John Boyd "Boyd" McDonald 1880-1931

MCDONALD, GORTON, MCGUIRE

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 11/5/2010 at 23:06:41

Boyd McDonald
A Prosperous Farmer Died Tuesday Morn

One of the most industrious of the younger farmers of this community, J. Boyd McDonald, died on Tuesday morning. Suffering at times most intensely from chronic catarrh and sinus trouble, worried over business matters, he arose at 4:20 Tuesday morning, was heard going out of doors, then a muffled gun shot, and his father leaving the house, found him already dead.

On Monday he had been in his usual spirit. Interested as always about the home he had fixed a doorknob for his mother. He had retired after planning about the neighborhood threshing and there was not intimation of impending tragedy.

“Boyd” was the oldest of the three children in the J. L. McDonald family. He was born in Elgin, Illinois, on August 4, 1880, and came to Iowa in 1900 with his father’s household. They made their home near Mallard moving to this community in 1912.

He attended high school in Mallard and College at Buena Vista and won a place for himself with faculty and student body by his unswerving fidelity to the very highest and best of ideals.

Coming to Estherville he was married to Miss Ruth Gorton and they have two beautiful children, Ralph and Jean, not yet of school age.

“Boyd” was always a sturdy dependable sterling kind of man. He attended carefully to his own affairs, made few friends, but bound those who were admitted into his confidence to him with unbreaking ties. Most of our citizens feel that he was about the last man in the community who might do away with himself so the shock of his suicide is especially severe.

His brother, Glenn, and his sister, Mrs. Maurine McGuire, both of Cedar Rapids, are the surviving children in the J. L. McDonald family.

“Boyd” was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the burial is being held from there. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, August 5, 1931)

J. B. McDonald Took Own Life Tuesday
Arose Early in the Morning and Ended Life by Shooting; Leaves Wife and Two Small Children; No Cause Known for His Rash Act.

John B. McDonald, 42, who resided on a farm two miles southeast of Estherville, committed suicide at 4:45 Tuesday morning. He used a .410 guage shot gun, the charge entering the forehead. The body was found by McDonald’s father. Tuesday was the victim’s 42nd birthday. McDonald had been suffering with sinus trouble. He was also worried a good deal about the present financial difficulties of his many friends and neighbors, though he had nothing to worry about as far as he was personally concerned. He was born at Elgin, Illinois, August 4, 1889. The family located at Malvern in 1900. Deceased is survived by his wife and two children, Ralph, 5, and Jeanne, 2. His death is also mourned by his father, J. L. McDonald, a brother Glenn and a sister, Mrs. Maurine Maguire of Cedar Rapids. (Graettinger Times, Graettinger, IA, August 6, 1931)

Former Curlew Man Suicides at Estherville
John Boyd McDonald, 42, a farmer living near the city limits of Estherville was found shot to death outside of his home at 4 o’clock Tuesday morning. His father, J. L. McDonald, who is a member of the Emmet county board of supervisors, arose at an early hour only to find the lifeless body of his son near the corner of the house. A shotgun was close to him. The charge had entered the head between the eyes. No one heard the report when the weapon was discharged. The coroner held that there was no question about the son suiciding. Members of the family stated that he had been in ill health for some time and had worried about financial troubles. He is survived by his widow, two small children, and his parents. He lived on his father’s farm a short distance from town.

Mr. McDonald, we are informed by “Stub” Easton, was a native of Elgin, Illinois. He was born August 4, 1889. He came to Mallard in 1900. He lived on a farm in Rush Lake township for many years. His father is a brother of the late Mrs. Dan Johnson. Mr. McDonald moved to Estherville in 1912. (The Democrat, Emmetsburg, IA, August 6, 1931)