Sinclair, Donald G. 1845-1909

SINCLAIR, PIERCE

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 8/20/2021 at 16:36:20

Elkader Register & Argus, Thur., 15 Apr. 1909. Monona column.

After ten days of illness with pneumonia, the death of Donald G. Sinclair occurred early yesterday morning. Funeral services will be held in the M.E. church, Friday afternoon at 2:30. The family have the sympathy of the neighbors in their bereavement.

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Added by S. Ferrall, 8/20/2021:

Donald G. Sinclair, was born in the Island of Liley, Scotland, on the 16th day of October, in the year 1845.

When Donald was a boy seven years old, his parents emigrated to Canada where he went to school till in his 14th year. Preferring to be a machinist, rather than to study for one of the professions, his father sent him back to Scotland to learn his trade of blacksmith and machinist, here he stayed four years. At the end [of] this period he went to visit an uncle in one of the southern states.

By the threats of the people and the persuasion of his uncle, he enlisted in the Confederate army, in which he served two years. He was engaged in a number of battles, being wounded in the battle of Gettysburg.

At the close of the war he went to Canada, and there after some time had passed, he was married, his wife, however, dying in a few months, then he came to the United States, and worked as a blacksmith for some time, and also engaged in building iron bridges. His widowed mother accompanying him wherever he journeyed, until her death at Dubuque, Iowa, where she was buried.

After his mother's death it seems that he went to Mexico, and worked as a railroad engineer and also at his former work of bridge building. After eight years he returned to the United States, going to Duluth, Minn., where he met Miss Ella Rozell Pierce, who afterward became his wife. They were married Feb. 24, 1891.

Thus after eighteen years together, his companion is left to complete the rest of life's journey without him. These two made their home at Stevens Point, Wis., for five years and at Chicago, Ill. During the time they lived in Chicago he studied Optometry and for five years worked at the profession, before coming to Monona last June.

His was a sociable nature and he loved conversation, this together with his grain of good heartedness made him friends wherever he went. Even in a brief sketch as this, we must not omit to mention the fact that he was also a reader of many books, as well as a traveller over many portions of the Continent of North America.

He was a member of the Masonic Order, The Oddfellows, Knights of Pythias and Macabees.

He was taken ill with pneumonia in the night of March 27 and died early on the morning of April 7, 1909.

The funeral services were held at the Methodist church by the pastor, James B. Bird, April 9th, 1909. The body was interred in the Monona cemetery. Clayton Lodge No. 70, A.F. & A.M. conducted the funeral services at the grave.

~Monona Leader, Thursday, April 15, 1909, pg 5