died at age: 77
Born: 13 Feb 1848 in: Scotland
Died: 6 Feb 1926 in: Los Angeles, California
Ref: MCDonald papers Occupation: Railroad Engineer
Father: Hugh MacDonald
Mother: Catherine Cameron
Wife: Emily Alice Fisk died at age: 77
Married: 12 Feb 1876 in: Glasgow, Scotland his age: 27 her age: 24
Ceremony: Y
Born: 14 Mar 1851 in: Norwich, England
Died: 26 Nov 1928 in: Los Angeles, California
Father: Adam Fisk
Ref: MCDonald papes Occupation: Housewife
F Child 1 Alice Gray McDonald died at age: 43
Born: 6 Mar 1877
Died: 9 May 1920
Ref: MCDonald papers
Spouse: William Lewis Schmitz b. 24 Jul 1867 d. ?? Mar 1955
Married: 31 Mar 1897
Ceremony: Y
F Child 2 Gertrude Gray McDonald died at age: 76
Born: 25 Aug 1878
Died: 25 Apr 1955
Ref: MCDonald papers Occupation: Housewife
Spouse: John Taylor Abel b. 19 Sep 187? d. 17 Oct 1964
Married: 31 Mar 1897
Ceremony: Y
M Child 3 John (Jack) Cameron McDonald died at age: 75
Born: 13 Mar 1880
Died: 9 Jul 1955
Ref: MCDonald papers Occupation: Silver mining in Mexico
Spouse: Anna Hitchcock Tuttle
Married: 22 Dec 1903 in:
Ceremony: Y
M Child 4 Duncan Gray McDonald, Jr. died at age: 0
Born: 21 Aug 1881
Died: 16 Jan 1882
Ref: MCDonald papers
F Child 5 Bessie McDonald died at age: 66
Born: 29 Apr 1884 in: Los Angeles, CA
Died: 19 May 1950 in: Pasadena, California
F Child 6 Violet (Maggie) Gray McDonald died at age: 76
Born: 25 Nov 1885
Died: 29 Jul 1962
Ref: MCDonald papers
Spouse: Allen Marshall Culver, II
Married: 18 Nov 1909 in:
Ceremony: Y
M Child 7 Harrison Gray McDonald died at age: 65
Born: 6 Nov 1888
Died: 22 Mar 1954
Ref: MCDonald papers
Spouse: Marguerite Turner Seymour b. 20 Jan 1888
Married: 14 Nov 1911
Ceremony: Y
M Child 8 Ambrose Gray McDonald died at age: 0
Born: 10 Apr 1892
Died: 14 Jun 1892
Ref: MCDonald papers
F Child 9 Georgia Belle McDonald died at age: 78
Born: 22 Oct 1895
Died: 31 Dec 1973
Ref: MCDonald papers
Spouse: Steven Bernard Robinson d. 29 Jun 1964
Married: 30 Jul 1919
Ceremony: Y
I believe that there may have been one other daughter. (GWE)
The following is a biography of Duncan McDonald done by the Masonic Lodge in California
(ca 1898 to 1903).
As indicated by his name, Mr. McDonald is of a Scots family. He was born in Glasgow February 13, 1848 a son of Hugh and Catherine (Cameron) McDonald. His paternal grandfather, Hector McDonald (or MacDonald, as the name was then spelled), was a large sheep-raiser on the island of Mull, shire of Inverness, Scotland, and there Hugh was born and reared, removing thence to Glasgow, where he was employed as a fireman on the Aledonia Railroad, and at the age of twenty seven years was already a sucessful efficient engineer.
About that time, however, he contracted a cold which brought on a fatal illness. His wife, who was born at Dumbarton Castle, Scotland, and now resides in Norfolk, England, was a daughter of Major John Cameron, a native of the highlands of Scotland, and for years regimental sergeant major of the Seventy-eigth Highlanders, stationed at Dumbarton Castle. After his retirement from the Army he conducted a hotel at Bromalow on the Clyde, remaining there until he died. One of his sons, Duncan Cameron, became a large and successful printer in Gasgow, while his two brothers, also members of the Highlanders, in the Seventy-ninth Regiment, served through the Napoleonic war, from 1812 to 1815.
