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Lavenia Elizabeth Skinner (1872 ~ 1953)

6.2.1.5. Fifth child of Elizabeth Ullyot and George Skinner, Lavenia Elizabeth Skinner, was born August 15, 1872, in Darlington Twp., Durham Co., Ontario.

She married Alexander McDonald, son of James Alexander McDonald and Jane Weir, February 10, 1893, in Langdon, Cavalier Co., North Dakota, U.S.

(6.2.1.5.1) Cecil George (1893 ~ 1951)
(6.2.1.5.5) Elizabeth (1894 ~ 1894)
(6.2.1.5.2) James Alexander (1895 ~ 1962)
(6.2.1.5.3) Alonzo Edgar (1898 ~ 1958)
(6.2.1.5.4) John Elgin (1903 ~ 1969)

Lavenia E. Skinner McDonald died August 30, 1953, aged 81 years and Alexander McDonald died May 27, 1943, aged 82 years in Langdon, North Dakota.

----- OBITUARIES -----

Lavenia E. Skinner McDonald

August 15, 1872 ~ August 30, 1953

Funeral services were held at Langdon Wednesday afternoon for Mrs. Lavenia McDonald, resident of Cavalier county for 63 years. She passed away Sunday, August 30, 1953, at 8:30 p.m., at the Langdon Home for the Aged, where she had resided for three and one-half months. She had been ill for about six weeks.

The funeral was held at the Langdon Presbyterian church, of which she was a long-time member. Rev. E. C. King, pastor of the church, was in charge of the service. Pallbearers who carried the remains to their resting place in Lebanon cemetery, beside the gave of her husband, were Gordon F. Ramage, John Plummer, Earl Stein, John Seeley, Andrew Murie and A. B. Buckner.

Lavenia Elizabeth, daughter of George and Elizabeth Skinner, was born August 15, 1872, at Oshawa, in Durham County of Ontario. When she was a girl of 18 years she came with her parents to Cavalier County in 1890, when her father homesteaded in Harvey Township, seven miles northeast of Langdon.

She was married to Alexander McDonald, who had come to Langdon in 1882. They were married February 10, 1893, at Langdon. They lived on a farm near Langdon for about thirty years, and besides farming Mr. McDonald operated a blacksmith shop and later a meat market in Langdon. After he retired he engaged in stock buying. Mr. McDonald died May 27, 1943.

Mrs. McDonald made her home for several years with her son Cecil, and his motherless family. Her son Cecil died October 13, 1951. Three other sons survive her. They are James A. McDonald of Langdon, Alonzo E. McDonald of Langdon vicinity and John E. McDonald of Calvin. A daughter Elizabeth died in infancy.

She was one of six children, but only one sister survives. She is Mrs. Edith LaFrance of Rolette. Cavalier County Republican, Sept. 3, 1953.

Alexander McDonald

1860 ~ May 27, 1943

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon for another of the earliest pioneers of the Langdon community, Alexander McDonald, who had lived in Langdon for about 40 years and in the community for 61 years, passed away Thursday morning, May 27, 1943, at a Langdon hospital, after an illness of a couple of weeks. He had been in failing health for the past year or more and was seriously ill a few months ago, but recovered enough to leave the hospital at that time.

Funeral services were at the Langdon Presbyterian Church with Rev. T. B. Lindsay in charge. Interment was in Lebanon Cemetery with the officers of Lebanon Lodge in charge of the committal. Dr. W. C. Bodelson, master of the lodge, rend the burial rite of the order. Pall-bearers were R. D. Kelly, Hugh McDowall, Ambrose Ullyot, Dr. W. H. Porter, Charles H. Green and Percy Blake.

Alexander, son of James and Jane McDonald, was born October 6, 1860, at Durham, in Benton Township, Ontario. He came to Cavalier County in 1882 and farmed until about twenty years ago. He moved his family to Langdon about forty years ago and operated a blacksmith shop for a number of years and later a meat market. Since retiring he had kept busy as a cattle buyer.

Mr. McDonald was married February 10, 1893, at Langdon to Lavenia Skinner, who survives with four sons, who are James and Cecil of Langdon, Alonzo of Langdon vicinity and John of Calvin vicinity. A daughter, Elizabeth died in infancy.

Three sisters also survive. They are Mrs. Jennie Crockett and Miss Elizabeth McDonald of Langdon and Mrs. Annie Ross of Portland, Ore. Two brothers, John and James, who resided in Ontario, predeceased him.

Up until the time of his death, Mr. McDonald was probably the oldest resident of the community from the standpoint of years of residence. In company with the late Senator Henry McLean, the late Robert Work, and perhaps a few more of the hardiest of early settlers from Ontario, he walked from Pembina to Langdon in the summer of 1882. The closest railroad then clung to the Red River and it was four years before the Great Northern extended its line to Langdon. All of the experiences and hardships of the pioneer settler were his.

He became a member of Lebanon Lodge No. 34, A.F. & A.M., in 1893 and at the time of his death was the longest continuous member of the lodge, George Young of Mound, Minn., and Duncan McLean of Hannah being the only living men initiated earlier, but having since demitted their membership to other lodges. Mr. McDonald was also very active in the early history of the Langdon Scottish Rite bodies and served as an officer in the Rose Croix chapter for a long period of years. He was also a member, for many years, of Kem Temple A.O.N.M.S., at Grand Forks. Cavalier County Republican, June 3, 1943.