Donaldson Children Picture Update.

I have an update on the Donaldson grandchildren picture taken in Iowa. You probably remember it from my previous post. I seem to have it reversed from others so I flipped it. The boy between Violetta and Preston has been identified as John Henry Donaldson the son of John Martin Donaldson, my grand uncle, and his wife Katherine. The girl with the big bow in her hair would be Lillian, the daughter of my grand uncle Temple Donaldson and and Elizabeth. The baby in the chair second from right in the front would be Temple's daughter Helen Josephine. So I am guessing that the boy just out of the picture could be Temples son Frank. The little girl on the left is Florence Vanita Curran the daughter of my grand aunt Mary (Donaldson) Curran and James. The baby to the right of Uncle Lee is Edward Curran, Mary and James son. I want to thank Gretchen Kesterson, a granddaughter of my grand aunt Easter Donaldson, for the information.

Back left: James Preston Pettyjohn, John Henry Donaldson, Mary Violetta Pettyjohn, Vienna Mae Pettyjohn, Lillian R. Donaldson, Velda C. Donaldson, Frank Donaldson, Front Left: Joseph Lee Pettyjohn, Edward Burke Curran, Kenneth E. Donaldson, Helen Josephine Donaldson, Florence Vanita Donaldson.

Thank you for joining my search!

Dennis

2nd Cousin in Florida

On May 14, 2018 I received a message on Ancestry from Mary Atchison, our DNA came up as a match. She had grown up on the east coast and did not know much about her extended family. Mary's grandfather was William Douglas Donaldson the brother to Sarah Melissa Donaldson my grandmother. We are 2nd generation cousins.

Temple and William in a coal mine

William Douglas Donaldson Sr. Married Mary Mathilda (Tillie) Ess and they had one daughter Velda. After Tillie passed away William married Alpha Mae Hughes Wilkenson and they had six children. Kenneth Edward, Nancy Isabelle, John Wilbur, Lula Mae,William Douglas, and Alice Lourine.

Velda Donaldson back left, and Kenneth Donaldson front centre.
Aunt Mae and Aunt Violetta back centre, Uncle Preston back right and Uncle Lee front right.

Back Left: Kenneth, Velda, Nancy (Isabel), John (Wilbur).
Front Left: LulaMae, William, Alice (Lorrine).

Mary's father William left Illinois when he was young after his brother Kenneth was killed in a coal mine accident. He did not want to work in the mines so he joined the merchant marines, then the navy. He became a Boston police officer, retired in the 1980's and moved to Florida.


In January 2019 I was able to meet Mary, her husband Don, and son Chris, in person in Fort Lauderdale on our way to a Caribbean cruise. They drove down from Jacksonville to meet Evelyn and I.

Mary Atchinson and Myself

Thank you for joining my search!

Dennis