DONEGAL BIOS

PORTER

"From History of Scott County, Iowa 1882 Chicago: Interstate Publishing Co."

William Porter, farmer and stock-raiser, was born in Donegal, Ireland, in 1817, son of James and Isabell (Irvine) Porter, who were married in Ireland, and raised a family of nine children, eight of whom are living - William, Joseph, John, James, Samuel, Finley, Robert, Mary, Jane. The subject of this sketch, in May, 1844, married Ann Buchanan. She was born in Donegal, Ireland. He immediately started for the United States; landed in New York, where he was employed in a rolling mill, and remained four years. In May, 1848, came to Scott County, and located on the place where he now resides; entered land, and from the wild, uncultivated prairie has made a beautiful farm. Mrs. Porter died in 1879, leaving a family of five children - Isabell, Eliza Jane, Mary, William, and Samuel. Mr. Porter came to the county a poor man, having about $150 ready money, but having a strong arm and good constitution, went manfully to work, and by good judgment and economy has accumulated a fine property, and is one of the large and well-to-do farmers of the county; has 400 acres of land, valued at $65 per acre. Mr. Porter married for his second wife Mrs. Martha Kerby, widow of James F. Kerby, October, 1881.

WILSON

"From History of Scott County, Iowa 1882 Chicago: Interstate Publishing Co."

James Wilson, farmer and stock-raiser, Le Claire, Iowa, was born in Donegal, Ireland, in 1825, and came to the United States in 1855 and located in Le Claire Township, where he has followed farming since. In 1849 married Jane Galligher; she was born in Ireland. There was a family of 13 children, nine of whom are living, viz.: William, Susan, Nathaniel, Thomas, Sarah J., Andrew, John, Margaret and Mary E. Mrs. Wilson died in 1872. She was a member of Seceeders church. Mr. Wilson has 320 acres of land valued at $75 per acre in Le Claire Township, and 160 acres in Poweshick Co., Iowa, valued at $35. Nathaniel Wilson, deceased, a brother of James Wilson, was born in the same county; came to Scott County in an early day and was among the earliest settlers of the county. Through the influence of Nathaniel, the large family of James Wilson was induced to come to this county and settle in Le Claire Township. Nathaniel Wilson at his death had accumulated a fine property. He died in 1878.

McELHINNEY

A History of Tama County, Iowa Vol II; Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1910.

     Thomas R. McElhinney, a retired agriculturist and stockman residing in Waterloo, is yet one of the most prominent land owners in Tama county, owning in section 15 six hundred and forty acres, in section 16 fifty-five acres and in section 20 eighty acres, all in Geneseo township. he became a resident of this state in 1869, and locating in section 22, Geneseo township, he maintained his home there for thirty-one consecutive years, and in that time worked his way upward from obscurity to a place of prominence in the business world. His first market place was Waterloo, requiring a trip of eighteen miles from his home, while later the towns of LaPorte and Dysart were started, and for may years he traded at Traer. He was long an extensive buyer, feeder and shipper of cattle and hogs, handling in a period of four years over five thousand head, dealing in high grade stock and thoroughbreds. He now leases his large estate and is living in retirement at Waterloo, recuperating his health, for he was severely injured in a runaway accident in that city.
Mr. McElhinney was born at Oil City, Pennsylvania, August 1, 1850, a son of Patrick and Esther (Moffitt) McElhinney, who came to Tama county in 1870. Patrick McElhinney was born in county Donegal, Ireland and coming to the United States in 1845 or 1846 he located in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and from there moved to Oil City, where he was married in 1847. He was a coal mine operator in that state, but after coming to Iowa he lived retired, and his death occurred in Geneseo township in 1872, when fifty-three years of age. Esther McElhinney, his wife, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but her parents were from Donegal, Ireland, and her father became a prominent and wealthy merchant of "Quaker City" but lost quite heavily in Jackson's panic. he later moved to near Oil City, and there both he and his wife died. Mrs. McElhinney, after the death of her husband, moved to Seattle, Washington, and she died there on Christmas day of 1904, when seventy-two years of age. Two of her daughters reside in that commonwealth. Their five children are as follows: A.S., the owner of a fruit and cattle ranch in the state of Washington; Jennie, of Seattle, Washington; and Ella, the wife of J.E. McGrew, also of that city.
     Thomas R. McElhinney attained to years of maturity in Pennsylvania, completing a high school training at Franklin, that state, and a business course at the Iron City Business College at Pittsburg. He taught school in Pennsylvania for a time and clerked in the First National Bank of Waterloo for some two years, in 1872 and 1873, and that institution was among the few of its kind to withstand the memorable financial panic of those times. He has since mainly devoted his attention to stock dealing in connection with farming. He was married to Eleanor J. Hawke, who was born near Canton, that state, a daughter of Robert and Jane Hawke, farming people who spent the last years of their lives there. The ten children born to Mr. and Mrs McElhinney are all living. O.K., the first born, is a resident of Hanley, Canada, where he has served as cashier of a bank, and is also extensively interested in the lumber, land, and grain business. In association with a partner, a Mr. Hall, he has five lumber yards in Saskatchewan, Canada, and they are also handling large tracts of real estate, while recently they have started a townsite, where Mr. McElhinney expects to make his future home. He formerly served as the mayor of Hartley, Iowa, where he was also interested in the lumber business. He is married and has one daughter. A.R. McElhinney is conducting one of his father's farms in Geneseo township. Roscoe C., who is married and has a son, is farming in connection with his older brother, living in section 15. Ralph M is attending the agricultural college at Ames, Iowa, where he is captain of the football team, and he has served as a stock judge at several of the fairs in this state. Nelson is with his oldest brother in Canada; and Lulu, Florence, Salome, Gazelle and Faynelle are in school.
Mr. McElhinney votes with the Republican party, and has served Tama county as a supervisor for one term. He is a member of the Masonic order, including the Commandery at Vinton and El Kahir temple at Cedar Rapids, and has demitted to Waterloo Lodge, A.F. & A.M. he is a member of the Episcopal church, while his wife is identified with the Presbyterian denomination. Mr. McElhinney numbers among his relatives John W. Steele, the millionaire oil operator, and among his former personal friends the late lamented President McKinley, whom he often accompanied on his fishing trips and other sports.

