Lemuel McDonald

GEDCOM Note

Died from injuries suffered in an "accident" in Girard PA. Originally buried in Erie cemetery. Remains transferred to Lakeside Cemetery on March 24, 1910, to be buried next to his wife Cordelia, who had been buried on March 17, 1910. (SOURCE: Sexton's Records, Lakeside Cemetery.)

• *************************************************************************************************** Newspaper items relating death of Lemuel McDonald (all from the Erie Daily Times, Erie, Pa.)
• * * * * * * * * * Wednesday, March 13, 1889 Front page FATALLY HURT John T. McDonald's Father Falls From a Lake Shore Train

A telegram was received at a late hour last night from Girard Station by John T. McDonald, living on Second Street near French, that his father had been terribly injured by falling from a train near that station. The wife of John T. McDonald and her brother in law, William McDonald, took the first train for Girard and brought the injured man to Erie on train S, which arrives here at 12:57 p.m.

Mr. McDonald came to Erie from Pittsburgh about two weeks ago to bury his daughter, Cordelia McDonald, whose death occurred at that time. He has remained in Erie since that time with his family, and last night he left home to return to his duties, being engaged in business at Mansfield near Pittsburgh (sic- Mansfield is in central Ohio). He took tram 1 on the Lake Shore, which leaves here at 10:53 p.m. for Cleveland and thence to Pittsburgh.

Nobody seems to know just how the accident happened, but the supposition is that he must have been going from one car to another and was thrown off as the train was rounding the curve at that point. The wounded man was discovered a short time after the accident. His pockets were searched for something to identify him and in his inside coat pocket was found a tintype of his daughter in-law, the wife of John T. McDonald, the name being written on the back. [The daughter-in-law would be Mary Schaaf.] They were at once notified.

He is terribly cut about the head and in all probability, he has received internal injuries. Dr. Stewart, who is attending him, says there is a chance for his recovery if inflammation does not set in, but it is scarcely possible to expect that he can pull through, he being so badly injured. The scalp is almost completely torn off and his face and neck are terribly bruised.

The injured man's family lives at the corner of Second and Peach streets. He was taken to the home of his son, John T. McDonald, who lives with his mother-in-law, Mrs. Shaaf, on East Second street near French, where he now lies in a critical condition.

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Thursday, March 14, 1889 Front page Died From His Injuries

Lemuel McDonald, the man who was injured at Girard Station Tuesday night by falling from a Lake Shore passenger train while in motion, and was brought to his son's home on East Second street yesterday afternoon, died last night at 9:10. Up to the time of his death deceased had not regained consciousness.

Lemuel McDonald was born in Mercer, January 17, 1831, and was educated to the iron furnace man's trade. In 1870, when the Rawle & Noble blast furnace was started here, he came from Mercer and was given the position of foreman at the Erie furnace, which he filled until 1875, when business was discontinued. In 1849 he was married to Cordelia Clingensmith, who is still living in Erie, near the corner of Second and Peach. They had eight children, all of whom but the youngest are still alive. they are: Josephine Bromley, Phoebe Wells, Kate Lattimer, William, Charles, John, and Alexander, the well-known amateur oarsman, and Cordelia, who died two weeks ago.

The funeral will take place from his son's residence Saturday at 3 p.m.

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Friday, March 15, 1889 pg 2 DIED McDONALD - in this city, Wed. March 13, 1889, Lemuel McDonald, age 58 yrs. Funeral will take place at 3 p.m., Saturday from his son's residence, Second and French.

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Saturday, March 16, 1889 front page "City Death List" March 13 - Lemuel McDonald, 58y, 1m, 28d, Pennsylvania, 104 East Second; accidental.

Saturday, March 16, 1889 front page Buried This Afternoon The funeral of Lemuel McDonald, whose death was caused by falling from a Lake Shore passenger train, took place from his son's residence, corner of Second and French streets, this afternoon at 3 o'clock. The funeral was attended by a host of the deceased man's friends and relatives. The sympathy of the community is extended to the bereaved family.

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January 1998: Note from Nancy Ruescher, gr-great-niece of Lemuel's, to my brother John MacDonald, on the above newspaper stories:

Dear John, Your story of Lem brought back some memories. It was my family's contention that he killed himself. I think they believed it was because his grief overwhelmed him. Whether that is proven false by the accounts in the paper, I don't know - but when I read about his being thrown from the train, I remembered a conversation about suicide - (I must have been about 8 years old) and my mother and Bessie saying that they believed that Lem was overwhelmed by his grief and "died of a broken heart," the result of his daughter's death. That may be just their "belief" - but I thought I should mention it.

