Mrs. James R. Donaldson passed away at their home one-half mile east of Glade at 8 o'clock Friday morning, January 3. Mrs. Donaldson had been in poor health for several years but had been feeling real well of late, and the visit of the death angel came as a surprise to all.

Obituary

Mary Jane, daughter of Maurice and Mary Shannon, was born in Venango County, Pennsylvania, February 25, 1851. She grew to womanhood near Disler Corners, Pennsylvania. In 1868 she was united in marriage to Perry Wigton. To this union four children were born. Two having died in infancy. She, with her two sons, John and Roy, moved to Kansas in the year 1885; and lived on a farm south of Glade.

She was united in marriage to James R. Donaldson, June 4, 1893, and has made her home in Phillips County ever since except for a brief stay in Colorado Springs. She leaves to mourn her departure her husband, James R. Donaldson of Glade; two sons, John Wigton of Kanorado, Kansas, and Roy Wigton of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, also three step-children, Roy Donaldson of Osborne, Earl Donaldson of Phillipsburg and Stella F. Nutting of Washington, D.C., several grandchildren, other relatives, and a host of friends.

Mrs. Donaldson was a member of the Presbyterian Church from babyhood, and her membership was in the First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs at the time of her death.

Funeral services were held in the M.E. Church at Glade, Kansas, conducted by the Rev. J. W. Hart, and burial was in the Kirwin, Kansas, Cemetery.


Family History

James R. Donaldson was born July 8, 1858, in Ireland. In 1873 he came to America with his parents, three brothers and five sisters. In 1874 they came to Kansas settling near Kirwin. For a few years he hauled freight to and from Nebraska with team and wagons. He loved horses, so when he took up farming, he bred and sold fine horses. He took a homestead in Rushville Township on the Rooks and Phillips County line, southwest of Marvin (Glade), where he and his wife lived in a dugout.

His wife, Sarah F. Privett, daughter of Williamson and Sarah Ann (Baxter) Privett, was born December 1, 1859, at Troy, Kansas. James and Sarah were married September 20, 1884, at Stockton. In 1889 she died leaving him with three small children. She was buried at Stockton, Kansas. In 1893 he married Mary Jane Wigton. He sold his homestead and moved to that of his parents, southwest of Kirwin. His mother continued to live there until she passed away in 1900.

Here he raised his family; his children attended school and Sunday School at Harmony Schoolhouse. In 1906 he sold the place, purchased and moved to a home one half mile east of Glade. Later he purchased land in Rushville Township, south of Glade, on which the first producing oil well in Phillips County was later located.

In 1921 Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson purchased a farm in Colorado Springs, Colorado; but in 1926 they moved back to the farm home and resided there until their deaths. James died October 10, 1945, near Glade. He was buried at the Kirwin Cemetery.

Children of James and Sarah Donaldson were all born at Stockton, Kansas.

James L. was born July 7, 1886,. He married Dora E. Quanz, daughter of Edward and Mary Maxfield Quanz on November 13, 1909, at Phillipsburg. He died August 15, 1967, at Glade.

Earl B. was born November 6, 1887. He married Grace Sandlin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sandlin. He died November 1945 at Phillipsvurg.

Stella F. was born September 6, 1889. She married Edward E. Nutting on May 3, 1924, Salem, Oregon. She died January 1, 1960, at San Francisco, Califoria.

Information from Thelma Donaldson McLaughlin