Donald Alexander McDonald (January 1, 1833 - February 11, 1906) was a steamboat owner and lumberman from La Crosse, Wisconsin, who served in both houses of the state legislature"Members of the Wisconsin Legislature 1848–1999 State of Wisconsin Legislative Bureau. Information Bulletin 99-1, September 1999. pp. 12, 81 as well as being a candidate for mayor of that city.
Background McDonald was born in Gairloch in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, on January 1, 1833. In June 1844 he moved with his family to Dundas, Canada West. There he received an academic education in the common schools until 1853, when he moved to nearby Hamilton.
In Wisconsin In 1855 he moved to Wisconsin and settled in Trempealeau where he went into the lumbering business, and remained for some time. He moved to La Crosse in 1869 where he engaged in lumbering and the operating of steamboats.
In 1873 McDonald, who had held various education-related local offices, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly from La Crosse County as a member of the Liberal Reform Party (a recently formed coalition of Democrats, reform and Liberal Republicans, and Grangers which secured the election of one Governor of Wisconsin and a number of state legislators) for a one-year term, with 1866 votes to 1740 for Republican R. M. Mooer. He was assigned to the standing committees on railroads and on enrolled bills.Turner, A. J., ed. The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin: comprising the constitutions of the United States and of the state of Wisconsin, Jefferson's manual, forms and laws for the regulation of business; also, lists and tables for reference, etc. Thirteenth Annual Edition. Madison: Atwood and Culver, Printers and Stereotypers, 1874; pp. 351, 475, 479, 480 In 1874, he was defeated as the Liberal Reform candidate for the Senate's 31st District by Republican Sylvester Nevins, who won by 74 votes (1926 to 1852).Bashford, R. M., ed. The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin: comprising the constitutions of the United States and of the state of Wisconsin, Jefferson's manual, forms and laws for the regulation of business; also, lists and tables for reference, etc. Fifteenth Annual Edition. Madison: B. Bolens, State Printer, 1876; p. 387
He remained in the lumber and steamboat businesses, and also traded in groceries, in large part to supply his own boats, shanties and so forth."Donald A. McDonald" in, History of La Crosse County, Wisconsin: Containing an Account of Its Settlement, Growth, Development and Resources : an Extensive and Minute Sketch of Its Cities, Towns and Villages-their Improvements, Industries, Manufactories, Churches, Schools and Societies : Its War Record, Biographical Sketches, Portraits of Prominent Men and Early Settlers : the Whole Preceded by a History of Wisconsin, Statistics of the State, and an Abstract of Its Laws and Constitution and the Constitution of the United States Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1881; p. 773 In March 1882, he was granted a patent for an improved method of connected boats towing other watercraft, to improve steering and facilitate sharp turns.U.S. Patent grant #254995A, March 14, 1882
In 1882, he was elected as a Democrat (the Reform Party having collapsed in the late 1870s) to the Senate seat he'd sought earlier, with 2853 votes to 1618 for former Republican Assemblyman John Brindley and 231 for Prohibitionist John James (Republican incumbent Merrick Wing was not a candidate).Heg, J. E., ed. The blue book of the state of Wisconsin 1883 pp. 482, 509 He would serve on the standing committee on privileges and elections.Heg, James E., ed. The blue book of the state of Wisconsin. Comprising the constitutions of the United States and of the state of Wisconsin, Jefferson's manual, forms and laws for the regulation of business; also lists and tables for reference, etc. Twenty-Third Volume. Madison: Democrat Printing Co., State Printers, 1885; pp. 425, 442, 451
In 1885, when eccentric local physician David Franklin Powell ran for mayor of La Crosse, McDonald (who had long been influential in La Crosse business circles) was tapped as the Democratic nominee for mayor. Powell outpolled McDonald by over 250 votes, although McDonald did better than the Republican candidate.Morser, Eric. "A Hinterland Cauldron: Workers, Politics, and the Remaking of a Midwestern City" Journal of Urban History September 2011 (vol. 37 no. 5), p. 716
He was not a candidate for re-election in 1886, and was succeeded by Republican Thomas Dyson.
Personal life He married Anna Black Beers, with whom he would have four children. He died on February 11, 1906, in La Crosse.
References