Donnell Genealogy

Reuben Donnell (John, John, Thomas) was born about 1816 in Guilford County, North Carolina and moved to Madison County, Tennessee, as a child with his parents, Capt. John Donnell and Jane McGaha. Reuben's father was a member of the prominent Scotch-Irish Donnell family of Guilford County, North Carolina, who were part of the Nottingham Colony of 1753 and among the founders and elders of the Buffalo Presbyterian Church in Greensboro.

Reuben left Madison County for McNairy County, Tennessee some time around 1839. He married Mariah Ann Hill about that year in McNairy County, where they settled. Mariah was born 15 September 1822 in Tennessee, the daughter of Daniel Hill and his wife, Elizabeth, who had moved to McNairy County in West Tennessee from Jefferson County in East Tennessee with a large group of related families, and settled in what was known as the Hill settlement near the town of Purdy. Purdy was the first county seat of McNairy County and was described as a lovely, thriving cultural center, until the railroad bypassed it in 1858 and the town declined to practically a ghost town.

Reuben and Mariah had twelve children in McNairy County, where they lived and farmed until about 1865 when they moved to neighboring Tippah County, Mississippi along with the Hills. Their youngest child was born in Tippah County around 1868. Two of their sons, Rufus J. and Daniel Washington "Wash," fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. Rufus was killed in the war. Mariah Hill Donnell died 31 December 1874 in Tippah County, Mississippi and was buried in Antioch Cemetery, near Ripley.

Reuben and his children moved to north Texas a few years after Mariah's death. His mother-in-law, Elizabeth Hill, went with them. Her husband, Daniel Hill, had died in Tippah County, Mississippi in 1877. On January 8, 1877, Reuben bought 194 1/4 acres on Mineral Creek (DB 35, p. 333) near Whitesboro in the extreme west central part of Grayson County and many of his children settled near him or in the surrounding counties on both sides of the Texas/Oklahoma border. Grayson County, in north central Texas, is bordered by the Red River and by Fannin, Collin, Denton, and Cooke counties. The county seat is Sherman, which lies approximately sixty-five miles north of Dallas. From 1870 to 1880, settlement in north Texas flourished. The arrival of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad in Sherman and the Missouri, Kansas and Texas in Denison in late 1872 initiated a period of phenomenal growth and development for Grayson County. The population expanded from 14,387 in 1870 to 38,108 in 1880, the largest increase that ever occurred in the entire history of the county. By the end of the 1870s when the Donnells arrived, the community of Whitesboro had a bank, a newspaper, and train service from the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad, that had extended its tracks to Whitesboro from Denison in 1879. Reuben farmed in the area until he died in 1889 and was reportedly buried in Dixie Cemetery about five miles outside of Whitesboro, although his grave marker has not been found. After his death, his heirs sold the land to D.C. Sullivan (DB 87:322-325).

Children of Reuben Donnell and Mariah Hill are:

i. Rufus J. Donnell, born Abt. 1840 in McNairy County, Tennessee; died between 1861-1865 during service in the Civil War. He married Roxanna before 1860 in McNairy Co., Tennessee; she was born around 1844 in Tennessee.

ii. Daniel Washington "Wash" Donnell, born 09 Jan 1843 in McNairy County, Tennessee; died 31 Mar 1928 in Saint Jo, Montague County, Texas; married Jane Catherine "Cass" Grissom 9 Jan 1868 in Tippah Co., Mississippi. She was born 06 Jun 1850 in Tippah County and died 05 Jul 1920 in Saint Jo, Montague County, Texas.

iii. Jane Donnell, born about 1844 in McNairy County, Tennessee; died young in McNairy County, Tennessee.

iv. Elizabeth J. "Lizzie" Donnell born about 1848 in McNairy County, Tennessee. She married Thomas Glenn. They lived near Hardy in Montague County, Texas

v. Anna "Annie" Donnell, born about 1849 in McNairy County, Tennessee; died young in McNairy County, Tennessee.

vi. John Donnell, born about 1852 in McNairy County, Tennessee.

vii. Jacob "Jake" Donnell, born 05 Feb 1853 in McNairy County, Tennessee; died Nov 26 1932 in Collingworth County, Texas. He married Margaret V. Poff 15 Jan 1880.

viii. Peter Calvin Donnell, called "Calvin", born about 05 Feb 1855 in McNairy County, Tennessee; died 18 Nov 1933. He married Matilda Hartzog about 1890.

ix. Albert Franklin Donnell, born 25 Apr 1857 in McNairy County, Tennessee; died 26 Nov 1931 in Harrah, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma.He married (1) W. E. E. “Betty” McCalip 23 Nov 1879 in Grayson County, Texas. He married (2) Leona Alice Honea 14 Oct 1894 in St. Jo, Montague County, Texas. She was born 14 Sep 1869 near Atlanta, Georgia, and died 05 Feb 1945 in Harrah, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma.

x. William Harris Donnell, called "Harris", born Jul 1860 in McNairy County, Tennessee. He married Mrs. M. E. "Tilda" Truss on 23 Oct 1896 in Montague Co., TX. They lived in Hardy, Montague Co., TX.

xi. Samuel Donnell, born 11 Aug 1862 in McNairy County, Tennessee; died 27 Oct 1939 in Wheatland County, Oklahoma. He married Lula Pilcher 18 Jul 1890 in Montague County, Texas. She was born 01 Sep 1872 in Saint Jo, Montague County, Texas, and died 04 Jul 1925 in Slaughterville, Cleveland County, Oklahoma.

xii. Robert E. Lee Donnell, called "Lee", born Abt. 1864 in McNairy County, Tennessee. He married Laura E. Ellis. They lived in Colgate, Coal Co., Oklahoma

xiii. Mary Edna Donnell, called "Edney", born Abt. 1868 in Tippah County, Mississippi. She married Richard Worley of the state of Washington.