The Donaldsons,  Glenfinn & Welchtown, Co Donegal

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 William's son Samuel Donaldson was born 1793 in Glenfinn Co Donegal - my ancestor.

Samuel's cousin Margaret Donaldson was born in 1787 - presumably the daughter of John

Margaret 1787 - 1876 married Robert Blackburn 1789 -1869 from Kiltyfergal Kilteevoge parish

They had 6 children:-

a) John 1818 -1902      b) Margaretta 1827 - 1900      c)  Isabella 1833 - 1884
d) Mary Ann 1838 - 1884       e)  Esther 1838 -1887 and       f)  William

a) John married Mary Ferguson on 01 Dec 1857 - son William James born 01 Jun 1866 Cloghan Donegal (probably Cloghan Beg or Cloghan More Kilteevoge parish)

b) Margaretta married William C McBay 1826 - 1921 on 25 Jan 1853. They emigrated to  Lansing, Iowa - they had no children. William was a builder and a grocer and a trustee of St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal Parish in Allamakee

c) Isabella married Edward T Whyte 1820 -1893 on 22 Jul 1856. They lived in St Louis Missouri

d) Mary Ann emigrated to USA and remained single

e) Esther married a Mr Morrow

Margaretta McBay wrote many letters from Iowa to her family - she mentioned the Donaldson cousins in Donegal.

Samuel Donaldson 1793 - 1865 married Hannah Campbell, born 1791. She died in 1875. Her father was Thomas Campbell born 1758 who died on 29 Oct 1853 at Ballynatone Welchtown.

Samuel Donaldson was renting from William H M Style during the Griffiths Evaluation in 1836 - house, outbuildings and 53 acres of land

Slaters Directory 1857 Ballybofey  - he is listed as a manure and seed dealer living in Glenafton House  at Welchtown on R252 towards Cloghan                                               

   Glenafton House

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Samuel and Hannah Campbell had 8 known children:-

Eleanor born 14 Nov 1826 and died same day

Isabella born 05 Feb 1829 married her cousin Robert Donaldson from Cloghore Kilbarron near Belleek in 1847   Witnesses were George Donaldson - his brother and William Campbell her uncle

They lived at The Leggs townland Castle Caldwell Co Fermanagh 6 miles from Belleek on the road to Pettigo and Kesh. It once had a Post Office and an old road runs parallel to the present Main road and
his house may have been on this

(Information kindly provided by John Cunningham of Erne Heritage Tours)

Their first 2 children John and George were born there in 1848 and 1850.
They emigrated to Australia in 1853.

Samuel born 07 Nov 1831,  married twice. His first wife was Mary Anne Knox born 1834 from Cloghore near Belleek - they married in 1861 and his second wife was Fanny Hall whom he married in 1869 -
see descent for Samuel further down this page.

Hannah born 22 Jan 1834 also married her cousin John Donaldson from Cloghore Kilbarron near Belleek on 06 Jan 1857. Witnesses were Samuel, her brother and James Knox, his mother's family.  - 2 brothers married 2 sisters - see Robert and Isabella above and also Donaldsons of Cloghore

There were 4 other daughters: -

A third one went to Australia

A fourth Catherine married Robert McClelland on 24/09/1857 at Kilteevogue Parish Church He was a police sergeant, son of Robert McClelland, a farmer from Dungannon (Armagh Diocese) - writing on the record could have been Drumflugh? townland in Clonfeacle parish

Samuel 1831-1900 married his 1st wife  Mary Anne Knox 1834 -1864 from Cloghore, in 1861.- daughter of William Knox 1800-1890

Samuel Donaldson died in 1900. His will is filed at PRONI. He left substantial assets and shares in both Donegal Railways and Brewsters Ltd - a subsidy of Eastern & South African Telegraph Co

  Samuel's will

Various references to Samuel can be found:-

St John's Church Kilteevogue - his generous contribution to the building of the church

From the wonderful Finn Valley website see the Herron family story - Samuel Donaldson was their landlord.

Samuel and Mary Anne had the following children:-

1. William Henry Hewitt 1862-1949    2. Tom Campbell 1863-1922

1. William JP & Farmer, married Florence Martha Bell 1877-1977 from Mullingar Co Westmeath in St Peter's Church Dublin in 1902. Ulster Covenant Signatures 1912

(They were married By Revs Arthur and Robert McQuade, uncles of the bride  Rev Arthur had married William's step sister Frances Frederica Ellen in 1894).

William was the County Registrar from at least 1890 and was still the Registrar in 1944. He was listed in Donegal Directory of 1904 as a Magistrate.



Click to enlarge

	Marriage of WHH and Florence Martha Bell of Mulllingar in 1902	Florence Bell Donaldson who lived to be nearly 100 years She died in Corlecky Welchtown	Death of Mrs Florence M Donaldson 1977
	Death of WHH Donaldson

William & Florence had 7 children:- Florence Marion 1903-20,  Arthur Samuel 1904-74, Georgina Margaret 1907-95, Emily Francis 1908-93, Norah Helen Ronaldine 1910-98,  William Francis 1912-21, Constance Louisa 1916-91

Family Pictures & Press Cuttings about WHH & Arthur, his son

Norah (1910-1998) maintained a  Family scrapbook, started in  1897 - until  1993. This included  items of other BDMs, locally and in other parts of Ireland and in England.	Norah
	Other Cuttings

2. Tom 1863-1922 was a doctor in Harlington Middlesex and married in 1895 Kathleen Emma Harrison, daughter of H A Harrison, JP of Dogshurst Hounslow, former Bengal Civil Servant - Gradation List 1869 - later a judge in India	The Donaldsons of Harlington Middlesex

(Fanny had a sister called Sarah Elizabeth who married Charles Joseph Boyce 1823-94 - see Halls above)

Samuel & Fanny had 3 children, the first two were born at Ardara, Glenties Donegal:-

1.Kathleen Harriet Mary 1871-73 - died very young as result of a fall.

2.Frances Frederica Helen 1873-1955 married Canon Arthur McQuade in 1894.
Witnesses were Geraldine Isabel Mary McCay and Edward O'Brien
Canon Arthur was the uncle of his wife's step-brother William's wife Florence and was the Incumbent of Kilteevogue Parish from 1888-1914. They moved to Drumragh Omagh. He died in 1929 and they are both buried at Lislimnaghan Graveyard Cappagh Parish near Omagh Co Tyrone. There was one daughter Frances who died aged 2 hours at Aughaveigh Rectory in 1897

Click to enlarge

Rev & Mrs McQuade

McQuades from Co Meath

3.Samuel 1877-1939 became a doctor and married Helen Maud Beresford 1883-1967 in Harlington Middlesex. He later became Chief Medical Officer in the Crown Mines Johannesburg. In 1930 he wrote about pneumonia in Mine Workers
In !901 Sam was a medical student boarding at 19 Fulham Rd London
	Beresford Family History & Photos