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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - WATSON ANCESTORS
DONLEY
(Also recorded as Donly and Donelly)
Susannah's grandfather 180-William ROBINSON was an Episcopalian minister, who was raised in Scotland and moved to Ireland about the middle of the eighteenth century.
After landing in America the ROBINSONS traveled to southwestern Pennsylvania and settled in Washington County, PA, a few miles south of Brownsville. 44-James DONLEY located in Philadelphia initially, then came to southwestern Pennsylvania in 1794 as a teamster with the militia sent out to suppress the Whiskey Rebellion*. He bought a farm on Dunkard Creek, built a cabin and married 45-Susanna in 1796. They had eleven children, Jane, Catherine, Sarah, John, Patrick, Anne, 22-Daniel, Joseph**, James, William and Susanna.
44-James died in 1855 at age 90 and 45-Susanna in 1866 at age 91. Both are buried at the M. E. Church Cemetery, Mount Morris, PA along with children Jane, Joseph, James and William. Sarah is buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery, Mount Morris and John, Ann and 22-Daniel at Bald Hill.
22-Daniel DONLEY (my GG Grandfather) was born in 1809 at Bald Hill, Dunkard Township, Greene County, PA. He was born and raised on his parents farm and, like his parents, became a farmer. He was also a minister, at the Bald Hill Methodist Church. About 1832 he married 23-Catherine LEMLEY who was from the Mount Morris area and a granddaughter of 92-George LEMLEY and 93-Catherine YOHO, one of the pioneer families of the area. They had ten children, Rheuanny, 11-Susanna, who became 10-Eli RUSSELL’S wife, David, Catherine, Elizabeth, James, who became a local schoolteacher, Joseph, John, Lavina, and Daniel. 23-Catherine died in 1888 at age 75, and 22-Daniel in 1893 at age 82. Both are buried at the Bald Hill Cemetery.
11-Susanna DONLEY (my G Grandmother) was born at Bald Hill, Dunkard Twp., Greene County, PA 8 Oct 1833, she married 10-Eli RUSSELL about 1850 and they moved to their own farm home. They had at least five children, L. D. "Ramsey", Katherine , who became the wife of Byron W. WATSON brother of my Grandfather, 5-Lucretia, who became the wife of 4-Joseph C. Watson Byron's younger brother, Ida Mae, and Frances I. "Ona". Family sources report that 10-Eli, in addition to being a farmer was a school teacher and a minister. 10-Eli died in 1900 at age 70, and 11-Susanna April 1916 at age 81. Both are buried in the Bald Hill Cemetery along with a number of their children. |
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 Susanna (DONLEY) RUSSELL (1833-1916)
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** Joseph Robinson DONLEY, brother of 22-Daniel, married Sarah LEMLEY, 23-Catherine’s sister. Their granddaughter (daughter of David Lemley DONLEY and Louisa EVANS) married William DOCKING of Kansas. They became the parents of George DOCKING, Kansas Governor from 1957-61, and grandparents of Robert DOCKING, Kansas Governor from 1971-75.
SUPPLEMENTAL BIOGRAPHIC MATERIAL -
DONLEY
(Added after initial printing)
(Added after initial printing)
J. B. DONLEY
Cousin J. B. DONLEY (1838- ) was a son of the Honorable Patrick DONLEY (1805-1891), brother of my 2G Grandfather 22-Rev. Daniel DONLEY (1809-1893).
Hon. J. B. DONLEY, an attorney of Waynesburg, Penn., was born at Mount Morris, this county, October 10, 1838. He is a son of Hon. Patrick and Margaret (MORRIS) DONLEY. His ancestors were among the earliest settlers of Greene County, and have usually been farmers.
Mr. DONLEY’S great-grandfather was a captain in the Revolutionary War, and his grandfather MORRIS was a soldier in the War of 1812. His father was a farmer and merchant, and was a member of the State Legislature in 1861 and 1862, serving two terms. At the age of eighty- four years his father still resides in Mount Morris, where he has spent many years of his life.
Of his family of eight children Hon. J. B. DONLEY is the fourth. He graduated from Waynesburg College in 1859, when he went west and located in Ablington, Illinois, having obtained a position as principal of schools. In 1860 he became a professor in Ablington College.
When the Civil War broke out Prof. DONLEY promptly enlisted under the first call of President LINCOLN, but on account of the large number offering, the proposed company was not received into the service and was disbanded. Prof. DONLEY continued teaching until the summer of 1862. He then enlisted again and helped raise Company I of the Eighty-third Volunteer Army. When the company was organized he was elected captain, being the youngest captain in the regiment. It was the Eighty-third Illinois Infantry that fought the rebels alone at the second battle of Fort Donnelson. The regiment was distinguished for the great number of large men within its ranks, and was among the best regiments organized in the state.
Captain DONLEY was discharged in July 1865, when he returned to his native county, then went to Albany, New York, and in 1866 graduated from the law department of Albany University. In 1867 he was admitted to practice law at the Waynesburg bar, and was appointed Register in Bankruptcy during the year, holding that position until 1869, when he became a member of the Forty-first Congress, having been elected thereto in 1868.
He votes the Republican ticket, casting his first vote for President for Abraham LINCOLN in 1860. He is president of the board of trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is a member. He is also assistant superintendent in the Sabbath-school. He is president of the Waynesburg Park Company. He is a prominent member of the Knights of Honor, and a Master Mason in the Masonic fraternity. He belongs to the G. A. R. Post of Waynesburg.
Captain DONLEY was married in this county, in 1871, to Miss Ellen W., daughter of Col. John H. WELLS, a retired attorney of Waynesburg. They have three children – Nellie W., Grace E. and Patrick. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
SOURCE: HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA (1888) by Samuel P. BATES