W.R. DONALDSON, farmer and dealer in livestock, Sec. 9; P.O. Greenview; was born in Bath Co., Ky., July 16, 1824; son of Alex and Sarah (Power) Donaldson, both natives of Kentucky; in 1850, they came to Menard Co., and located five miles east of Petersburg; he died in 1855, and his wife survives him and is now 83 years of age; she is the mother of twelve children, eight of whom are now living. W.R. Donaldson came to Menard Co. six months before his parents; in 1852, he went overland to California with a large drove of sheep, starting in the month of February, and arrived in the Sacramento Valley in October, the same year; he remained there four years and was engaged in different kinds of business, in all of which he was very successful; while he was a resident of Kentucky, he enlisted in Co. G, 3d Ky. V.I., and served as a soldier in the war with Mexico; was under General Scott, and participated in all the engagements, from the coast to the ancient city of the Montezumas; after his return from California, he engaged in the live-stock trade, in which business he continued for a number of years with varied success; in 1864, he purchased 420 acres of wild prairie land, six miles northeast of the village of Greenview; by close attention to business, he has not only nicely improved the land he at that time purchased, but has since purchased seventy-five acres, and now owns 515 acres of nicely improved land. His wife, whose maiden name was Rebecca Sours, is a most estimable lady and has greatly assisted him in acquiring what they now have; they have four children - Richard W., Alexander, George and John. Mr. Donaldson is a Democrat and an earnest advocate of the principles of the party, and is, in the fullest sense of the word, a self-made man.