James McDonald (1845 - 1910)

Born Oct 1845 in Harlem, Winnebago County, Illinois, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Isabelle (Brown) McDonald — married 13 Feb 1873 in Winnebago County, Illinois

Descendants

Died 16 Aug 1910 at age 64 in Elgin, Kane County, Illinois,

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Biography

This profile is part of the Harlem Township, Illinois One Place Study.

James McDonald was an early resident of the Scottish Settlement in Argyle, Illinois.

James McDonald is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Rockford, Illinois.

James was born in 1845 in Harlem, Illinois. He was the son of Scottish immigrants Alexander McDonald and Margaret Howie.

His parents died when he was young and the children were taken in by different families. James went to live with Hugh Reid. ^{[1] [2]}

James married Isabelle Brown in 1873. ^[3]

They had one daughter, Margaret Ella (Brown) 1873 - 1959

James was a prosperous farmer until he hurt his back and experienced financial problems. In 1902 he began to experience hallucinations and imagined he was being persecuted. He was committed to the Elgin State Hospital for the Insane.^[4]

He passed away in 1910 in the State Hospital.

Obituary

JAMES McDONALD DEAD

Rockford Man Dead at Elgin Hospital for Insane and Pellagra is Believed to be Cause. James McDonald, who has been a resident of Winnebago County for many years, died yesterday at the Elgin Hospital for the insane where he had been an inmate for some time. His death is believed to have been caused by pellagra and an autopsy will be held to ascertain the specific cause of death.

He was 65 years old and owned a farm in Argyle until about ten years ago when he moved to this city, having sold his farm. He is survived by his wife and one daughter, Mrs. Robert Brown of Argyle.

The remains will be brought here for burial. Funeral services are to be held Thursday morning at 252 Forest Avenue. Interment is to be in the West Side Cemetery.^[5]

Consanguinity

James and Isabelle were second cousins, once removed. John Howie was the second great-grandfather of Isabelle and the great-grandfather of James.

1880 US Census

Harlem, Illinois ^[6]

• James Mc Donald Self 35 Illinois, United States
• Bella Mc Donald Wife 30 Ohio, United States
• Maggie Mc Donald Daughter 6 Illinois, United States
• Peter Reice Other M 20 Illinois, United States

1910 US Census

Elgin, Illinois ^[7]

Name: James Mcdonald

Event Date: 1910

Event Place: Elgin Ward 6, Kane, Illinois, United States

Age: 66

Relationship to Head of Household: Inmate

Monument for James and Isabelle McDonald

Gravestone Transcription

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXHP-464 : 13 December 2017), James Mc Donald in entry for Hugh Reid, 1860.
2. ↑ Daniel Harvey The Argyle Settlement in Story and History, pg 35.
3. ↑ "Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9L-N4DM : 14 October 2017), James Mcdonald and Isabella Brown, 08 Feb 1873; citing Winnebago, Illinois, United States, county offices, Illinois; FHL microfilm 1,914,042.
4. ↑ Daily Register-Gazette (Rockford, IL) 6 September 1902, page 8 GenealogyBank
5. ↑ Rockford Republic, Wednesday, August 17, 1910
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX2S-BJ8 : 14 August 2017), James Mc Donald, Harlem, Winnebago, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district ED 220, sheet 62A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0261; FHL microfilm 1,254,261.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKF5-X16 : accessed 7 August 2018), James Mcdonald, Elgin Ward 6, Kane, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 73, sheet 12B, family , NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 297; FHL microfilm 1,374,310.

See also:

• Find A Grave: Memorial #182812319  : accessed 06 August 2018), memorial page for James McDonald (Oct 1845–16 Aug 1910), citing Greenwood Cemetery, Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois, USA ; Maintained by Dean McMakin (contributor 46804161) .