mcdonalda  
 

Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",  published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.

     ALEXANDER W. McDONALD resides about three miles north from Edwall and does general farming and stock-raising.  He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on June 28, 1844, the son of Daniel and Mary McDonald, natives of Scotland.  The father came to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1847 and farmed in that state until 1866, when he journeyed to Black Hawk county, Iowa, and there dwelt until death.  The early schooling of our subject was gained in the little log cabin on the frontier of Wisconsin, and the young Chippewas were his schoolmates.  He labored with his father until the 8th day of October, 1861, when he enlisted in the First Wisconsin Infantry and served his country for three years.  He was in the army of Cumberland and later in the Fourteenth army corps.  Part of the time, he was with General Thomas in Tennessee and participated in the battle of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Perryville, and numerous others.  He was with Sherman on the march to the sea and in 1864 was mustered out of the service as sergeant.  His colonel was J. C. Starkweather.  Following his discharge, our subject joined the navy and served for six months on Farragut's flagship, Mississippi, and six months on the gun boat Benton.  At the end of this service he was honorably discharged from the navy and returned to Iowa and took up farming.  While farming in Iowa, he traveled over the country considerably on different occasions and in 1879 came via San Francisco to Portland, then to Walla Walla.  He explored the country and finally took a homestead where he now lives and took up stock raising.  He also did considerable contract work on the Northern Pacific but gave his attention mostly to handling stock, which he continued until the country was well fenced up.  Since then, Mr. McDonald has given his attention to raising grain.
     In Black Hawk county, Iowa, Mr. McDonald married Miss Emma Lemley, a native of Sheboygan, Wisconsin.  To this union ten children have been born, Flora, wife of Hugh Haynes at Harrington, Sadie, Archer, John, Jessie, Effa, Daniel, Mabel, Maude, and Robert.
     Mr. McDonald belongs to the G. A. R. and is a highly respected member of society.  His long career in Lincoln county has made him thoroughly acquainted with both the pioneer days and later development and he has hosts of friends, both among the old settlers and the newer emigrants.
 


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