Living

Marvin + Dorothea Donaldson. Dorothea (daughter of Muriel Anna Melrose and William E. Donaldson) was born on 5 Jan 1920 in Kansas; died on 19 Aug 2003 in Craig, Moffat County, Colorado, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Myrl

Notes:

Muriel Melrose Donaldson was living in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1968.

Muriel + William E. Donaldson. William was born in cir 1895. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Don

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1930, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA

Notes:

The Melrose family was living in Claremont Township, Richland County, Illinois, at the time of the 1900 census. At the time of his mother's death in 1913, he was living in Sumner, Illinois. The family was living in Ward 19, Chicago, at the time of the 1930 census.

Franklin married Mary Emma Cotter on 10 Jun 1887 in Richland County, Illinois, USA. Mary (daughter of James Laurence Cotter and Ann Brophy) was born on 19 Aug 1869; died on 27 Mar 1956 in Cook County, Illinois, USA; was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Molly

Notes:

Mary Cotter Melrose was living in Chicago in 1933.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1880, Claremont, Richland County, Illinois, USA

Notes:

According to the 1880 census, John Melrose's parents were born in Virginia.

John married Catherine Witters on 23 Apr 1854 in Richland County, Illinois, USA. Catherine was born on 15 Apr 1832 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, USA; died on 5 Jan 1913 in Claremont, Richland County, Illinois, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1848, McGillivray Township, Huron (now Middlesex) County, Ontario, Canada
• Census: 1870, Springfield Township, Clark County, Ohio, USA

Notes:

James L. Cotter emigrated to Ontario, Canada, in 1835 with his father, and he later settled in the Park Hill, Ontario, area. In the "History of Middlesex County," James is listed as a warden and pathmaster for the year 1845. He is recorded as having owned land in Middlesex County, Ontario. The land was in McGillivray Township, Lot 23, Concession 9, and was purchased on 17 Dec 1842. His brother, George, purchased the neighboring lot, No. 22, on the same day; their brother, John, purchased Lot No. 20 on 18 Mar 1844 . However, James Cotter is also listed on the 28 September 1837 map of McGillivray Township as owning that same lot number. James Cotter appears in the 1848 census of Canada West (Ontario). He is listed on page 3, McGillivray Township, Huron (now Middlesex) County. Around 1848, James Cotter moved to Clark County, Ohio. He filed a Declaration of Intention for Naturalization in Clark County, Ohio, on 20 March 1861, but apparently never completed the naturalization process. At the time of the 1850 census, James and Maria (name given as Mary in the census) were living in Springfield, Clark County, Ohio. James' age was given as 26, and his occupation was sawyer. Maria's age was given as 25. At the time of the 1860 census, the family was living in German Township, Clark County, Ohio. Included in the census is Anna Cotter, aged 66. He is listed in the 1880 census of Clark County, Ohio. James Cotter was a member of The Champion City Guard, Company A, Seventh Infantry, Ohio National Guard, during the Civil War. He purchased land from William T. Haley in the city of Springfield, Ohio, on 13 July 1855, and from James T. Warder on 14 December 1870, in Springfield Township. Around 1881, the James Cotter family moved to Illinois, settling near Claremont in Richland County. James Cotter purchased land from Robert B. and Ellen Patrick in Richland County, on 27 November 1882. The property is described in the deed as the northwest fourth of the southeast quarter of Section 26, township 4, North Range (numbered 14 west), "containing 40 acres, more or less." The property was sold by his heirs to Mary Cotter Melrose, James's daughter, for $800 on 28 November 1902, following the death of James's second wife in August 1902. James is buried in Ferncliff Cemetery, Springfield, Ohio, in Lot 242 of Section L. This plot was purchased by Ann Cotter on 18 April 1899.

Buried:
Section L, Lot 242

James married Ann Brophy on 12 Oct 1866 in Clark County, Ohio, USA. Ann (daughter of Thomas Brophy and Margaret Matthews) was born on 3 Feb 1826 in Aughrim, County Galway, Ireland; died on 28 Aug 1902 in Claremont Township, Richland County, Illinois, USA; was buried on 30 Aug 1902 in Antioch Cemetery, Richland County, Illinois, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

