Generations Past

There is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors and no slave who has not had a king among his.
 ----Helen Keller

Hiram Donohue

Click for photo album of the family of Hiram Donohue.

Hiram Donahue (1805-1886) was my great-great-grandfather. He was born in Randolph County, Virginia on 8 May 1805 to William Donohue and Ingra Kittle. He married Mary Jaco ( 1809-1836) on 20 Sep 1826.

Hiram lived through a difficult time in American History—the Civil War era. Click to read Hiram's War. He had a brother and six sons who fought in the Civil War. His brother, Stewart DONAHUE, was a private in the 9th Westhouse Virginia Infantry. He was accidentally shot by Home Guard as a suspected deserter on 10 Nov 1862. He died two days later. Click to read: LEGEND OF THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN OF DONOHUE'S LANE.

Before her death in October 1836, Mary and Hiram had five children:

  1. Sarah Donohue born 25 October 1827 in Lewis County, Virginia.

  2. William Donohue born 7 May 1829; died 28 December 1897.  He married Louise Carpenter (1831-1881) then Mary Catherine Canter (1853-1933).

  3. Calvin "Waldo" Donohue born 4 November 1830; died 26 March 1879.  He married Lydia Parson (1833-1930) --obit--

  4. James Donohue born 22 December 1832; died 10 July 1896.  He married Sarah Ann Byrnes (1835-1923).

  5. Salathiel Donohue born 1 February 1836; died 21 March 1865 in a Civil War Prison Camp, Andersonville, Georgia. --Andersonville--

Lydia Smith

Hiram then married Lydia SMITH  on 7 Mar 1839. She was born 27 August 1820 in Scioto County, Ohio; the daughter of Reuben Smith and Christine Roush. She died 20 February 1901; Hiram died 16 January 1886. He and Lydia are buried in Mt. Hebron Cemetery, Cottagesville, Jackson County, West Virginia.  She and Hiram had eleven more children including my great-grandfather, Reuben Smith Donohue.

  1. Mary Elizabeth Donohue born 6 September 1840; died 18 October 1913); she married Thomas LYONS in 1864.

  2. Reuben Smith Donohue born 27 November 1842; died 23 November 1921.  He married Mary B. JACOBS (1848-1866) in 1865; then married Dorothy I. ROLLINS (1848-1911) on 3 April 1867.

  3. Daniel Durst Donohue born 27 December 1844; died 14 January 1915.  He married Rachel Elizabeth PIERCE IN 1866.

  4. Margaret Ann Donohue born 6 February 1847; died 12 April 1916. She married Lewis G. Canter in 1865. They divorced in 1862 and she then married Philip R. Thornton in 1886.

  5. Andrew Jackson Donohue born 27 April 1849; died 13 February 1934. He married Martha Malinda Rollins in 1868. They divorced before 1903 and he married Mary Elizabeth Nash in 1903.

  6. George Washington Donohue born 3 November 1852; died 6 January 1917.  He married Margaret "Julie" Snow in 1872. She died in 1882. He married Mary Katherine Long in 1886. She died in 1891. He then married Eva Taylor in 1892.

  7. John Adams Donohue born 5 March 1854; died 5 May 1905. He married Margaret E. McGLOUGHLEN in 1876. Married Cornelia Agnes EDMONDS in 1887.

  8. Susannah Donohue born 3 January 1857; died 23 September 1923. She married Lewis G. CANTER in 1882. He had been divorced from her sister Margaret. He died in 1908 and she married Martin F. BLANKENSHIP.

  9. Henry DONOHUE born 3 January 1859; died 27 May 1939.

  10. Eliza Emaline DONOHUE born 4 November 1861; died 10 July 1907. She married Solomon BOYER in 1884.

  11. Philip Sheridan DONOHUE born 11 September 1864; died 8 January 1952. He married Susan REYNOLDS in 1887.


For more information on Hiram's family or other Donohues please go to
the Castor Directory.  You will find more information and many more names.


I am interested in sharing any family history information and in correcting any misinformation. Please send corrections or additions to my email box.