Fred Alexander MacDonald 1855-1940

MACDONALD, MCDONALD, GREGG, BOONE, LADD, HOYT, HARRIS, KNUTE, DEWALL, OSHER

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 4/17/2015 at 01:05:13

Macdonald Buried Today
F.A. Macdonald passed away at the Coleman hospital Sunday [January 7, 1940] noon from injuries suffered in a fall at his home on December 17. From the fall Mr. MacDonald suffered a broken pelvic bone and this combined with the infirmities of old age brought about his death.

Mr. Macdonald was born in Boston in 1865 [1855]the son of Dr. and Mrs. Alexander Macdonald. When a young man he engaged in maritime activities off the eastern coast of the United States. He first came to this county in 1882 and served as a construction engineer for the old B.C.R. & N. railroad, now the Rock Island.

When he came west this railroad was building westward from Vinton, Iowa, to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Mr. Macdonald had charge of much of its construction.

During his residence in Armstrong he became interested in road improvements and drainage projects and in 1915 he was named county engineer, which position he held until his retirement in 1932. He moved to Estherville in 1921 where he has made his home ever since. Mr. Macdonald was well known both in Estherville and Emmet county and had many friends who respected him for his ability and liked him for his pleasant disposition.

In 1882 Mr. Macdonald was united in marriage with Aurilla Gregg. Two sons were born to them, Herbert who died at the age of five, and Robert, head of a Chicago Music School, who has been with his father since Christmas. Mrs. Macdonald died in 1926. In 1928 Mr. Macdonald was married to Mrs. Mary Ladd Boone. She died in 1935. Besides his son he is survived by a step-son Lloyd Boone of Estherville and a step-daughter Mrs. Nels Osher of Wallingford.

Funeral services were held at 2:00 this afternoon at the Mahlum and Anderson funeral home with Rev. Fred Sawyer in charge. Interment was made in the Armstrong cemetery. The local Masonic order, of which Mr. Macdonald had been a member for over fifty years, had charge of the services at the cemetery. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, January 9, 1940)

Fall Fatal To Mr. F.A. Macdonald
Services to Be Held Tomorrow
F.a. Macdonald, 84, former Emmet county engineer, died at 12.10 a.m. Sunday at the Coleman hospital. Mr. Macdonald had suffered a broken pelvic bone on Dec. 18, when he fell at his home.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. tomorrow at the Mahlum and Anderson chapel. The Rev. Fred Sawyer will have charge of the rites. Burial will be at Armstrong.

Came Here in 1882
Mr. Macdonald first came to northwest Iowa in 1882 as construction engineer for the B.C.R. and N. railroad, which is now the Rock Island. He surveyed for the line from Iowa Falls to Estherville and later was division engineer for the same line. While living at Armstrong he became interested in drainage and road improvement projects in Emmet county. He was made county engineer around 1912 and served the county in that capacity until 1932. He moved to Estherville about 1920.

Mr. Macdonald was born in Boston in 1855, the son of Dr. Alexander Macdonald. His father was the surgeon in charge of the sanitary commission for the Army of the Potomac during the civil war. Dr. Macdonald was also a close friend of Dr. Samuel Howe, husband of Julia Ward Howe.

One Son Survives
Mr. Macdonald was married to Aurilla Catherine Gregg in 1882. Two sons were born, Herbert, who died at the age of five, and Robert N. Macdonald, who lives at 10 West elm St. in Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. Macdonald lived in West Liberty and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Washington, D.C., North Carolina and Alabama. Mrs. Macdonald died in 1926.

Mr. Macdonald was married to Mary Ladd Boone in 1927 at Traer, Iowa. She died in 1935.

He is survived by his son, Robert N. Macdonald.

Pall bearers will be John Thorson, Armstrong; Robert Nichols, Lloyd Boone, Jr., Edwin Osher, J.J. Harker and Charles Lewis. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, January 8, 1940)

Out of town relatives attending the funeral services for F.A. MacDonald were Mrs. Mary Harris of Indianola, Levi Boone, jr., of Reinbeck, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hoyt and family of Sac City, Mr. and Mrs. Marlon Knute of Humboldt, Mr. and Mrs. William DeWall, Mr. and Mrs. Nels Osher, and Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Osher, all of Wallingford. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, January 11, 1940)

Death claimed another long time resident of Estherville when F.A. MacDonald passed away at the Coleman hospital at 12:05 a.m. Sunday.

Death was caused as the result of an accident. Mr. MacDonald fell while getting out of bed, fracturing his pelvis bone. He was taken to the hospital at once for treatment but with his 84 easrs he was too feeble to withstand the shock.

Mr. MacDonald came to this city for the first time when he surveyed the old B.C.R. N. railway into Estherville in 1882. He was later division engineer for the road. When the branch line terminated at Armstrong he became interested in drainage and settled in Armstrong. In 1913 he was made county engineer. Seven years later he moved to Estherville, where he has resided since that time.

He was an exceptional engineer. There was no job too large for him and he was equally efficient on the small work, his motto being accurate at all times. As a man he was genial and accommodating. His friends were numbered by his acquaintances. He was a man one would be pleased to know and have as a friend.

Mr. McDonald was born in Boston, Mass., in 1885 [1855]. He was united in marriage to Aurilla Catherine Gregg in 1882. To this union there were two sons born. One passed away at the age of five. Robert N. MacDonald of Chicago remains the only survivor.

The funeral services were held from the Mahlum and Anderson funeral parlors at two o’clock on Tuesday afternoon the Rev. Fred Sawyer officiating. Interment was made in the family lot at Armstrong. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, January 11, 1940)

Note: per 1855 Massachusetts census records, Alexander McDonald dob 1830, born in Mass. and Maria Hoyt McDonald dob 1835, born in NY. Mother; Margaret McDonald, dob 1810, Scotland

Per 1865 Massachusetts census record, Alexander McDonald was widowed (Surgeon, USA)

Massachusetts Death Record: Mary A. Hoyt McDonald died October 11, 1861. DOB – 1834. Father: Charles F. Hoyt; mother: Susan. Spouse: Alex McDonald