The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-06-24
JOSEPH EVIL G MCDONALD.
The Life and Character of One OF the Ma
tiOn's Greatest Men.

The Life and Character of One OF the Ma
tiOn's Greatest Men.
1t is worthy OF mention that the three
most prominent leaders of democratic
thought and policy in Indiana for a quar-
ter of n century or more were born in
Ohio, viz: Messrs. Mcdonald, Hendricks
and Voorhees,, but all of them came to
Indiana at so youthful an age that what
ever glory and homer they may have
reaped is largely a portion of the great
commemorative history.
Joseph Ewing Mcdonald was the full
name OF the honored subject of this sketch.
His more remote ancestry was Scotch, but
his father and mother were born in Penn
sylvania and he himself opened his eyes
in this world first in Butler county, Ohio,
on the 29th day of August, 1919. Ee was
therefore rapidly approaching the seventy
second anniversary of his birth at the
time of his death.
His father, John Mcdonald, is described
as having been farmer and man of
sterling worth, determined, industrious
and self-sacrificing. lie died, however,
when the subject OF this sketch was but
an infant, thus depriving him OF his main
support and counsel and casting upon him
for his future many responsibilities. His
mother was a Miss Eleanor Piatt AS al
ready written, she was born in Pennsyl-
vania, but her ancestors were French
Huguenots, who located first in New Jer-
sey, but who afterward settled tenn
porarilyin Pennsylvania and permanently
in Ohio. This lady is described as a wom-
standards high and her influence eleva-
ting Her highest ambition was to have
the power and opportunity TO educate her
children and make each worthy and
useful member of society. She possessed
refined and cultivated tastes, was pleas
ant and forceful writer, and for the amuse-
ment and advancement of her children
wrote many stories sketches and scraps of
poetry and song She and her husband
were earnest and faithful presbyterians.
Several years after the death of John Nc
Donald she was married to John Kerr OF
Fairfield township, Butler county, Ohio.
Mr.. Kerr was native OF Ireland, frugal,
industrious farmer, always just and courte-
Gus. a firm and kind parent, never in debt
to anybody, and the father of four sons
and three daughters.
He moved with his family to Montgom-
cry county, this state, in the fall of 1926.
entered land and cleared ii for a farm. He
was presbyterian as was the first hus-
band of his wife. Mr.. Kerr died in
1856 at the residence OF the subject of this
narrative in Charlottesville.
Joseph was seven years old when, in
1926, he was brought to Indiana by his
stepfather and his own mother. Mont
gomery county was then almost an un-
broken forest. He remained on the farm
until he was twelve years of age, but two
years of that time he attended school in
Charlottesville. Such spare time as be
could command from bis work on the
farm was devoted to a course OF study,
which aided much in laying the founda-
ton for the eventful future in store for
him. AT an early age he conceived a
strong love for the law, and when ten
years old he had determined upon making
that profession his life work, at the cost of
any personal hardship or sacrifice. In his
twelfth year the ambitiousaspirant for fut-
ure honors at the bar became an appren-
tice to saddler at Lafayette. In that ca
paciIy he served nearly six years, except
three months attending school. For fidel-
ity to their interests his employers re-
leased him from the last three months of
his apprenticeship, which time he spent in
prosecuting his studies.
| Following the resolution made before
going TO learn trade, he still pursed bis
studies with vigor at such times as he
could snatch from work or rest. He had
already become quite proficient in the
English branches aud rudiments of learn
| ing. His favorite study was history, In
| vhinh he baaams wall varsAd and uhinh