Jos CHAPTER XVI. JOSEPH EWING M'DONALD. OSEPH Ewing McDonald was born in Butler county, Ohio, on the 29th of August, 1819. His father, John McDonald, was of Scotch extraction, a native of Pennsylvania, and by occupation a farmer. He was a man of sterling worth, determined, industrious and self-sacrificing. He died when the subject of this sketch was still in infancy, thus depriving him of his main support and counsel, and casting on him for the future many burdens and responsibilities. His mother, Eleanor Piatt McDonald, was a Pennsylvanian. Her ancestors were French Huguenots, who located first in New Jersey, and afterward settled permanently in Ohio. She was a woman of a superior order of intellect her standards all high, her influence always elevating. Her highest ambition was a mother'sto educate her children and make each a worthy and useful member of society. She was a woman of refined tastes, a pleasant writer, and for the amusement and advancement of her children wrote many sketches and scraps of song. She and her husband were both earnest members of the United Presbyterian church. Several years after the death of John McDonald she was married to John Kerr, at Fairfield township, Butler county, Ohio. Mr. Kerr was a native of Ireland, a frugal, industrious farmer, always out of debt, a just and courteous neighbor, a firm but kind parent, and the father of seven children-four sons and three daughters. He moved with his family to Montgomery county, Indiana, in the fall of 1826, entered land and opened a farm. He was a member of the Old-school Presbyterian church. He died in 1856, at the residence of the subject of this sketch, in Crawfordsville, Montgomery county, Indiana. Joseph was seven years of age when, in 1826, his parents located in Montgomery county, then an almost unbroken forest. He remained on the farm until the age of twelve, excepting two years spent at Crawfordsville attending school. Such time as he could command from his labors on the farm was occupied in pursuing a course of study, which aided much in laying the foundation for the eventful future in store for him. At an early age he conceived a strong love for the law, and when ten years old he had determined upon making that profession his life work, at the cost of any personal hardship or sacrifice. In his twelfth year the ambitious aspirant for future honors at the bar became an apprentice at the saddler's trade, at Lafayette, Indiana. In that capacity he served five years and nine months, excepting three months spent in attending school. For fidelity to their interests, his employers released him from the last three months of his apprenticeship, which time he spent in prosecuting his studies. Following the resolution made before going to learn a trade, he still pursued his studies with vigor at such times as he could snatch from work or rest. He had already become quite proficient in the English branches and rudiments of learning. His favorite study was history, in which he became well versed, and which he retained and quoted with readiness and accuracy. During his apprenticeship he had access to the extensive and well-selected library of Dr. Israel T. Canby, who was then receiver of the public moneys of the land office at Crawfordsville, Indiana. This opportunity was well improved, and he was prepared before leaving there, in 1838, to enter upon advanced fields of knowledge. At the age of eighteen years he entered Wabash College at Crawfordsville, and began the study of the higher branches of learning with success, supporting himself mainly by plying his trade at such times as it was possible to do so. He continued his studies at college till the spring of 1840, except for a short period in the spring of 1839, when he acted with the engineer corps of the State of Indiana, who were then surveying the bed for the Wabash and Erie Canal. In 1840 he entered Asbury University, at Greencastle, Indiana, and remained six months, returning to Crawfordsville, where he remained the rest of the year, and taught school one term. In the spring of 1841 he went to Williamsport, Indiana, taking a position as clerk in the store of James McDonald, his brother, where he resided one year. In the spring of 1842 he began the study of law at Lafayette, Indiana, with Zebulon Beard, one of the first lawyers in the State, as his preceptor. He advanced with rapid strides in his chosen profession, his quick and firm grasp of its principles being remarkable. He was admitted to practice, upon examination before the Supreme Court of Indiana, consisting of Judges Blackford, Dewey and Sullivan, in the spring of 1843. He was nominated for the office of ProsecutingAttorney before he received his license to practice, and was elected to that position at the August election following, over Robert Jones, a Whig, and a prominent member of the Lafayette bar. This was the first election of that class of officers by the people, they having formerly been chosen by the Legislature. On the 25th of December, 1844, he was married to Nancy Ruth Buell, at Williamsport, Indiana. She was the daughter of Doctor Buell, a practicing physician and surgeon, and a woman of lovely character, devoted to her family, and conspicuous for her quiet and thorough benevolence. The issue of this union was Ezekiel M., Malcolm A., Frank B., and Annie M. McDonald, afterward Mrs. Caldwell, who died June 2, 1877. He was re-elected prosecuting attorney over Robert Evans, a prominent lawyer and politician, in August, 1845, serving in all a period of four years. In the fall of 1847, he moved to |