Rev. Andrew Donaldson 1807-1883

DONALDSON, STRONG, NORTON

Posted By: cheryl Locher moonen (email)
Date: 2/22/2020 at 04:53:48

The following is from theIowa" by Union Publishing Company, Springfield, Ill, 1883, from Chapter 21, Carlton Township, p. 641.

"An organization of the Free Will Baptist Church was effected in 1856 by Rev. Andrew Donaldson, with the following membership: Rev. A. Donaldson and wife; Sampson Strong, wife and daughter. Soon after membership increased to twenty. Meetings were generally held at private residences. The organization was discontinued in 1860.

Rev. Andrew Donaldson, who was the main worker in the church, is a native of Youngstown, Trumbull county, Ohio, born March 24, 1807, removing with his parents, when he was three years old, to Cuyahoga county, which was one vast wilderness. Here Andrew spent his boyhood days attending the pioneer schools, which consisted of log cabins with slab benches. In those days the best recommendation for a teacher was his muscular powers, consequently Andrew's early instruction was very limited, but after years of reading and study he acquired a good practical education. In 1828, he experienced religion and united with the Congregational Church, remaining a member of that organization until 1837, when he united with the Free Will Baptist Church and served as a minister of that denomination for twenty-three years. In 1860, owing to age and infirmities, he retired from active life. Mr. Donaldson has been earnest in his religious work and thinks it wrong for a pastor to receive compensation, referring with pride to the fact that he has never accepted one cent for his services. In politics he was originally a Democrat, but when the slavery question began to enter into politics he advocated freedom for all and worked with the Anti-Slavery party, casting his first vote as a Free-Soiler in 1844. Since the organization of the Republican party he has been one of its warm supporters and has held several local offices. Mr. Donaldson came west to Jackson county, Iowa, in 1845, and in 1853, came to Tama county, locating on section 25, in Carlton township where he still resides. He was united in marriage with Roxana Norton, in 1829, who was a native of Vermont. Eleven children have been born to them, ten of whom are now living. His wife died in Carlton township, March 23, 1869, aged sixty-three years, one month and two days. Mr. Donaldson's father died in the spring of 1883, aged seventy-five years, eleven months and seventeen days."