Died from injuries suffered in an "accident" in Girard PA. Originally buried in Erie cemetery. Remains transferred to Lakeside Cemetery on March 24, 1910, to be buried next to his wife Cordelia, who had been buried on March 17, 1910. (SOURCE: Sexton's Records, Lakeside Cemetery.)

• *************************************************************************************************** Newspaper items relating death of Lemuel McDonald (all from the Erie Daily Times, Erie, Pa.)
• * * * * * * * * * Wednesday, March 13, 1889 Front page FATALLY HURT John T. McDonald's Father Falls From a Lake Shore Train

A telegram was received at a late hour last night from Girard Station by John T. McDonald, living on Second Street near French, that his father had been terribly injured by falling from a train near that station. The wife of John T. McDonald and her brother in law, William McDonald, took the first train for Girard and brought the injured man to Erie on train S, which arrives here at 12:57 p.m.

Mr. McDonald came to Erie from Pittsburgh about two weeks ago to bury his daughter, Cordelia McDonald, whose death occurred at that time. He has remained in Erie since that time with his family, and last night he left home to return to his duties, being engaged in business at Mansfield near Pittsburgh (sic- Mansfield is in central Ohio). He took tram 1 on the Lake Shore, which leaves here at 10:53 p.m. for Cleveland and thence to Pittsburgh.

Nobody seems to know just how the accident happened, but the supposition is that he must have been going from one car to another and was thrown off as the train was rounding the curve at that point. The wounded man was discovered a short time after the accident. His pockets were searched for something to identify him and in his inside coat pocket was found a tintype of his daughter in-law, the wife of John T. McDonald, the name being written on the back. [The daughter-in-law would be Mary Schaaf.] They were at once notified.

He is terribly cut about the head and in all probability, he has received internal injuries. Dr. Stewart, who is attending him, says there is a chance for his recovery if inflammation does not set in, but it is scarcely possible to expect that he can pull through, he being so badly injured. The scalp is almost completely torn off and his face and neck are terribly bruised.

The injured man's family lives at the corner of Second and Peach streets. He was taken to the home of his son, John T. McDonald, who lives with his mother-in-law, Mrs. Shaaf, on East Second street near French, where he now lies in a critical condition.

• * * * * * * * * *

Thursday, March 14, 1889 Front page Died From His Injuries

Lemuel McDonald, the man who was injured at Girard Station Tuesday night by falling from a Lake Shore passenger train while in motion, and was brought to his son's home on East Second street yesterday afternoon, died last night at 9:10. Up to the time of his death deceased had not regained consciousness.

Lemuel McDonald was born in Mercer, January 17, 1831, and was educated to the iron furnace man's trade. In 1870, when the Rawle & Noble blast furnace was started here, he came from Mercer and was given the position of foreman at the Erie furnace, which he filled until 1875, when business was discontinued. In 1849 he was married to Cordelia Clingensmith, who is still living in Erie, near the corner of Second and Peach. They had eight children, all of whom but the youngest are still alive. they are: Josephine Bromley, Phoebe Wells, Kate Lattimer, William, Charles, John, and Alexander, the well-known amateur oarsman, and Cordelia, who died two weeks ago.

The funeral will take place from his son's residence Saturday at 3 p.m.

• * * * * * * * * *

Friday, March 15, 1889 pg 2 DIED McDONALD - in this city, Wed. March 13, 1889, Lemuel McDonald, age 58 yrs. Funeral will take place at 3 p.m., Saturday from his son's residence, Second and French.

• * * * * * * * * *

Saturday, March 16, 1889 front page "City Death List" March 13 - Lemuel McDonald, 58y, 1m, 28d, Pennsylvania, 104 East Second; accidental.

Saturday, March 16, 1889 front page Buried This Afternoon The funeral of Lemuel McDonald, whose death was caused by falling from a Lake Shore passenger train, took place from his son's residence, corner of Second and French streets, this afternoon at 3 o'clock. The funeral was attended by a host of the deceased man's friends and relatives. The sympathy of the community is extended to the bereaved family.

• *************************************************************************************************************

January 1998: Note from Nancy Ruescher, gr-great-niece of Lemuel's, to my brother John MacDonald, on the above newspaper stories:

Dear John, Your story of Lem brought back some memories. It was my family's contention that he killed himself. I think they believed it was because his grief overwhelmed him. Whether that is proven false by the accounts in the paper, I don't know - but when I read about his being thrown from the train, I remembered a conversation about suicide - (I must have been about 8 years old) and my mother and Bessie saying that they believed that Lem was overwhelmed by his grief and "died of a broken heart," the result of his daughter's death. That may be just their "belief" - but I thought I should mention it.