DanielMcDonaldFamily

=Daniel and Jane (Truesdale) McDonald family=

Daniel (b. 1838) was the son of Henry and Laura (Wallace) McDonald Jane (b. 1837) was the daughter of Hugh and Victoria (Patton) Truesdale

Daniel and Jane were married in June, 1859. Shortly before the wedding, her parents had moved, along with her younger sister, Nellie, into a new house in Oak Springs. So, Daniel and Jane were able to make the Truesdale family homestead house their new home.

Their son, William McDonald, was born on 31 Jan 1864, near Jefferson City. Daniel served with his brother-in-law Lewis Truesdale in the Cavalry Regiment organized by Colonel Jake Patton. His duty was not far from Jefferson City, so he was able to obtain occasional leaves during his time of service. He and Lewis were among the first to return to the Oak Creek Valley and re-establish contact with Alex and Henry McDonald following the war.

Daniel and Jane made a fine team pursuing the extended family business interests in the valley in the years following the war. Daniel directed the agricultural activities and assured that the freight line stations were properly manned and functioning, including the resumed postal mail contract obligations. He saw to the maintenance and upkeep of the animals required for all of the operations. Meanwhile, Jane focused her attention on raising a son who would become a family leader while also staying involved in her extended family relationships to assure success and continuity of a variety of the interests of the McDonalds, the Truesdales, the Pattons and the Baldridges in the valley.

Wiliam McDonald married Charlotte Crane on 1 Jun 1887.