William Henry as a young man was a good singer and liked singing songs like "Wearing of The Green" and "The Flying Trapeze". He was a great story teller and he loved children. William was engaged to a young lady, Jennie Newlan, who died before her wedding day arrived. When he was 22 yrs old he married a young widow woman, Amelia Magdalena Duenner Fairchild, who had just lost her husband and had three children. William Henry's parents knew Amelia and felt sorry for her. They kept her and persuaded William Henry to marry her. The O'Donnals were farmers in the state of Indiana, then in Kansas (the "strip" was what they called it before it was made a state), and on to Oklahoma. William Henry was chorister for his congregation of the Methodist Church. Amelia played their organ and the family loved to sing. The LDS missionaries came to their home and taught them gospel. May 29, 1895 Amelia, William Henry, and their son, Frank were baptized. In 1897, William Henry traveling by horse and wagon with his family headed toward Utah, but decided to migrate to Mexico. Unable to afford the duty crossing the border, they lost their beautiful organ and the thorough bred horses they had. They ended up living in Colonia Garcia, Chihuahua, Mexico where they found work in a shingle mill. William Henry and Amelia's marriage was not a happy one and they were separated in 1902. Amelia went to California to stay with her son, Wilbur Fairchild. Laura was married to Dave, soon Charity was married, leaving Lilly alone trying to run the home, go to school, and help her father and brothers in the fields when needed. In 1912, Pancho Villa chased the Mormons out of Mexico. William Henry worked and lived with his son, George,in El Paso, Texas, then he stayed with his son, Frank, in New Mexico; when Frank and his family went back to Colonia Garcia, William Henry went with them. He died and was buried in Colonia Garcia, Chihuahua, Mexico.
By Nancy Foutz R
∼William Henry O'Donnal was born 25 March 1850 in Ashtabula, Ashtabula, Ohio, United States to Daniel O'Donnal and Elizabeth Ann LeMasters. He married Amelia Magdalena Durner after his fiancee died. She was a widow about 2 months before her third child was born. They lived in Indiana, Kansas and later in Oklahoma. They came from Oklahoma to Colonia Garcia when their daughter Oklahoma Lillie was 8 years old. They had seven children. He was living with his daughter Lillie in Colonia Garcia when he went down to milk the cow and fell over dead. They believe he died of a heart attack. There were no doctors in Colonia Garcia.
By Nancy Foutz R
∼William Henry O'Donnal was born 25 March 1850 in Ashtabula, Ashtabula, Ohio, United States to Daniel O'Donnal and Elizabeth Ann LeMasters. He married Amelia Magdalena Durner after his fiancee died. She was a widow about 2 months before her third child was born. They lived in Indiana, Kansas and later in Oklahoma. They came from Oklahoma to Colonia Garcia when their daughter Oklahoma Lillie was 8 years old. They had seven children. He was living with his daughter Lillie in Colonia Garcia when he went down to milk the cow and fell over dead. They believe he died of a heart attack. There were no doctors in Colonia Garcia.
William Henry as a young man was a good singer and liked singing songs like "Wearing of The Green" and "The Flying Trapeze". He was a great story teller and he loved children. William was engaged to a young lady, Jennie Newlan, who died before her wedding day arrived. When he was 22 yrs old he married a young widow woman, Amelia Magdalena Duenner Fairchild, who had just lost her husband and had three children. William Henry's parents knew Amelia and felt sorry for her. They kept her and persuaded William Henry to marry her. The O'Donnals were farmers in the state of Indiana, then in Kansas (the "strip" was what they called it before it was made a state), and on to Oklahoma. William Henry was chorister for his congregation of the Methodist Church. Amelia played their organ and the family loved to sing. The LDS missionaries came to their home and taught them gospel. May 29, 1895 Amelia, William Henry, and their son, Frank were baptized. In 1897, William Henry traveling by horse and wagon with his family headed toward Utah, but decided to migrate to Mexico. Unable to afford the duty crossing the border, they lost their beautiful organ and the thorough bred horses they had. They ended up living in Colonia Garcia, Chihuahua, Mexico where they found work in a shingle mill. William Henry and Amelia's marriage was not a happy one and they were separated in 1902. Amelia went to California to stay with her son, Wilbur Fairchild. Laura was married to Dave, soon Charity was married, leaving Lilly alone trying to run the home, go to school, and help her father and brothers in the fields when needed. In 1912, Pancho Villa chased the Mormons out of Mexico. William Henry worked and lived with his son, George,in El Paso, Texas, then he stayed with his son, Frank, in New Mexico; when Frank and his family went back to Colonia Garcia, William Henry went with them. He died and was buried in Colonia Garcia, Chihuahua, Mexico.
By Nancy Foutz R
∼William Henry O'Donnal was born 25 March 1850 in Ashtabula, Ashtabula, Ohio, United States to Daniel O'Donnal and Elizabeth Ann LeMasters. He married Amelia Magdalena Durner after his fiancee died. She was a widow about 2 months before her third child was born. They lived in Indiana, Kansas and later in Oklahoma. They came from Oklahoma to Colonia Garcia when their daughter Oklahoma Lillie was 8 years old. They had seven children. He was living with his daughter Lillie in Colonia Garcia when he went down to milk the cow and fell over dead. They believe he died of a heart attack. There were no doctors in Colonia Garcia.
By Nancy Foutz R
∼William Henry O'Donnal was born 25 March 1850 in Ashtabula, Ashtabula, Ohio, United States to Daniel O'Donnal and Elizabeth Ann LeMasters. He married Amelia Magdalena Durner after his fiancee died. She was a widow about 2 months before her third child was born. They lived in Indiana, Kansas and later in Oklahoma. They came from Oklahoma to Colonia Garcia when their daughter Oklahoma Lillie was 8 years old. They had seven children. He was living with his daughter Lillie in Colonia Garcia when he went down to milk the cow and fell over dead. They believe he died of a heart attack. There were no doctors in Colonia Garcia.
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