The Springdale news. [volume] (Springdale, Ark.) 1887-1990, 1917-02-23
SONORA

he number OF SICK IN our helSilooi-
hood is decreasing as pretty weather
comes on.
This spring weather brings early
crop work on with a rush and all are
busy that want to work and are able.
VIII Cannon is the "Jobe' of our
community at present at least SO far
as affliction is concered. Will says
his "risons" are always in the way
We regret that an error in printing
our last weeks items made it appear
that we referred to Uncle Bill Don
aldson as Bill which was caused by o.
hitting the term Uncle which we had
used.
It is rumored that a fine young lady
and it had something to do with you
lost her name or rather exchanged 1t
men has had something to do with the
affair, if the rumors be proven you
will get the facts later.
Death came into our midst last
Wednesday night and claimed Is his
victom one dearly loved and respect
ed among us, William NJ. Donaldson
known by most of US as Uncle Bill.
Uncle Bill was born in Lumpkln, Co.
Georgia, June %, 1885, and led at his
home in Sonora Feb. 14th 1917. He
was married to Nancy Pitcher nee can
non in Georgia, July 27, 1856, to this
union were born seven sons, John,
Tom, Wash, Charlie, Lee, Walter and
Sterling all of whom are living save
John who died May q 1886, and two
daughters, Mary now Mrs. Geo. Mayes
and Martha now Mrs. Bixby both are
now living near Tahlequah Oklahoma.
The sons Tom and Sterling are also
living near Tahlequah, while Wash
lives near Robinson, west of here and
Charlie, Lee and Walter have lived
near their parents for some time. II
is not so unusual for children and es-
pecially those with families of their
own TO care for their aged parents
but this certainly is a case where the
care was most willingly and affect
ionately administered, which speaks
louder than all other things, with Gre
dit to parents and children alike.
Uncle Bill and Aunt Ann came to this
state and to this part of the state
some time before the civil war and
since spent their time here rearing
their family They were the parents
Of forty eight grand children, thirty
one great-grand children and two
great-great grand children Uncle
Bill spent his entire life as a farmer,
aside from the time in the Confederate
army and the last few years of his
life At the outbreak of the war he
enlisted in company K. Of Arkansas
Twenty-second Infantry, and served
10 the end or near the end of the war
when he was payrolled at Fort Smith.
He was in the battles of Prairie Grove
and Pea Ridge, as we'll as many others
and the account of his service would
make an interesting volume of its self.
His services were a credit to himself,
his family and the cause for which
he fought He remained private
and as such was always found doing
his duty which was his nature through
! life. As was said at his funeral he
was man that attended we'll to his
own affairs and found that he had no
time to NEEDLE in the affairs of others.
He was one of those men that are sell
dom found, but when found are loved
and respected for their manhood and
straight forward business life. He
was an honest man to himself, his
family and to humanity. Uncle Bill
spent his life of little over four score
years for the betterment of humanity
and has left such foot prints on the
sands of time. Solomon says, "by
their fruits We shall know them, and
by these we know he was noble char
acter He made a profession of rel
igion at Mountain Home some thirty
years ago and lived a christian life
independent of church relations His
death was distinct loss to the citi-
zenship of this country. The bereav-
ed ones we would point to his past life
and the hopes of the hereafter that
thye might be consoled in this time
of grief The funeral of Uncle Bill
Donaldson was held at Goshen Feb
Is where interment was made The
unusual demonstrations of grief and
sympathy at the funeral showed the
esteem in which Uncle Bill was held.
Ran1llar holiday honrs ,unrn nh.nr-