Family:Hugh Donaghe and Elizabeth Barley (1)

Hugh Donaghe was the son of Hugh Donaghe 1735-1809, who was allegedly born in Ireland and died at Augusta Co., Virginia. At least a good majority of the Donaghe records are recorded in that county and recorded in the Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish. Much is written and as much is surmised.

It is said Hugh Donaghe married three times and that was fact submitted into court records. Who were those three wives? The first wife is reported, but not proven, to be Elizabeth Walker. The second, equally unproven, was said to be Debra Elizabeth MaMahn and the last was Ann Usher. Anne was the mother of three of Hugh Donaghe's six children.

By his first wife, Elizabeth (assuming she is the correctly identified woman), Hugh and his wife had two sons and two daughters; Elizabeth (Campbell), John, James and Sarah (Blake).

The son, James, grew to adulthood and married. It is generally accepted that he married a Margaret Rayburn (name spelled various ways). James and his wife had three children, a boy and two girls. The boy was named Hugh. The girls were Elizabeth (Dougherty) and Jane (Dobkins/Bobkins)

Hugh was about eight years old when his father died. He became the ward of Dr. James McCausland. We learn this when his brother in law, James Dobkins/Bobkins is mentioned in the Will Book No.XI, page 229, "Dr. James McCausland, guardian of Hugh Donaghe, orphan of James Donaghe--By James Bobkins, paid him in part of his wife's legacy bequeathed her by her grandfather, Hugh Donaghe.

Hugh was about 16 years old when his grandfather, Hugh Donaghe, died in 1809. He left provisions for Hugh also. Yet we are not sure from then until 1834 what became of Hugh. He is listed with a wife and children, beginning with his marriage in 1818, then births of children 1820 to 1832. The births appear to be in Kentucky.

A letter written by Albert Newton Thompson later picks up on this story by noting the Donaghe's lived in Kentucky and removed from there 1834. The history of Benton County, Missouri, next lists a Donaghe-hunter/trapper as coming to that county in 1834. This is apparently the time of Elizabeth Barley's death.

Hugh next married a widow woman named Eliza Crowe. She was the daughter of Judge Lindsey. They lived at Warsaw, Missouri near the Osage River. From what can be gleaned, Hugh appears to have been a constable and justice of the peace, as well as owning a tan yard later in McDonald Co., Missouri.

There are various records of marriages he performed in Benton County. The last records are dated 1843, and this coincides with his removal from there to McDonald Co.

In those years, Hugh Donaghe's family continued to grow. By 1854 there were 13 children in all. That February, Eliza gave birth to a baby girl. A month later she passed away. Hugh lived until 1856.

There is no informaton added to explain what became of all their children or who finished raising them.

James McClaren Donaghe was a grown man when his father died. He was married and had a family of his own. They lived in McDonald County as well. This was in a time leading up to Civil War and these areas were experiencing all type of unrest and rage. James would be forced to choose a side and he became Confederate. At that time, or later, he would learn he could never return safely to resume his life. His wife and children would have to escape to Texas, and they did. There were nine children born to that couple; Margaret, Nancy, Mary, John, William, Caliifornia, James and Hugh.

Margaret Jane Donaghe married Benjamin Ross

Sarah Wiseman Donaghe married Capt. Mercer Thompson, they went to Oregon 1852. Had nine children; Hugh, Martha, Elizabeth, Mary, James, Albert, Lafayette, George, Sarah. Most of these children went by middle names. Mercer and Sarah joined the Methodist Church by letter, opened their home to the first class meetings and were founders of the first Methodist church in Linn County, Oregon. They spent the remainder of their years at Shedd Station, and were instrumental in the up building of their community.

Elizabeth Malvina Donaghe married Joseph Thompson, brother of Capt. Mercer Thompson. They joined Captain Mercer Thompson's wagon train to Oregon 1852; arriving there the week of Sept.1st. On arriving, all parties old enough, filed for donation land claims. Joseph and Elizabeth had eleven children; William, Melissa, Hugh, James, Martha, Sarah, John, George, Joseph, Edwin, and Francis. Most all these children went by middle names. Joseph died in 1872 and Elizabeth married a widower, Isom Walker. There were no children. He died in 1883 and she married in 1884 to Hugh Nickerson. He died in 1896. Believed she then went to live with her grandson, James VanNostern. When the grandson married in 1900, she went back to Albany, Oregon and is not seen in available records after 1905. Believe when she died she was buried with her grandson and family at Cleveland, Klickitat, Washington.

Mary Agnes Donaghe married Abner Gauf Sherman. They remained in McDonald County their entire life. If they ever left, they returned. They had seven children; Henry, James, John, Daniel, Sarah, Mary and Margaret. Of those children few remained in Missouri.

Hugh Daniel Donaghe has little listed. It might even be assumed he died in 1832, but the letter of Albert Newton Thompson does not say that.

After Elizabeth Barley Donaghe passed away, Hugh remarried. The Donaghe's may have lived in Cole County for a time, but are picked up in the history of Benton County, Missouri. Information there is sparse, but we do know Hugh and his second wife, Eliza, had seven children; Diannah, John, Martha, Almeda, Jasper, George and Miriam. These children also seemed to use middle names.

Diannah married Ruell Rogers

John was killed near his home and said to be by bush whackers. Called bush whackers because they crept through the brush with clubs, seeking the men and boys hiding in the brush. They slept in the brush because if they were found in the homes, the homes would be burned

Martha was only three years old when she died in 1845

Almeda married Sgt. Israel Burns of Bollivar. The three children listed were Charles, Willie and George. They left Missouri and moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where Israel died 1879, leaving Almeda with three little ones to raise. Nothing more known until her death in Oklahoma in 1892

Jasper was born at Enterprise, Missouri and married Mary McAfferty or McCafferty. They had four children; Robson, Otto, Genevera and Lavinia. These childrens births were listed as Waco, TX and Oklahoma

George was born at Enterprise, Missouri and reports show him married to a person named Rose. But the one he is listed with children is Alice Wood. They had five children; James, Bea (a male), Frances, Jacob and Clint. Some of them are found in Texas and Oklahoma

Miram married Adelbert Rightman Parker. They had at least two children; Robson and Merye. Miriam died about a year after Merye was born and was buried at Franklin, Arkansas. Adelbert died four years later in Choctaw Nation. Not sure who took their children in and raised them.

It is not known where Hugh Donaghe or his two wive are buried.

1. ↑ Dodd, Jordan R. Virginia, Compiled Marriages, 1740-1850.

   Virginia, Marriages, 1740-1850
   Name: Hugh Donaghe
   Gender: Male
   Spouse Name: Elizabeth Barley
   Spouse Gender: Female
   Marriage Date: 22 Sep 1818
   County: Rockingham
   State: Virginia
   [Ancestry.com]