John Doner

page 328

The lives of some men are simply told. They have been reared to one pursuit and have followed this with unflagging industry throughout their active careers, perhaps in one locality, and their history must detail solid worth, devoid of the striking features that adorn the course of other men. And there are those, equally successful, whose lines have been cast in both pleasant and unpleasant places, who have been switched from one track to the other and journeyed far from that calm starting point, so that it is often difficult for the subject himself to thread the devious ways by which he has arrived at his present destination; such is the case with the life of Mr. John Doner, who, as one of Monroe county’s popular officers and citizens, deserves an account in this work of personal history.

Michael and Mary(Allen) Doner, the father and mother, were both born in Ireland and when past twenty years of age came to America, where they were married in Utica, New York; they resided here about five years and then came to Elburn, Kane county, Illinois, which continued to be their home until 1888; in this year they removed to Marshalltown, Iowa, and both passed away here, Mrs. Doner dying in 1891 and her husband just one week later. In this country Mr. Doner followed railroading and for three years served in the Civil war in the One Hundred and Forty-sixth Illinois Infantry.

Of the eight children, six boys and two girls, born to the above parents, John Doner was the eldest and was born in the city of Utica, New York, March 8, 1848. He passed his early youth in Elburn, Illinois. He was just fourteen years old when the Civil war broke out, and fired by the spirit of patriotism he one day left the school room, ran away from home and coming to Chicago volunteered his services to the United States army; he was accepted and on June 9, 1862, was enrolled in Company H, Sixty-ninth Illinois Infantry, from which he was discharged September 28, 1862, his term having expired. On January 15, 1863, he re-enlisted in Battery D, First Illinois Light Artillery, under McAllister, and served in this company until the close of the war, being discharged July 28, 1865. He took part in the following well known conflicts: Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hills, the siege of Vicksburg, Nashville and the Atlanta campaign. Being still in his ‘teens when he returned home, he spent one year in school at his home town and then, following the example of his father, he began railroading; in 1867 he entered the employ of the Chicago and Northwestern in the capacity of brakeman and the next year came into Iowa, braking for the same company from Dunlap to Council Bluffs.

In 1870 he was promoted to the position of conductor, but in 1871 voluntarily left that company and obtained a similar position with the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad in Iowa, running a train from Ottumwa to Creston; in the fall of that year he became conductor on the Iowa Central form Albia to Northwood, in charge of a passenger train. In 1873 he suffered one of the many accidents that are incident to this dangerous calling and lost a hand, after which he retired form the business.

During his last engagement he had made Albia his headquarters and he now made this his home. For four years he was a hotel clerk; for three years was the editor and publisher of the Albia Democrat, which he then sold, and entered into the hotel and restaurant business. For four years he served as deputy sheriff under F. S. Miller, and in 1884 he went west to McCook, Nebraska, and in Hayes county of that state he remained five years, in which time he proved up and worked a claim. On returning to Albia he was for three years deputy sheriff under C. M. Forrest and for the next three years was night watchman. In 1895 Mr. Doner became the Populist candidate for sheriff of Monroe county, and in the face of the strong opposition of the Republican and Democratic candidates overcame the majority and was elected. In 1897 he was the fusion choice for the place of the Democrats and the Populists and was successful, as also in 1899 and 1901, being four times elected in a Republican county.

Mr. Doner is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Mystic Toilers. On August 3, 1874, in Albia, Mr. Doner was married to Miss Anna Cramer, and they have one living child, a daughter, Frances. Mr. Doner had a brother, Thomas, who was a soldier in the Civil war, serving three months in the same company as his father, and another brother, Michael, was on the flag-ship Pensacola of the United States navy, for three years; both these brothers are now dead.