Dr. James G. Donald, an old and reliable physician, whom everybody in
Butler county reveres for his many excellent qualities of head and
heart, is descended from a long line of illustrious Scotch ancestors,
the name appearing prominently in the early annals of Scotland. The
first Christian king of that country was of the name of Donald, and
the last of the Donald dynasty died in 903 A. D. When the independence
of Scotland was lost, the family retired from public notice. About the
year 1700, Alexander Donald with his wife emigrated to North America
and settled in the colony of Virginia and afterward the entire family
moved to the state of South Carolina, where they remained until the
year 1818. The above Alexander was the doctor's great-grandfather.

West Donald, the doctor's father, was the son of James Donald, who
reared a family of five sons and three daughters, West being the
second in order of birth. He was born in Chester county, S. C., in
1785, followed planting and served as captain in the militia of his
native state. He was a great admirer of John C. Calhoun, and took a
prominent part in opposition to the government during the troubles in
South Carolina, growing out of the ordinance of nullification. West
Donald and Margaret Caldwell, daughter of Joseph Caldwell, a native of
Ireland and a patriot of the Revolution, were united in marriage about
the year 1827 in Abbeville district, S. C., and to their union were
born three children, namely: Joseph Donald, a physician and planter of
Dallas county, Ala.; Mary Donald, widow of John C. Chisom; and James
G. Donald, whose name introduces this sketch.

Some years after the father's death, which occurred in 1834, Mrs.
Donald removed to Alabama settling in Dallas County, where she died in
1877. Dr. James G. Donald was born in Abbeville district, S. C.,
August 1, 1828, and in 1845 entered Erskine College at Due West, his
native state, from which he graduated in 1850. Subsequently he
attended lectures in the University of Louisiana at New Orleans, from
which institution he graduated in the spring of 1854, locating
immediately thereafter at Monterey, Butler county, where he has ever
since carried on a large and lucrative practice.

The doctor was first married in 1856 at Monterey to Mary Steen, who
bore him three children, and whose death occurred in 1864. The
following are the names of the children of their marriage: Joseph
Donald, deceased; Robert Donald, farmer and  merchant of Monterey; and
Elizabeth Donald, wife of Charles Scott of WiIcox County, Ala. The
doctor's second marriage was solemnized in 1866 with Eugenia Steen, a
sister of his former wife, a union blessed with the birth of the
following children: Mamie Donald, wife of Thomas Moore; Julia Donald,
a teacher of Butler county; Bertha Donald; Erskine Donald, medical
student at Mobile College; Claude Donald, James Donald, Charles Donald
and Dan Donald. The doctor affiliates with the democratic party, is a
master Mason, and with his wife belongs to the Baptist church. He
has, by close attention to the wants of the public and by a life
consecrated to his profession, succeeded in establishing much more
than a local reputation as a successful physician and surgeon, and
although past the age when most medical men retire, is still in the
enjoyment of a very extensive practice in  Butler and adjoining
counties. He is a genial, courteous gentleman, a respected and useful
citizen, and has been closely identified with the growth and
porsperity of Monterey and the county of Butler.