Name/Title
McDonald family: Hugh and Elizabeth (Irwin) McDonald, 1882 Pioneers of Caledonia Township, Traill County, Dakota TerritoryEntry/Object ID
2026.160.1Description
This family history folder contains documents that briefly describe the lives of Traill County Pioneers, Hugh and Elizabeth (Irwin) McDonald.
As described on page 47 in a book titled "Pioneers", Hugh McDonald was born ion 12 July 1862 in New Brunswick, Canada, and came to Missouri in the USA with his parents and siblings at the age of 17 (1879). Two years later in 1881, Hugh's family came by train and oxcart to Caledonia in Traill County, Dakota Territory. Hugh McDonald, age 19, filed a claim on 80 acres of land south of the village of Caledonia (see 1892 Atlas map).
In 1882, Hugh McDonald married Mary Elizabeth Irwin [their great grandson, Greg McDonald recalls that this marriage may have occurred in Quincy, a village on the Red River at the mouth of the Elm River south of Caledonia]. Elizabeth Irvin was born on 12 December 1870 in Buffalo, New York to parents Samuel and Ellen (Mayle) Irwin.
Hugh and Mary Elizabeth McDonald had 14 children, of which two died in infancy and one, Ella McDonald, died at age 21 (see page 47, Pioneers). However, an Ancestry.com Public Member "McDonald Family Tree, North Dakota" lists 15 children, including:
1. Ellen Amelia (Ella) McDonald (b. 1887, d. 1909),
2. Harry Eugene (Gene) McDonald (b. 1888, d. 1965),
3. Hazel Dorothy (Dot) McDonald (b. 1890, d. 1900),
4. Angus McDonald (b. 1892, d. 1967),
5. John (Jack) McDonald (b. 1894, d. 1963),
6. Grace Lillian McDonald (b. 1896, d. 1896),
7. Ethel Unice (Eunice) McDonald (b. 1897, d. 1992),
8. Samuel Irving (Irwin) McDonald (b. 1900, d. 1978),
9. Donald McDonald (b. 1902, d. 1981),
10. James McDonald (b. 1904, d. 1968),
11. George Theodore (Teddy) McDonald (b. 1905, d. 1968),
12. Hazel Elizabeth McDonald (b. 1907, d. 1999),
13. Francis Hugh McDonald (b. 1909, d. 1982),
14. Anna Faith (Toodles) McDonald (b. 1912, d. 2001), and
15. Emogene McDonald (b. 1914, d. 1914).
Mary Elizabeth (Irwin) McDonald died, age 62, on 5 August 1932 in Caledonia and was interred in the Caledonia Cemetery (see monument photo).
In 1951, Hugh McDonald moved into the village of Caledonia where he lived to the grand age of 96, passing away on 8 September 1958, leaving behind 8 sons, 3 daughters, 20 grandchildren and 44 great grandchildren (see page 47, Pioneers). Hugh McDonald was interred in the Caledonia Cemetery (see monument photo).Acquisition
Accession
2026.160Source or Donor
Greg McDonald, Old Settler's AssociationLocation
* Untyped Location
Resource RoomBuilding
Plummer House
