Logan County, Colorado
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Logan County Pioneers:

John and Margaret (Rowland) McDonnell, Fleming
 


In 1860 St. Croix County, Wisconsin, John "McDonal" is a drayman, 31, Margaret 32, Mary 4, John 3, and Louisa two months. Samuel Rous 10 and Louisa were born in Louisiana.

In 1870 St. Croix County, John is still a drayman, 41, Margaret 40, John 13, Mary 10, Louisa 9, Eddy 8, James and Sarah 6 ,and Henry 3.

In 1880 Lafayette County, Wisconsin, John "McDonald" is still with parents, farming. John 56 and Kate 50 have John 23, Mary 21, Eliza 19, Kate 16, and Bridget 12.

Next household is Wm. McDonnel 28, Sarah 22, John 4, Mary 2, and Peter two months.


Mary McDonnell 1855-1891 is buried in Arapahoe, Furnas County, Nebraska, # 151407556, so that might be John's first wife. John 1869-1880 and William 1879-1879 might be their children.
She might be the Mary McDonald in Furnas County in 1880, 26, born in Wisconsin, married to M. McDonald 38 a railroad worker born in Ireland. John is 10 born in Wisconsin, Stephen seven months born in Nebraska.

John proved up a quarter in 27, 8N 49W in 1893.


Thanks to the Sterling Journal-Advocate
Lucile (McDonnell) LeBlanc was born to John and Mary (Loudy) McDonnell, April 6, 1924, on her father's homestead, northwest of Crook.
Her father's parents and grandparents came west from Nebraska in a covered wagon and an immigrant railroad car around 1886. Lucile's grandfather built a sod house on the tableland north of Crook.
Not long after being married to Margaret Rowland, whose family lived just immediately north of Crook, Lucile's grandfather moved Saguache County, where Lucile's father, John E. McDonnell, was born in November 1891.
Around 1895 the family moved back to Crook.
Lucile's father attended school only through the third grade. He was hired out and worked hauling water with a team of horses and a water wagon, supplying water to steam engines, breaking sod and building the dam for the Jumbo Reservoir in 1906.
In 1907, at age 15, John and his brother, Roy, bought their own steam engine tractor and started plowing sod near Sedgwick. He bought a Reeves threshing machine in 1912 and threshed small grains and shelled corn for farmers around Crook. John also built a wood-framed house, which was later moved to Crook and still stands today.
Eventually, Lucile's family moved north of Proctor where John bought a farm and lived until he and Mary retired to Sterling in 1963.

In 1900 Furnas County, Nebraska, John McDonnell 43 born in Wisconsin, married nine years to Maggie 28 in Missouri, have Roy born Sept 1889, Colorado, Pearl 6, Nebraska, John 8 Colorado, Bessie 4, Colorado, and Mary March 1900 in Nebraska. Maggie has had five kids, all living, so either she had Roy with someone else, or they had him before marriage.

In 1910 Logan County, John is 52, Margaret E. 38, Roy 21, Pearl E. 15, Bessie M. 13, Mamie 9, and Jennie E. six months.


In 1920 Logan County, Margaret McDonnell is 48, widowed, with Mamie 19 and Geniveve 10.

Margaret 58 and Genevieve 20 are alone in 1940 Logan County. Margaret is a laundress.

John McDonnell 1859-1917 is buried in Barber Cemetery, Logan County # 50948530.
Margaret E. (Rowland) McDonnell 1871-1960 is buried in Sterling # 41934917.

MAMIE

Mamie McDonald married Walter F. Lenthall in January 1912, recorded in Logan County. This was Mamie McDonald of Sheridan County, WNebraska.


BESSIE

In 1920 Logan County, Bessie is married to Eugene W. Bloom 36 born in Nebraska. Bessie was 23, born in Colorado, and they have Merlin E. eight months. John Rowland, 33 grandfather is with them, 83, widowed.
Eugene registered for WWI in Logan County, working as a farm hand for Haley Harris (the same firm as one of the McDonnell brothers), with wife Bessie May Bloom.
Bessie McDonnell Bloom 1896-1922 is buried in the Barber Cemetery # 50945860.


In 1930 Goshen County, Wyoming, Eugene is managing a cream station, widowed, 46, with Merlin 10.

Eugene Webster Bloom 1883-1941 is buried in Twin Falls, Idaho # 149529429.
Murlin E. Bloom 1919-1982 is buried in Fort Logan # 36028535, with a duplicate # 3337126.


ROY
Roy McDonnell registered for WWI in Logan County, born in Colorado Sept 4, 1888.
Grayce Margaret McDonnell was born March 26, 1917 at Crook to Roy McDonnell and Florence Lauderback, and as Grayce Margaret Collings in 1937 and at her death Sept 3, 2002.

In 1920 Denver, Florence is 26, born in Nebraska, married but no Roy. Lee is 4, Grace 2.

In 1930 Denver, Roy is a railroad engineer, 40, Florence 36, Grace M. 13, Betty A. 9, and John O. 1



Roy 1889-1936 is buried in Wheat Ridge # 58132649. So is Florence 1893-1985 # 62618583.
Lee 1915-1922 is probably their son # 58132635.

Grayce McDonnell married Ray A. Collings June 29, 1935, recorded in Denver.
In 1940 Denver, Raymond works in a laundry, 27, born in South Dakota, Gace 23 Colorado, with Patricia L. 3.

JOHN

In 1930 Proctor precinct, John is 38, Mary 28, Laurence 10, Lucile 6, and Robert Rowland 47 is living with them.

John E. McDonnell, Jr. 1891-1984 is buried in Sterling.
"Mr. McDonnell was born Nov. 29, 1891, in Villa Grove, the son of John and Margaret Rowland McDonnell. He lived briefly in Beaver City, Neb., and Kearney, Neb., and came to Sterling with his family as a small boy and later moved to Iliff and then settled in Crook where they took a homestead near the Nebraska line on the north divide. Mr. McDonnell took a homestead about 10 miles northwest of Crook where he farmed and raised cattle in the Crook-Proctor area most of his life. He married Mary A. Loudy in 1919 in Sidney, Neb. (the recod in Logan County said the maarriage took place September 11, 1919 in Sterling, performed by John Laugston, Christian Minister.) Mr. McDonnell spent a lot of time breaking out the native sod grass so that others could farm in the area from Peetz to Sedgwick and was also known for threshing, combining and shelling corn for many years in this area. He moved to Sterling in 1962 and worked on dry land farms northwest of the city until retiring in 1975. Mr. McDonnell helped organize the Barber Cemetery between Crook and Sidney, Neb., and had much to do with organizing the first barbwire telephone lines and overhead telephone lines in the rural Crook area. He helped to organize and build the old Presbyterian Church in Crook, which is now the museum. He worked in obtaining REA electricity for the area, served on the Proctor School Board for several years before it consolidated with the Crook schools and was a past member of the Masonic Lodge for over 30 years. Mr. McDonnell is survived by his widow, Mrs. Mary A. McDonnell of Sterling; two daughters, Mrs. Lucile LeBlanc of Crook and Mrs. Ellen Mellott of Cheyenne, Wyo.; two sons, Earl McDonnell of Lakewood and Larry McDonnell of Sterling; a sister, Mrs. Genevieve Hahn of Denver; 15 grandchildren, 17 great- grandchildren and one great-great- grandchild."

Bessie Lorrayne McDonnell 1922-1923 #50945798 is buried in the Barber cemetery.


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