After the death of Hugh McDonald, his widow was remarried to Joseph Gray, an engineer on the Caledonia Railroad. Three children were born of the first marriage and five of her second union, the former being John, Jane and Duncan. Jane married and died in Scotland. John, a mechanical engineer, was employed for twenty-seven years by the Japanese government, rising from foreman to superintendent of motive power on the government railroad.
Though now practically retired and in receipt of a pension from the government, he still acts as consulting engineer for Japanese Railroads, as a member of the firm of McDonald & Crowley, of London. Twice the Mikado has honored him with decorations, these being the Order of the Rising Sun and the Order of the Mirror.
When his father died, Duncan McDonald was only six months old. At the age of five years was taken from Glasgow to Carnwarth and four years later to England, his step-father becoming passenger engineer of the Great Eastern, under Robert Sinclair. When ten years of age he was put to work as an assistant in the track department of the Great Eastern road, and at fifteen was apprenticed to the machinist's trade, which he completed. As may be readily imagined, he had few advantages; in fact, his total schooling scarcely exceeded two years, but as he has always been a man of good memory, close observation and excellent mental powers, he has acquired a broad fund of knowledge, far superior to much of the education acquired from textbook routine. At the age of twenty he began firing on the express train between Norwich and London. July 16, 1870, he was promoted to be engineer on the same line, but resigned in November, 1871, in order to engage under the Japanese government for service as a locomotive engineer in Japan. The voyage to that country was made through the Suez Canal. Arriving at his destination, he was appointed as engineer between Yokohama and Yeddo during the construction of the railroad, and in 1872 he had the honor of taking the Mikado, in his private car, on his first trip between those two towns.
Leaving Japan in October, 1875, he came to San Francisco via the steamer Grand Republic, which crossed the ocean in twenty-one days. With him he brought letters of introduction to Charles Crocker and in this way was at once given employment on the Southern Pacific Railroad as locomotive engineer. For six months his run was between Sacramento and Oakland. When new engines were built, he was given one, which he took to Mojave and ran along the route of construction until connection was made, December 5, 1876, at Laing's. Next he ran freight between Mojave and Wilmington (this is near Long Beach, California), and in 1877 was given a passenger run between Wilmington and Mojave, but, not liking it, was transferred on request to the freight, continuing in that capacity until 1880, when he was given the passenger run between Los Angeles and Mojave. Since 1880 he has been employed continuously as a passenger engineer and since 1893 has had the run between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. During his long experience no serious accident has ever occurred to his train and no passenger has ever been killed, but he has had more than one narrow escape, when fatal results would have ensued had he not retained his coolness and courage. Since 1876 he has resided in Los Angeles where he has a pleasant home on Buena Vista Street.
In Sacremento, California, in February, 1876, Mr McDonald married Miss Emily Fisk, who was born in Norwich, England. They are the parents of seven children, the eldest of whom, John Cameron, is chief clerk for the Mexican National Railroad, with headquarters in the City of Mexico. The two oldest daughters are married, Gertrude being the wife of John T. Able and Alice the wife of William Schmitz of Los Angeles.
While living in Norwich, England, Mr. McDonald was made a Mason, and later became connected with the Nippon Lodge at Tokio, Japan, in which he served as Warden. At this writing he belongs to the Santa Barbara Lodge No. 192. He was raised to the Royal Arch Degree in Corinthian Chapter No 52 of Santa Barbara; and to the Knight Templar Degree in St. Omar Commandery No. 30, Santa Barbara, besides which he is connected with Al Malakiah Temple, N. M. S. of Los Angeles. Since 1878 he has been associated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen in Los Angeles, being a charter member of Lodge No. 55. Politically, he votes with the Republican Party. He is a charter member of the Orange Grove Division No. 5, B. of L. E. of which he served as past chief two terms and in 1887 acted as delegate of the order to the Chicago general convention.
