Florence Eunice (Goodsell/Goodsil) McDonald (1843-1916)

GOODSELL, GOODSIL, MCDONALD, MACDONALD

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 12/29/2019 at 15:46:44

From Nevada Representative July 18, 1916 (page 3)

MRS. JAS. R. MacDONALD

There comes to our table, somewhat behind time but yet bringing a piece of very much regretted news, a copy of the North Shore Leader, a local weekly published in the Rogers Park district of Chicago, with report of the death of Mrs. Jas. R. McDonald, who forty years ago was a much esteemed resident of this city. The Leader says:

"On Monday evening, May 29 at 6:30 p. m., Mrs. Florence Eunice MacDonald died at her residence, 1225 Leland avenue. She was the widow of the late James R. MacDonald. One daughter Miss Mattie MacDonald, survives. Mrs. MacDonald was born in Vermont seventy-three years ago. She had been a resident of Chicago for more than twenty-five years and leaves a host of friends. She was a loyal member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and, until her last illness, was greatly in the work of the Political Equality League. Her sympathies were very broad, especially with all work for the betterment of woman. For many years she had been a member of the Fullerton Avenue Presbyterian Church. Mrs. MacDonald had suffered from a malignant disease for the past three years, but during all that period, she was an example of heroic courage and noble endurance. She bore her intense suffering without a murmur and retained to the last an unflagging interest in all that concerned her wide circle of friends and in all matter of general and public importance."

Jas. R. McDonald was a young soldier who came to Nevada from Illinois shortly after the close of the civil war and remained here until the spring of 1881. He was a lawyer with a good deal of inventive genius and in his time about the best local politician there was here. He returned to his old neighborhood in Illinois and brought back his bride, a black-eyed and black-haired young woman, having a rather exceptional measure of good sense and general capability. Their one daughter was born here, and they were all-round people whom it was good to know and be associated with. After their removal from Nevada hard luck followed them for a few years. He went into the milling business in Taylor county, and the mill burned down. They were in Des Moines for a time, and then his inventive genius developed a machine that promised to work. They removed to Chicago and the machine did work; so that when he died the year of the great fair at Chicago he was fairly launched on the road to prosperity. Mrs. McDonald and Miss Mattie have continued their residence in Chicago, the daughter being an expert stenographer. As her obituary above would indicate, Mrs. McDonald was woman to have interest and share in the best that was going on in the suburb and city where she lived; and her death must leave a vacancy in the circles where she was known, as it touches the memories of those who knew her in years agone.