Most Prosperous Stockman: J.J. McDonald and Descendants

 

In a previous article I spoke of the Schnepel Ranch becoming the property of J.J. McDonald. John J. "Big Mac" and his brother Angus Alexander “Sandy” McDonald came from Canada to Philipsburg in 1883. They were cousins of Angus McDonald, who founded the Hudson Bay Fort Connah, near Post Creek in the Flathead area about 1855. 

                              J.J. and Louisa McDonald (Pictures from "Philipsburg: The McDonalds"

John met Charlotte Wilhelmine Josephine Victoria Louisa Kolkschneider, at one of the parties of that time and married her in January 1893. Known by the name Louisa, she had arrived in Philipsburg from Germany to stay with her aunt, Henrietta Schnepel in 1899. Matilda Wenandy, Henrietta’s daughter had died on June 8, 1888, and she was lonely so wrote to Germany requesting her niece to come and live with her. 

As soon as John and Louisa married they started ranching on the Schnepel Ranch and on April 8, 1899 they bought the ranch and to this day the property has remained in the McDonald family. John and Louisa had four children while living on the ranch: Susie, John William, Angus (Gus), and Louise. The youngest daughter Irene was born after they moved into Philipsburg in 1902. 

The October 6, 1905 Philipsburg Mail published the final court settlement of the Flint Creek Power Company versus the valley ranchers. John J. McDonald was adjudged four water rights: 130.6 miners inches [of water], appropriated October 23, 1886; 252.4 miners inches [of water], appropriated June 1, 1891; 96.2 miners inches [of water], appropriated 1872; 106 miners inches [of water], appropriated 1872. On June 5, 1908. 

“Four young horses were found lying dead in the South Montgomery street cut Saturday morning having fallen down the high embankment during the night, which was very dark and stormy. Investigation disclosed broken necks and backs. Two more colts were found in dying conditions at the ball grounds. Five of the colts all 2 year olds belonged to J.J. McDonald and one to S.L. Walker. 

John became “one of the most prosperous stockmen of southwestern Montana.” He suffered a long illness and died August 22, 1931 and is buried in the Philipsburg cemetery. Mrs. Louise W. McDonald died at 3 o’clock June 7, 1937 at her ranch two miles S.W. of Philipsburg after a long illness. She was born in Berlin, Germany October 16, 1870. Survivors were: two sons, Angus (Gus) and John W.; three daughters, Mrs. Ralph E. (Sue) Williams, Mrs. John H. (Louise) Cole and Miss Irene McDonald; two grandsons: Ralph E. Williams Jr. and John (Pat) McDonald; and two grand daughters, Arlette Williams and Peggy McDonald all of Philipsburg. Internment was in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Published in the Mail, August 6, 1937: “In the matter of the estate of Louise W. McDonald, deceased, the Court signed an order authorizing John W. McDonald and Ledora Irene McDonald, administrators with the will annexed, to manage and conduct farming operations upon said estate according to the usual course of business.” T

The oldest daughter, Louise was married to John Cole, the first sheriff of Granite County and they had a daughter Mary Louise, who married Henry Leo Tierney, in Butte on August 19, 1961. Mary was a graduate of the University of Montana and taught in the Butte Public Schools. 

Second born daughter, Susie McDonald attended Dillon Normal College after her graduation from the Philipsburg schools in 1912 and was a teacher prior to her marriage on June 15, 1916. The Mail detailed the marriage in two columns on June 16, 1916. “One of the prettiest weddings ever celebrated in Philipsburg….the flower girls, little Misses Catherine Lindstadt and Eunice Carmichael, dressed in white with touches of pink and bearing between them a huge basket of blossoms, the handles tied with satin ribbons. They made an exquisite picture, fair Catherine being a perfect foil to Eunice with her gypsy beauty…Mr. Williams was employed with the Philipsburg Cash Grocery and his bride was a popular teacher in the Philipsburg School District.” 

Ralph William’s mother died when he was an infant so his aunt Cora Jenkins, in Butte, raised Ralph. Ralph was elected to the position of Clerk of the Court for Granite County in 1924. Suzie became Deputy Clerk of Court in January, 1925. When Ralph earned his law degree, Susie assumed his Clerk of Court position. Their first son Ralph Jr. was born May 13, 1917 and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in July of 1941. He “received his silver wings and officer’s commission on May 24, 1943 and was sent to the European theater of war. A letter from the War Department reported him missing in action on February 3, 1944.” He was posthumously awarded the Air Medal and Purple Heart. His headstone in the Philipsburg cemetery states “Missing in action. 

