Logo designed for Johnson County by Pamela R. Cresswell
Logo designed for Johnson County by Pamela R. Cresswell
This was sent to me by a cousin Ms. Keith Donnelly over 20 years ago and is a copy of an article that I assume was from Mountain City's newspaper "The Tomahawk". The date doesn't show on the top of the page [but it was after May 30, 1928]. What it does say is "Printed Every Thursday in Mountain City, Johnson County, Tenn - Page Three". I added the pictures where I thought appropriate.
Robert Donnelly was born in Dublin Ireland, April 27, 1760. He came to America some time during the Revolutionary War and settled in Albemarle County, Virginia. He married a widow, Eve Brown, whose maiden name was Eve Sevely, August 29, 1789. To this union four children were born, namely, Richard, William, Lucy and Catherine. [marriage recorded in Shennahdoah County, Virginia]
Robert Donnelly moved with his family from Albemarle County to Rockingham County, Virginia, where he remained until the year 1800, then he moved to Wilkes County, North Carolina. He and his family left North Carolina about the year 1816 and settled in Carter County, Tennessee, now Johnson. His wife died December 19, 1806 and he then married a widow by the name of Frances Jennings. To this union one child was born, a daughter by the name of Mary. His second wife died January 29, 1827.
Robert Donnelly was a tailor by trade. He also farmed and taught school some. He died suddenly on Iron Mountain at Battleham Gap, August 15, 1832 at the age of 73 years. He is buried in the Wills Cemetery.
Robert Donnelly's two sons, Richard and William, were both in the War of 1812. They served as soldiers. Richard joined a Light Horse Brigade Company at Liberty Hall, Virginia. William volunteered at Wilkesboro, North Carolina and served in a North Carolina Regiment.
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Richard Donnelly was born August 17, 1790. He married Rebecca Doran, daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Lowry Doran, October 1817 and settled on Wilson's Creek at the old Donnelly Homestead, one and one-half miles from Taylorsville, now Mountain City. They were the parents of thirteen children; twelve, four girls and eight boys were reared to manhood and womanhood. The names of the children are as follows: William A., Caroline E., Robert L., James D., Emeline J., Lucinda, Margarette C., Richard H., Rachel R., Clifford F., Jackson W., Alfred T., Harrison C. All of the children are now dead. |
William Donnelly was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, February 15, 1792. He was a young man of about twenty-one years of age when the War of 1812 broke out and he entered into the service of his Country. Part of his time was spent at Norfolk, Virginia. He remained in the Service until the close of the War, then came and settled in Carter County with his parents and other members of his family.
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He married Sarah McQueen, daughter of William and Sarah (sic) [ed.note her name was Rebecca] Gwyn McQueen, February 26, 1824. |  |
Seven children were born to this union, two girls and five boys. The names of the children are: Richard A., William Kindrick, Rebekah J., Nancy A., Robert H.M., John M. and James C. All seven children lived to a ripe old age.
William was a farmer and trader; held some County offices and had some interest in an Iron Forge at Pandora, this County. He at one time went to Vincines, Indiana, where he remained for five years but his wife became afflicted with chills and fever and he had to return to Lee County, Virginia. He remained there for a number of years and accumulated property rapidly. His half brother, George Brown, owned the Forge previously referred to and kept writing and insisting that William come and buy a [illegible] interest in the business, which he did. It seems that after a while Brown, who is said to have been a very contentious man, tried in some way to take advantage of William. They became involved in law-suits which broke them both up.
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William was taken sick soon afterwards and four years he was an invalid and never able to gain what he had lost. He died February 16, 1842, in his fifty-first year, near Mountain City and buried in the old McQueen Cemetery [Robinson-Blankenbeckler Cemetery], is now a part of the Ed Butler farm, about three miles from town. |
William Kindrick Donnelly, second son of William Donnelly, was born January 14, 1827, near Mountain City and died July 3, 1921, being at the time of his death, ninety-four years and six months of age. He married a young widow, Alice Moore Kiser, daughter of Greene and Sarah Shoun Moore, August 31, 1865. To this union ten children born. Eight are still living.
From the two sons of Robert Donnelly, originally of Dublin, Ireland, Richard and William, have descended the large Donnelly connection, which is widely and prominently known throughout East Tennessee and other parts of the county.
| The Mountain City Chapter, D.A.R., conducted a service May 30, 1928 in honor of William Donnelly, soldier of the War of 1812, at the family square in Mountain View Cemetery. The marker was unveiled by Jean McPherson, Dickie Donnelly, Jimmie McCanless, and Katherine Exum, great, great grandchildren. An interesting history of William Donnelly was read by his great-granddaughter, Miss Annie Matney. There was much interest in this service as a great many visitors attended from a distance. |  |
Submitted by Mary Floy Katzman