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WILLIAM B. DONALDSON, one of Steubenville's retired capitalists, residing at No. 332 North Fourth Street, for many years was prominently identified with large business interests at Steubenville and other places. He was born at Steubenville, O., in 1837, and is a son of W. Donaldson. The latter was born in Ireland and came to Steubenville in 1830. He engaged in farming and in the hotel business but died at Baltimore, Md., when aged forty-five. W.B. Donaldson obtained his education in the schools of his native city. When nineteen years old he went to California, by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and engaged in mining. He remained three years in the West, returning to Steubenville in 1859. During the Civil War he was appointed superintendent of the transportation department at Washington, and later he was in the service of the Government as an inspector of horses, first at Boston, and at the close of the war in New York, ranking No. 3 among the inspectors. In 1870 he made a second visit to California, purchasing a large farm, but returned in the same year to Steubenville and then to New York, where he accepted the position of superintendent for the New York Transfer Company, continuing there for seven years. Mr. Donaldson again came back to his native place and invested here, building the Steubenville Pottery Works and founding an important industry of which he remained president and general manager for twenty years. Since that time he has been released from business cares. He spends a part of each year in travel and has visited all sections of the country and at the present time (1910) is contemplating a trip abroad. He is financially interested in the Union Deposit Bank. In his earlier years he was quite active in local politics and has served a number of terms as president of the city council, and during this period and through his efforts the paid fire department was established. During this time the paving of the streets with brick took place. He is known as the 'father of the fire department." He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and has been president of the Humane Society for the past twenty-five years. In 1861 Mr. Donaldson was married to Miss Emelda B. Junkin, a daughter of Ex-Mayor Junkin, of Steubenville, and they have two daughters: Mary, who is the wife of D. J. Sinclair, a prominent banker of Steubenville; and Florence, who is the wife of Harry H. Henderson, of the Manhattan Rubber Company, of Passaic, N.J. Mr. Donaldson and family are members of the Second Presbyterian Church, he being president of its board of trustees.  Return to Family Tales
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