Ralph and Susie’s McDonald’s other children were: John Miles born August 13, 1918 and died at the age of two months and Arlette Irene born July 14, 1919. She married William Roy Gibson on September 23, 1939. Born to this marriage were: Sue Carol (June 10, 1941); William Roy (May 16, 1942); Ralph Edwin (August 23, 1952); and Steven Douglas (August 6, 1956). 

 Ralph died suddenly at the age of thirty-nine on October 1, 1935. Susie worked for the Montana Power Company until 1943 when she resumed teaching the third grade at the Philipsburg Grade School and continued teaching until her death on June 1, 1953. She was a Gold Star Mother, having lost her son Ralph Jr. in WWII. Susie was the correspondent for the Montana Standard and the Philipsburg Mail for a number of years. Burial was in the Philipsburg cemetery by her husband and son. T

The youngest daughter of John and Agnes McDonald, was Ledora Irene (1902-1977). After teaching school for fifteen years she married J. Walter Kaiser on October 2, 1937 in Thompson Falls. They did not have any children. 

John W. McDonald was born in Philipsburg in 1895, to J.J. and Louisa. He was educated in the Philipsburg schools and married Agnes Maehl in 1926. They lived in a log cabin, built by her father, on the McDonald Ranch, John W. and John Jr. “Pat” operated the ranch originally established by his parents. He served as trustee to Granite County High School for twelve years, plus was an active member and past president of the local Farm Bureau, being the first president of the Granite County Bureau. John was also a member of the Montana Stock Growers Assn; a Deputy State Brand Inspector; a member of the Flint Creek Water Users Association; chairman of the County Weed Control; and member of the Stock Growers Protective Association according to his obituary. 

John died suddenly after suffering injuries at the ranch while feeding cattle. He was trapped under falling bales of hay and died of the injuries in a Butte Hospital, January 20, 1956. Survivors were: wife Agnes, son and daughter -in-law Mr. and Mrs. John W. “Pat” McDonald Jr., daughter and son-in-law Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. (Margaret “Peggy”) Collins and grandchildren. 

 After John’s death, Agnes moved into Philipsburg. She served for fourteen years as the Granite County Clerk and Recorder and for twenty-one years as a volunteer for the H&R Thrift Shop. When Agnes died on June 21, 2005 she was the “matriarch of the upper Flint Creek Valley” having celebrated her 100th birthday just one month and one week prior to her death. Survivors were: brother Jim Maehl, son “Pat” and daughter “Peggy” Collins; sixteen grandchildren, and numerous great grandchildren, Interment was in the family plot. 

Angus was the second son born to J.J. and Louisa in 1897 and enlisted in WWI in 1917 and was discharged in 1919. Gus served as Sheriff of Granite county from 1928 to 1942. He resigned to enlist in WWII and wife Clarice (Superneau) took over his post with her brother Fred serving as Under-Sheriff. Gus was discharged with a service connected disability in 1943. They had a son Darell (1944-2021)) and daughter Colette (1947). Gus served on the City Council and received many marksmanship awards. He died September 9, 1962. 

The children of John W and Agnes, “Pat”(1927-2017) and “Peggy”(1928-2019) continued the family tradition of ranching. After teaching for two years, Peggy married Thomas Collins in 1952 and they expanded and operated the original A.A. “Red Mac” McDonald Ranch on Marshall Hill. Their children are: Kay, Tom, Mike, Susan (Antonioli), Ann (Antonioli), Peggy (Shluter), Jo (Durgin) and Nancy (Ward). Tom died May 23, 2006. They are buried near baby son John. The ranch continues with Kay and family. 

Pat lived his entire life on the ranch and learned to fly airplanes at the age of twenty. He married Esther Johnson in 1953 and they raised eight children: John. Phillip, Scott, Mary (Ruffatto), Patty (Hobaugh), Maggie , Katie (Bruan), and Sady (Babcock). Pat was active in the Montana Stockgrower’s Association; president of the County unit of The Farm Bureau 1951-1953; and membership chairman of the Granite county unit of the Stockgrower’s in 1958. Pat was born at the family ranch in the same room as his father. He died at the Anaconda Community Hospital.

                                        John W. "Pat" Jr. McDonald (Picture from his obituary)

Esther, (1926-2020) was born in Seattle and was the first woman to earn a degree in Animal Husbandry at WSU. In 2004, WSU honored her as a Pioneer for Women in Agriculture. Forever a hard worker she gave her heart and soul to family. She always supported her community, especially the Granite County Museum and Cultural Center and in 2018 celebrated the Schnepel/McDonald Ranch’s 150th anniversary.