At the time of the 1900 census, Ann Brophy Cotter was living with her stepson, Simon Kenton Cotter, in Clark County, Ohio. The census indicates that she was the mother of nine children (5 still living), and that she emigrated in 1834. Her obituary from the Sumner Press, 4 September 1902, reads: "Cotter. Anna Brophy was born in Galway county, Ireland, February 3, 1826; departed this life August 28, 1902, aged 76 years, 5 months and 25 days. She united with the church of England when eight years old, married George Cotter in 1844 and came to this country in 1850. To this union were born five children: two have preceded her to the better world, and the remaining three are A.L. Cotter and Mrs. Margaret Way of Springfield, Ohio, and Mrs. J.P. Huston of Sumner. Mrs. Cotter was left a widow in 1863, and in 1865 married James Cotter; to this union were born two children: J.L. Cotter of Nevada, Missouri, and Mrs. Frank Melrose near Claremont. She was a good, kind neighbor, always ready to administer to the sick and those in trouble. After coming to this county she united with the M.E. church and was a conscientious Christian woman. Often within the last few months when in conversation with her daughters and others, she expressed her desire to go and meet her Saviour and her loved ones whom she had been parted from so long, and said she was ready whenever the summons came." The causes of death listed on her death records are senility and acute fever, with complications from diabetes.

William married Elizabeth Tooley on 1 Apr 1819 in Edwards County, Illinois, USA. Elizabeth was born in 1803 in Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Education: Trinity College, Cambridge
• Education: Trinity College, Dublin
• Education: University of Edinburgh
• Occupation: doctor
• Military service: 1811-1829; Surgeon, West Meath Militia
• Immigration: 1835, New York, USA

Notes:

It is possible that Rogers Cotter was born in Kilmichael, County Cork, Ireland, since his father was Vicar there from 1784-1797. Rogers Cotter is identified in his 1810 marriage record as "Rogers Cotter of City of Dublin Esquire." He attended Trinity College, Cambridge (matriculated 1806, but did not graduate), and later graduated as a physician and surgeon from Trinity College, Dublin, and then the University of Edinburgh, on 1 August 1815. His dissertation was entitled "Dissertatio medica inauguralis de tympanita," and was published in Edinburgh in 1815. He entered the army as a surgeon's mate in the West Meath Militia on 26 March 1811. He was assistant surgeon from 1817 until 1829, when the regiment disbanded. He was also surgeon and physician of Balinacaryge Dispensary. He published "The Fables of Aesop, in Latin hexameter verse translated from the original Greek," in Dublin in 1833. Rogers Cotter and his family emigrated in 1835. They sailed on the ship Tallahassee, originating in Ireland, and departing ultimately from Liverpool. The ship arrived in New York on 8 July 1835. The following family members are on the passenger list: Rogers Cotter, no age given; Mrs. (?) Cotter, age 39; James L. Cotter, age 17; George L. Cotter, age 19; John R. Cotter, age 13; Lydia Cotter, age 15; Annabella M. Cotter, age 11, and; A. Cotter, age 1 (female). Upon their arrival, Rogers stated that his destination was Ohio. However, he went instead to Ontario, settling in Toronto Gore Township, Peel County, Ontario. There is no record to indicate that he ever went to the Park Hill, Ontario, area with his sons. On 28 September 1835, he applied to purchase Lot 12, Concession 10, of the Gore of Toronto (Clergy Reserves), but the lot was not for sale. He was described as a "Doctor of Medicine and Surgeon," and "lately arrived in this province with a numerous family." Rogers Cotter is listed in the 1837 census of Toronto, Gore Township, York County, as "Dr. Cotter," living at Concession 10, Lot 12, in the Gore of Toronto. On 9 July 1839, he applied to purchase the same lot, where he had been living as a lessee. Rogers Cotter is listed in "The City of Toronto and the Home District Commercial Directory and Register with Almanack and Calendar for 1837." He appears on page 38 in a list of physicians and on page 162, as living in the Gore of Toronto, Northern Division, Concession 10, Lot 12. Rogers Cotter may have been the Cotter (first name not given) who was buried in McGillivary Township, Middlesex County, Ontario, on 23 September 1845, age 60.

The address given on the baptismal record of his son, George Sackville Cotter, is Strawling Lodge. The baptism took place in Clane, County Kildare, Ireland.

Rogers married Arabella Lyon on 13 Nov 1810 in St. Andrew's, Dublin, Ireland. Arabella was born in cir 1794 in Ireland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

According to family tradition, Rogers Cotter "ran off with a parlor maid." Living with James Cotter at the time of the 1860 Clark County, Ohio, census was a 66-year-old woman named Anna Cotter, who may have been his mother. The baptismal record of her daughter, Mary, states that Arabella's name was Isabella Ann. Isabella is also the name given on the marriage record of her daughter, Annabella, to Amos Barber. Her maiden name may have been Lyne.

Notes:

According to one source, Thomas's tombstone has the year of his death as 1890.

Buried:
Row 25

Thomas married Margaret Matthews in cir 1821 in Ireland. Margaret was born in Aug 1806 in Ireland; died on 9 Dec 1883 in Stephen Township, Huron County, Ontario, Canada; was buried in St. Mary's Anglican Church Cemetery, Brinsley, Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
Row 25