McGONEGLE

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF CLINTON RESIDENTS (Pgs 669-697)
From the book "The History of Clinton County Iowa" by L. P. Allen (1879)

EDWARD McGONEGLE, farmer, Sec. 14; P. O. Delmar; was born in County Donegal, Ireland, in 1825; in 1827, he emigrated to St. John, New Brunswick; thence to Boston, Mass., where he married in 1849, Miss Ellen Develin ; they remained in Boston until spring of 1856, when they removed to Clinton Co., and settled in Hampshire Township and removed to their present residence; they have five children-Sarah (now Mrs. McLaughlin), James, William, Susanna (now the wife of T. H. Canty, merchant at Delmar), and Edward. Mr. McGonegle and wife are members of the Catholic Church; Democrat. His farm consists of 160 acres of land; he also owns twenty acres of timber land in Jackson Co.; he is a man of public spirit and enterprise.

McLAUGHLIN

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF CLINTON RESIDENTS (Pgs 669-697)
From the book "The History of Clinton County Iowa" by L. P. Allen (1879)

WM. J. McLAUGHLIN, farmer, Sec. 19; P. 0. Calamus; owns 460 acres of' land, valued at $25 per acre; son of John and Nancy McLaughlin; born in February, 1823, in Donegal, Ireland; in November, 1848, he shipped from Londonderry, Ireland, via Glasgow to the United States; reached . Philadelphia, Penn., in January, 1849, and, soon after, went to New Castle, Del., and, in the fall of 1849, came to Crawford Co., Penn., where be remained till the spring of 1852; came to Rock Island, Ill., and thence to Peoria, and, in 1856, came into Spring Rock Township, this county, and next to Henry Co., Ill.; in June, 1861, came on to his present farm. Married Rose McDonald Feb. 24, 1861; she was born in County Mayo, Ireland, in 1829; have two adopted children-Francis Herrington and William J. Shaver, Republican.

MARSHALL

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF CLINTON RESIDENTS (Pgs 669-697)
From the book "The History of Clinton County Iowa" by L. P. Allen (1879)

A. MARSHALL, boot and shoe manufacturer, Elwood; is a native of Donegal, Ireland; was born in 1829; emigrated to New York in 1856; in 1859, went to Brooklyn, N. Y., in which place he married Miss Alice McGrath; they moved to Lyons in 1862; thence to Elwood in 1877. Mr. Marshall and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church; Republican. Owns city property in Lyons, situated on Fifth and Pearl streets.

BOYD

Gue, B.F. Biographies and Portraits of the Progressive Men of Iowa. Des Moines: Conaway & Shaw Publishers, 1899.

Boyd, Hugh, teacher and clergyman of Cornell college, Mount Vernon, Iowa, was born August 6, 1835, in Keene, Coshocton county, Ohio. His father was Daniel Boyd, who was born near Ardara, parish of Inniskeel, County Donegal, Ireland, and his mother was Jane Elliott, of Glenconway, parish of Killibegs, County Donegal, Ireland. They came to this country in 1819 to escape the infamous system of land tenure in their native land. Daniel Boyd's father and mother were Robert Boyd and Jane Ramsey, and his wife was a daughter of John Elliott and Frances Blaine. The preceding generation were Albert Boyd, Mr. Ramsey and Kate Karrigan, John Elliott and Annie Lee, Moses Blaine and Jennie McKee. When Daniel Boyd first came to America he was a teacher, and afterwards engaged in weaving fine linen and coverlets, and was a retail merchant in Jefferson and Coshocton counties, Ohio. In 1839 he removed to Athens county, Ohio, and opened up a farm out of the native forest, where, for the remainder of his life, he expended his energies to good purpose. He was an active worker in all religious, political, humanitarian and educational movements of his time. He brought up a large family of children, and all of them now living are well established in life. The educational advantages were not many, but the training of the future teacher and preacher was not neglected. There were the weekly papers, the daily reading from the new testament, the earnest and beautiful prayers of the boy's father and mother, and the frequent visits of the pioneer preacher. On these occasions every subject of human interest was discussed between him and the boy's father. The boy was silent and listened. There was a little district school of irregular attendance of two or three months each year, and finally a seminary was opened in a little village five miles away. Here the boy was prepared for college in a surprisingly short time. Often he had to walk the entire distance to the seminary, but he always got there and made the best use of his time. The farm had made him familiar with hard work and he was not afraid of it. He entered the Ohio university and was graduated with the honor of valedictorian in 1859. Some years later he was further honored with the degree of doctor of divinity.

