MacDonald, Bess (Mrs. Thomas H.), 1881-1935

MACDONALD, DUNHAM, FINCH

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:36

From the Rock Valley Bee, August 9, 1935:

FORMER RESIDENT DIES

Mrs. Thomas H. MacDonald, wife of the chief of the federal bureau of roads and a native Iowan, died unexpectedly Tuesday from the bursting of a blood vessel.

Surviving, besides her husband, are two children, Thomas H. MacDonald, Jr., and Margaret MacDonald. Mrs. MacDonald was the former Bess Dunham, and at the time of their marriage was secretary to Dean Anson Marston of Iowa State college, Ames, Iowa.

Burial probably will be in Sioux City, Iowa. Mrs. MacDonald was born in Boone, Iowa.

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From the Hawarden Independent, August 8, 1935:

MRS. THOS. H. MAC DONALD DIES
Daughter of Pioneer Sioux County Residents Died in Washington

Mrs. Thomas H. MacDonald, wife of the chief of the federal bureau of roads, died at her home in Washington, D.C., suddenly Tuesday. Mr. MacDonald was at the white house attending a meeting of the works allotment board when informed of his wife‘s death. Mrs. MacDonald had been ill for two years but her condition had not been considered critical. Her death was attributed to the bursting of a blood vessel. Funeral rites will be held in Washington and interment will be made there.

Mrs. MacDonald was the former Bess Dunham, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Dunham, early day residents of Rock Valley and Doon. She was born at the latter place where her parents operated a hotel in the early days and she grew to womanhood there. She attended Iowa State College at Ames and at the time of her marriage to Mr. MacDonald she was secretary to Dean Anson Marston of the engineering department at the college. Mr. MacDonald subsequently became chief engineer for the Iowa Highway Commission but about 1920 was appointed chief of the federal bureau of roads since which time they have made their home in Washington.

Besides her husband she is survived by two children, Thomas H. MacDonald Jr. and Margaret MacDonald. She is also survived by her aged mother, Mrs. Addie L. Dunham of New York City; two sisters, Mrs. Earl Van Valkenburg of Pipestone, Minn., and Mrs. R. L. Hurst of New York City, and two brothers, Fred Dunham of Sioux Falls, S.D., and Bert Dunham of Philadelphia, Pa.

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RESEARCH NOTES

Her FindaGrave.com page shows her as Elizabeth “Bess” Dunham Macdonald, 1881-1925, buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Suitland, Maryland, with a photo of her headstone (“Elizabeth Dunham Macdonald 1881-1935”). It gives her parents as Oscar J. Dunham (1847-1922) and Addie L. Dunham (1857-1941), and names two siblings: Madge Dunham Van Valkenburg (1880-1970) and June Dunham (1892-1932). Her husband is not listed.

The Story County, Iowa marriage register for 1906/1907 has groom Thomas H. MacDonald, age 27, resident of Ames, Iowa, occupation civil engineer, born in Colorado, parents John MacDonald and Elizabeth Harris; bride Bess Dunham, age 27, resident of Ames, Iowa, born in Orange City, parents O. J. Dunham and Addie Finch; married at Ames March 7, 1907.

The 1930 U.S. census shows the MacDonald family living in a rented house in Bethesda, Maryland. His occupation is civil engineer, Bureau of Roads, and their children Thomas Jr. (22) and Margaret (12) are both attending school.