MacDonald, Ronald 1832-1930

MACDONALD, VANDERVEER

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 6/30/2010 at 09:49:12

Grinnell Herald (Grinnell, Iowa) Dec. 26, 1930

RONALD MACDONALD DIES IN CALIF.

Word has been received here of the death at Los Angeles of Ronald MacDonald formerly of Grinnell.

Mr. MacDoald was an old newspaper writer and correspondent, of Canadian birth and his ancestors were members of the MacDonald clan of Scotland. He served for a time on newspapers at Montreal and later was employed on New York papers. He was a relative of C.H. Spencer and on account of his relatives here he located in Grinnell in the seventies and was for a time a part owner in the corner drug store under the name of MacDoanld, Snider and Co. His home was on the corner where John Goodfellow's residence now is. His first wife died while living here and he was married July 1894 to Clara Vanderveer. He built the home in which the Goodfellows now live.

In August 1894 he bought the interest of S.A. Cravath in the Grinnell Herald, the firm being known at that time as Cravath and Ray. After his purchase the firm was known as Ray and MacDonald until he sold out in 1899 to G.W. Cowden.

Three daughters were born to them and all are alive and were at this bedside at the time of his death. On account of the health of one of the girls he moved to Colorado and later moved to what is now Hollywood, Calif.

All the old timers remember Mr. MacDonald with interest. He was a man of rare talent, high minded, a worthy citizen and all who knew him were his friends.

He was always in good health and lived to the ripe old age of ninety-eight years.
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A.L. Child Sr., Grinnell's photographer since 1880 and before, following the death of Ronald MacDonald, has brought to light one of the old time photographs of that cultured gentleman. Mr. MacDonald came here from New York and he and Mrs. MacDonald became active in all city interests. Mrs. MacDonald was an early member of the Ladies Historical club. Mr. MacDonald was recognized at once as a man of culture and his judgement was respected, and probably no man in his time was more highly honored than he.

He married his second wife, Clara Vanderveer, in 1894 and at once bought an interest in the Herald which he retained for five years. After retiring he lived here for a time and then in Denver but for many years in Los Angeles.

It is interesting to look back and note how a man of his type could pass almost entirely out of the minds of the people in the town where he was so highly regarded for a good many years. He had been gone from Grinnell nearly thirty years. An entire generation has grown up and several generations have moved in and out of the town. It is inevitable that only a few would be left who remember him, but those who do remember the kind-hearted, cultured gentleman who filled so wide a sphere in this town for many years.