James M. McDonald

JAMES M. McDONALD. - The march of improvement and progress accelerated day by day and each successive moment seems to demand a man of broader intelligence and keener discernment than the preceeding. The successful men must be live men in this day, active, strong to plan and perform and with a recognition of opportunity that enables them to grasp and utilize the possibilities of the moment. Such a class finds a worthy representative in James M. McDonald, a prominent and influential resident of Kansas City, Kansas, and who is here interested in the banking business, being president of the well known institution called the Night and Day State Bank. In addition to his above connection Mr. McDonald is one of the owners of the plants and manufacturing business of the McDonald Brothers Pitless Scale Company, an enterprising concern which has factories at Pleasant Hill, Missouri, and at Newcastle, Indiana. Mr. McDonald is a progressive business man of the younger generation whose success in life has been the outcome of his own well directed endeavors and who as a citizen is decidedly loyal and public spirited.

At Pleasant Hill, Missouri, on the 12th of August, 1881, occurred the birth of James M. McDonald, who is a son of Benjamin T. and Nannie (Dunn) McDonald. The father was a native of Kentucky and the mother was born and reared in Cass county, Missouri. They are the parents of three sons: Benjamin T., Jr., James M., and Robert. Benjamin T. McDonald, Sr., was engaged in the stock business and in banking in Missouri during the early years of his active career. In 1887 he was one of the organizers of the Pleasant Hill State Bank, at Pleasant Hill, Missouri, where he maintained the family home for a number of years. In 1904, however, he was forced, on account of poor health, to seek a more salubrious climate and he then located in Texas, where he and his wife are passing the evening of their lives. He is still deeply interested in stock raising and banking, and in both those lines of enterprise has achieved marked success in the Lone Star state. He is an uncompromising advocate of the principles and policies for which the Democratic party stands sponsor in his political proclivities and while he has never manifested aught of desire for the honors or emoluments of public office of any description he is ever on the qui vive to do all in his power to advance general progress and improvement. He is a man of fine mental caliber and deep human sympathy and in all the avenues of life has so conducted himself that he commands the unalloyed confidence and regard of all with whom he has come in contact.

James M. McDonald received his primary education in the public schools of Pleasant Hill, Missouri, and subsequently he was matriculated as a student in Missouri Central College, at Fayette, Missouri, attending that excellent institution for a period of years. He also pursued a commercial course in a business college at Des Moines, Iowa. On the 15th of December, 1900, he became associated with his brother in the organization of the firm of McDonald Brothers Pitless Scale Company, the business headquarters of which concern are located at Pleasant Hill, Missouri. Here a plant turning out some ten scales daily is conducted and in August, 1907, a plant was established at Newcastle, Indiana, the latter having a capacity of four scales per day. In addition to his manufacturing interests Mr. McDonald of this review is interested in a number of banking projects in Texas and in Oklahoma. He is also president of the unique institution known as the Night and Day State Bank of Kansas City, Kansas.

On the 1st of March, 1903, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. McDonald to Miss Maud S. Hoover, who was born at Independence, Missouri, and who is a daughter of Jacob and Mollie Hoover, both natives of Missouri and both now deceased. Mr. Hoover was engaged in the stock business during his active career and in his political convictions he was a stalwart Democrat. Mrs. McDonald was the only child of her parents. She is a woman of rare charm and the utmost graciousness and is a popular factor in connection with the best social activities of her home community.

While Mr. McDonald, of this notice, is not an office seeker, he is deeply and sincerely interested in all matters affecting the general welfare and his political support is given to the Democratic party. He is affiliated with a number of representative fraternal and social organizations.