John McDonald

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

John McDonald

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

John McDONALD, the well known and popular chief of police of Wharton, New Jersey, is a member of an Irish family, typical of the best characteristics of that enterprising race, which has contributed so large and valuable an element to the composite citizenship of the united States, and element acting in that citizenship as a leaven of the sterling Celtic virtues, indomitable courage, loyalty and a happy union of practical common sense, with a strong bent to the romantic.

His father is Michael McDONALD, a native of Ireland where he was born in the year 1834. He spent the years of his childhood in his native land up to the time of attaining the age of fourteen years, when he set sail for America to seek in a "New World" a fuller life and greater opportunity than was offered him at home. Arriving in the United States, he went to Morris county, State of New Jersey, and settled in the little town of Mount Hope, where he quickly found employment in the ore mines, then in the early years of their development. From that year, 1848, Mr. McDONALD has continuously followed mining as an occupation for over sixty-five years, and is to this day, at the age of eighty years, working as a pumper in the Richards Mine of the Thomas Iron Company, a hale and hearty old gentleman. His first work was done in the mine at Mount Pleasant, and since that time he has made his home in that beautiful section of Morris county, surrounding and bordering on Lake Hopatcong, one of the loveliest bodies of water in that region of the eastern mountains. He and his family moved to Wharton, Morris county, at a time when his son John was but five years old, and here he has continued to make his some to the present time. He married, in 1854, Agnes GOLDAN, a native of New York State, where she was born, daughter of Michael GOLDAN. Mrs. McDONALD died two years ago, in 1912. To Mr. and Mrs. McDONALD were born seventeen children in all, a number of whom died in infancy. The others are as follows: Thomas, died of diphtheria in his sixth year; Delia, now Mrs. Mark WALTON, of Newark, New Jersey, and the mother of three children: John, of whom further; Michael, a resident of Wharton, where he is engaged in the occupation of mining; Agnes, now Mrs. Harry WALSH, of Newark; William, deceased, a brakeman by occupation and was killed at Wharton Furnace while in the exercise of his duties; Mary, now Mrs. George MARTIN, a resident of Wharton, and the mother of two children: Nora, now Mrs. William FRITZ, of Wharton, and the mother of one child; Leo, a clerk at the Piccatilla Arsenal, Mount Hope, New Jersey. Of the children who died in infancy, several were the victims of diphtheria. Mr. and Mrs. Michael McDONALD were reared in the Roman Catholic Church and have continued therein all their lives, rearing their children in turn in that faith. They were communicants of St. Mary’s Church of that denomination, Dover, New Jersey.

John McDONALD, second son of Michael and Agnes (GOLDAN) McDONALD, was born June 29, 1871, at Dover, New Jersey. When five years of age his parents removed from Dover, where they has been living temporarily, to Wharton, in the same county, and it was here that the lad received his education, attending the local public schools, and has since spent most of his subsequent life. After completing his studies, he secured a position as boss in the stock house of the Wharton Furnace and there worked for a period of eight years. He then took up his father’s line of work and engaged in mining in the Mount Pleasant Mine, where he remained twelve years. He then spent a period of five years in the employ of the Richardson and Boynton stove works at Dover, his native city. During this time Mr. McDONALD had not been idle in many departments of the life of Wharton and vicinity, quite outside that of his business interests. Especially was this true of politics, in which he took and active and effective part. He was a staunch member of the Democratic party, and his voice was greatly heeded in the local organization thereof, besides which he was known as a man who took keen and intelligent interest in questions of public polity, whether of national or local significance. This in connection with his well established reputation as a man of probity, the most unimpeachable habits and great courage, rendered him the most available choice of his party for the chief of police of Wharton in 1908. He was still in Dover with the Richardson and Boynton people when he received the appointment of this most important post, and had to resign his position with them in order to accept his political honors. He took office on January 1, 1909, since which time he has performed the duties of police chief to the eminent satisfaction of his fellow townsfolk. His eminently temperate habits, Mr. McDONALD has never touched alcohol, and his constant solicitude for the welfare of his community, make him a particularly effective officer, whom Wharton is greatly favored in possessing as its guardian. Mr. McDONALD is a prominent figure in the community of which he is a member in more than one particular. He takes a conspicuous part in the social life of the town, and in fraternal circles, being a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Moose. He is also a member of the State Association of Chiefs of Police. He was for many years connected with the Wharton fire department, and in virtue of this membership is now an exempt fireman. He is a member of the Firemen’s Relief Association of Wharton, and of the Fireman’s Relief Association of the State of New Jersey, being one of the two life members of the latter living in Wharton. Mr. McDONALD has been a life-long resident of Morris county, and of Wharton for thirty-eight years. He has owned his residence on Railroad avenue for a long time, and still makes his home there.

Mr. McDONALD married, April 18, 1900, Susie COLEMAN, a native of Wharton, New Jersey, where she was born in 1874, daughter of Michael COLEMAN, of that place. Mr. and Mrs. McDONALD are the parents of four children as follows: John, aged thirteen years; Anna, aged eleven years; William, aged nine years; Veronica, aged six years. Besides these four, they had another child who died in early childhood. Mr. and Mrs. McDONALD are staunch members of the Roman Catholic Church, and in that faith are rearing their children.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)