 1880. His wife, the mother of S. F. Donaldson, died in 1861. Samuel F. Donaldson was thirteen years of age when he removed with his parents to Indiana. There he grew to manhood, attending the common log cabin schools, and receiving the usual training of a farmer's son. In 1861 he enlisted in Company A, for three months' service, at the first call for 75,000 men.On the expiration of the three months he enlisted, on the 30th day of August, 1861, for three years, in Company A, Thirty fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was immediately made chief musician of the regiment, and served in that capacity for four and a half years. He was honorably discharged at Brownsville, Texas, February 20, 1866. He then returned to Wells County, Indiana, and engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1868, when he removed to Polk County, Iowa, and settled on a farm near Polk City. There he resided until the spring of 1880, when lie came to Audubon County, settling upon his farm in Lincoln Township, which was then wild prairie. Upon this new farm he erected a board shanty, twelve feet square. which sheltered the family until better quarters could be provided. However, before these temporary quarters could be provided the family lived in wagons. The first thing to be done was to break out the new farm, and make arrangements for the home. What has been accomplished can best be realized by making a visit to Mr. Donaldson's farm. The place is well fenced, and is stocked with reasonable numbers of hogs, cattle and horses. The residence is attractively surrounded by a grove which was planted by Mr. Donaldson. September 4, 1861, occurred the marriage of Samuel F. Donaldson and Lizzie Marshall, of Wells County, Indiana, in which place she was born and reared. She is a daughter of Robert and Mary A. (Weisner) Marshall, natives of Scotland and Ohio respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson have had born to them four children Kate F., wife of J. L. Van Dorn (the latter died in 1885); Anna E., William F. and Bonnie C. Mr. Donaldson was elected clerk of his township in 1882, and has served in that office ever since until the present time. He is a member of Veritas Lodge, No. 392, A. F. & A. M., at Audubon, and of Utopia Lodge, No. 161, I. O. O. F., at Gray, being one of the charter members. He is also a member of the Hiawatha Tribe, No. 16, I. O. R. M., and of the G. A. R. post at Manning, and is a member of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon, and also the Universal Brotherhood. In politics he actively supports the issues of the Republican party.

1889 BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
SHELBY AND AUDUBON COUNTIES, IOWA
W. S. DUNBAR & CO., PUBLISHERS
113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO

pages 786-787