JAMES MACDONALD

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      JAMES MACDONALD dwells about fourteen miles southeast from Sprague and is occupied in farming and stock raising.  Like many of the leading men of the Big Bend country, Mr. Macdonald came here without any means.  By careful attention to business and making much of the resources here given, he has come to be a wealthy and prosperous man.  His home is a fine story and one-half, eight room cottage, well supplied with every convenience and surrounded with everything that makes a place comfortable and attractive. It is the center of an estate of one thousand and forty acres of excellent wheat laud.  In addition to this, Mr. Macdonald owns a section and one-half of pasture land and handles a section and a half to wheat.  He owns nearly two hundred head of cattle, plenty of horses for the carrying on of his large estate and all machinery necessary.

      James Macdonald was horn in county Antrim, Ireland, on December 12, 1848, the son of Alexander and Isabella (McCapin) Macdonald, natives also of that county, where they both died, the father in 1867 and the mother in 1894. James received his educational training during the first thirteen years of his life then assisted his father on the farm, after which he went to the city of Belfast and engaged as clerk in a grocery store, retaining that position for nine years.  In April, 1870, he sailed from Glasgow, Scotland, to New York by way of Quebec, Canada.  For a time he operated in a lumber yard in the metropolis of America, then went to Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and wrought in the iron works for six years.  After this he journeyed to Nashua, New Hampshire, and wrought two years in the machine shops.  Then he determined to come west and accordingly journeyed to the Big Bend country via San Francisco.  For two years, he was fireman on the Northern Pacific here then took a homestead where he now resides.  Mr. Macdonald has one brother and two sisters, Isabella and May, living with him, and Thomas A., deceased, who was a machinist on the Northern Pacific for fifteen years.  In addition to the property mentioned, Mr. Macdonald owns a half interest in a threshing machine outfit which does a good business each year in the adjacent country.

      Fraternally, he is a member of the Masons, while in religious persuasions he belongs to the Episcopal church.  Mr. Macdonald has great to take pride in the labors he has performed in this country and the success which he has achieved, while also he has so conducted himself that he has won the good will I who know him and is considered one of the leading men of this part of the country.