Thomas Donelson 1824-1909
Who is this Thomas Donelson?
Obituary:
Donelson--at the home of his son William, in Elyria, Colorado, Thursday morning 26 May 1904. Thomas Donelson age 79 years 11 months and 6 days. Mr. Donelson was born in Ohio 20 June 1824. He came to Colorado with James Blundell in the year 1859, arriving near Denver in the spring. The two men spent the summer prospecting and mining and in the fall returned to the river. Mr. Donelson then homesteaded the land near Brighton which he has since farmed and where he resided for 40 years. He and James Blundell returned to Wisconsin in the winter of 1859 and brought their families to the new home. A few weeks ago Mr. Donelson met with a painful and dangerous accident while attempting to board a tramway car in the city. The car threw him to the ground and his hip was injured. He was removed to his son's home and has since been under the care of a physician. It was thought that he would recover, and for several days past he appeared to be considerably better. His death came with only a few minutes warning, heart failure being the immediate cause of death. Mr. Donelson lived and led an earnest Christian life. He was a man of firm ideas, but withal of a most kindly disposition, and to know [him] was to respect and admire him. His familiar figure will be sadly missed by this community where for so many years he lived and which he in fact helped to create. Besides his wife he is survived by two sons, William and John and by a daughter, Mrs. Mary M. Blundell. The heartfelt sympathy of the community is extended to those. The remains will be brought here from Denver and will be interred in the Elmwood Cemetery at Brighton.
Jean Moore Murphy, Ardmore, [email protected]