MITCHELL

Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon Counties, Iowa. Chicago: W. S. Dunbar, 1889.

     THOMAS MITCHELL, a native of the north of Ireland, born about 1826, is the son of Charles and Sarah (McKee) Mitchell, natives of Donegal and Tyrone counties. When our subject was about seven years old the family came to America, to Lake Erie, Pennsylvania, where they remained about six years on a farm; from there they went to Knox County, Illinois, remaining until 1874, when Mr. Mitchell came with his wife to Iowa, settling in Shelby County, Douglas Township, section 4, on a farm of 240 acres of wild and unimproved land. Here he erected a house and commenced life afresh in the new country. This land he has improved until to-day his farm ranks with the finest in the county, all of which he has accomplished by hard and unremitting labor. They had to undergo many hardships in the beginning of their life in the new country, but they aced them bravely, and have succeeded in making themselves a comfortable life. Mr. Mitchell was married July 18, 1852, to Lucinda, daughter of Adam and Sophia Hendricks, natives of North Carolina and Indiana. Mrs. Mitchell was born in Indiana, January 4, 1831. They are the parents of eleven children -Sarah, wife of C. Landon, of Shelby County; Mary, wife of Samuel Bird, of Shelby County; Alexander, also residing in Shelby County; Ellen, wife of Edmond Cazad, residing in Council Bluffs, Iowa; Anna, wife of Henry Wells, of Defiance, Shelby County; Jane, wife of John Anderson of Shelby County; Albert, of Shelby County; Alvin, of Shelby County; Laudeema (deceased); Laura, wife of Albert Bigler, residing in Clay County, Iowa; Ora, at home. Mrs. Mitchell is a member of the Christian church, and they are among Shelby County's most valuable and esteemed citizens. Mr. Mitchell is a Democrat. He now possesses 700 acres of land, most of which he has placed under cultivation.

GALLAGHER

A Memorial and Biographical record of Iowa. Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1896

     Aurelius Culbertson. - In the subject of this sketch is found a representative farmer of Lucas county, Iowa. He owns 230 acres of land in section 17, Lincoln township, about 70 acres of which are timber land, the rest being devoted to general farming and stock-raising. Here he has lived and prospered since December, 1868, giving his whole attention to the improvement and cultivation of his farm. 
     Mr. Culbertson was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, August 12, 1819, son of Alexander and Alice (Mason) Culbertson. Alexander Culbertson was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and in 1810 removed to Muskingum county, Ohio. In Ohio he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring May 7, 1851. By trade he was a millwright. For some years he ran a grist and saw mill, and was very successful in this, and later in life devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits. March 27, 1895, he and his venerable wife celebrated their golden wedding. The subject of our sketch spent his boyhood days on his father's farm, and during the winter months attended school in one of the primitive log school-houses which have so often been described in connection with the early history of the West.
    Aurelius Culbertson chose for his wife Margaret Gallagher, a native of county Donegal, Ireland, born October 11, 1821, daughter of Patrick M., and Martha (McFeeters) Gallagher, the Gallagher family having removed from Ireland to this country in 1836. In this family were six children, four daughters and two sons. Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Culbertson, we make record as follows: John, born January 8, 1846, has been County Treasurer of Lucas county and is at present cashier of the Chariton Savings Bank; Alsia J., wife of James Alexander, lives at Orchard, Nebraska; Louis A., born October 8, 1850, is engaged in mercantile pursuits; Howard, born April 5, 1852, is in business at Wallace, Nebraska; Sarah F., wife of George Champlin, was previous to her marriage a teacher; Mary Adelaide, died November 20, 1881, and is buried in Chariton cemetery; Martha Elizabeth, wife of Jesse Snedecker, Mount Ayr, Ringgold county, Iowa, where Mrs. Snedecker is engaged in merchandising; James William, born December 20, 1859; and Izetta D., who resides on the old homestead. Of the eldest son, John, we further record that he married Angeline Irwin, and that she died, leaving him with four children, Lee, Irwin, Edward A., and Angelin,- the latter only residing with the parents. He was married again in 1887, to Clara Hollinger, and Charles C., was born to them August 28, 1893. 
     Politically, Mr. Culbertson is a Republican.