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ALEXANDER McDONAGH
Alex McDonagh was born in Lucknow, Ont. He married Sarah Skeoch
at Binscarth, Man., on Junc 24th, 1891. They went to Russell to live, as Alex had a
butcher business there; some years later he sold it, and went into machinery and
implements, and then a garage with the Ford Agency, which he had until he retired.
He was reeve of Russell before the town was incorporated and was councillor in town for
several years. He was a member of the Russell School Board and its chairman in
1912. He was a District Deputy Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge A.F. and A.M. and a
Justice of the Peace from 190l to 192l.
Sarah and Alex had nine Children but one boy, Robert
died in infancy; the others were:
Carrie, who married Lynn Richardson, and lived in
Saskatoon, and B.C. They had four children, two boys and two girls;
Ethel, who married Frank Hunter, lived in Saskatoon
and B.C., no children;
Hazel, who married Daniel Calvert, lived in North
Battleford and B.C., two children, both girls;
Jean, who married Albert Leech, Glenavon, Sask., lived
there, then B.C. seven children, six boys and one girl;
Alice, who married Cliff Leslie, lived in B.C., no
children;
William, who married Dorine Mitchell of Neepawa, Man.,
lived in Winnipeg and B.C., one boy and one girl;
Marshall, who married Orpha McTavish, lived in B.C. -
three children, two girls and one boy.
Elinor, who married George Hodgkins (who was killed in
World War II) now she is Mrs. McBryde and lives in the U.S . She has one boy and one girl.
Sarah and Alex moved to Vancouver in 1950, where most of their families
were living. They both passed away in 1952 three weeks apart.
GEO. AND ELIZABETH McDONAGH by Mrs. H . Payne
(Bertie Callin)
George McDonagh came to Russell during the 1890's and worked as a
carpentcr and contractor with A. B. Callin.
He married Elizabeth Anne Callin in 1898 and they
resided in Russell in a house he had built on Pelly Ave N. That same year he went
into partnership with Wm. Cusitar of Brightside in one of the first sawmills in theis
area, which supplied the lumber for a great many homes and buildings in the town and
district.
Their first son, George, was born in 1905. Later he moved out to the Brightside district, to section 1-21-29, which he rented from Wm. Cusitar. His youngest son, William, was born there in 1910. He continued to farm there until 1920 when he sold out and moved back to his home in Russell.
The next few years he spent building warehouses and station housed for the C.P.R. In 1928 he took a trip to Edmonton and was so impressed with the way it was beginning to boom he decided to move there to live, leaving here with his family in 1929.
He continued to do carpenter work there until he retired; he died in
1935 and his wife died in 1948, while on a visit to Russell. She was taken back to
Edmonton of burial. His two sons, both married, continued to live in Edmonton.
The youngest son, William, died in June 1965.