Samuel W. McDonald
Submitted by Vicky Dennis <vdennis at alltel.net>Samuel W. McDonald, a progressive farmer and stock raiser, and one who has kept thoroughly apace with the times, was born in Randolph County, Ala., in December, 1844, being the son of Sebbon McDonald, who was born and reared in Georgia, but who was married in Alabama to Miss Rhoda Blackston, a native of the last mentioned State. Mr. McDonald served in one of the old Indian wars. He was a farmer, and followed this occupation in Alabama until his death, which occurred about 1864. Samuel W. McDonald attained his growth in Alabama, remained with his father until grown, and in 1862 enlisted in the Confederate army, Seventeenth Alabama Infantry, serving until the final surrender of the Confederacy. He participated in the fight near Dalton, and was stationed nearly all the time at Mobile. He surrendered in 1865, and after being paroled returned to Alabama, where he engaged in farming in Randolph County. He moved to Arkansas in 1876, located in Clay County, remained there two years, and then moved to Boone County, Ark., whence after a residence of two years he returned to Clay County, and settled on his present farm in 1881. He has 120 acres of land, with about seventy-five fenced, and some forty under cultivation. Mr. McDonald has been married twice; first, in Clay County, in 1874, to Miss Elizabeth Sexton, a native of Illinois, who was reared in Arkansas. She died in 1885, and was the mother of four children, who are named as follows: William B., Riley S., Samuel W. and Ollie B. Mr. McDonald took for his second wife Mrs. Adaline Melton, in September, 1886, and the results of this union are two children: John E. and Reuben H. Mrs. McDonald is a native of Clay County, Ark., where she grew to womanhood. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. McDonald is a member of the Baptist Church.
Transcribed from: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas, Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas, 1889.