History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 766

~~~~~~766 HISTORY OF TEXAS.~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In his political relations, he affiliates with the
Democratic party, socially, is a Master
Mason, and religiously, a member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
In St. Louis county, Missouri, October 16,
1851, our subject was united in marriage
with Elizabeth J. Schilling, a native of Germany,
who came to America at the age of
twelve years. They have had nine children:
Thomas T., of Leander, Texas; Sarah, deceased,
was the wife of Thomas C. Gaines; John
G., who resides near his father; Louisa, widow
of a Mr. Sperlin, and she is now at homine;
Elizabeth, wife of Jaimes Williamson, resides
near her father; Christopher C., of
Leander; Andrew G , and Emnmett at home.
If UGH K. McDONALD, one of the
pioneer citizens of Bastrop county, was
born in North Carolina, February 8,
1816, a son of John McDonald. When
about five years of age, our subject accompanied
his father to Tennessee, and was raised
in Maury and Giles counties, that State. In
1851 he came to Texas, and for the following
sixteen years was engaged in running a ferry,
saw and gristmill at Bastrop. During the
Civil war he was not engaged in active service,
but spent most of the time in buying
cattle, etc., for the Confederate army. After
the close of the struggle Mr. McDonald was
exclusively engaged in the sawmilling industry
for some time. He sold his ferry in
1867, his mill in 1871, and in 1868 came to
his present location, on Hill's Prairie, where
he has 500 acres of land. Mr. McDonald
never sought public preferment at the
hands of the people, although he was for
many years one of the city fathers of Bastrop.
In 1842 he was united in marriage with
Miss Elizabeth A. Gill, a daughter of Thomas

and Sallie (Williams) Gill, pioneer settlers of
Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. McDonald had
seven children, viz.: J. T., the eldest in order
of birth; Mary C., wite of H. W. Brown, of
Bastrop county; James K. P., deceased;
Samuel H., of this county; H ugh K.; and two
who died when small. The wife and mother
died in 1881, having been a member of the,
Christian Church. Mr. McDonald affiliated
with Gamble Lodge, No. 244, and was also a
member of Bastrop Chapter, No. 95. He
departed this life March 16, 1893, at the age
of seventy-seven.
John T. McDonald, a son of the above,
and a farmer and stockman of Bastrop county,
was born in Marshall county, Mississippi,
December 6, 1843. He received his education
in the schools of this city. During the
late war he was a member of Company F,
Seventeenth Texas Infantry, under Captain
E. P. Petty, and in the regiment commanded
first by Colonel Allen and afterward by Colonel
G. W. Jones. He served in the TransMississippi
Department, participated in the
battle of Milliken's Bend, Louisiana, and
many skirmishes, and was discharged at
Hempstead.
After returning home Mr. McDonald was
engaged with his father in the ferry and sawmill,
later followed farming, and in 1870
embarked in the mercantile business at Hill's
Prairie. He continued that occupation fifteen
years. In 1887 he came to his present farm
of 215 acres, 130 acres of which is under a
fine state of cultivation. In 1890 Mr. McDonald
was elected County Commissioner of
Precinct No. 2, Bastrop, and re-elected in
1892 by the people of the same precinct.
He was married in 1868, to Miss Ella P.
Petty, a daughter of Captain E. P. and Margarett
E. (Pinner) Petty. The parents removed
from Tennessee to Texas in 1851, lo

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