Hugh McDonald (1855-1935) was born in Paris, Ontario, Canada, the son of Alexander and Jane McDonald which was also his mother's maiden name. Both his parents were born in Inverneshire, Scotland and emigrated to Canada in 1853. His father was a railroad contractor and moved his family to Jackson, Michigan in 1864. He assisted his father in the building of the Jackson-Saginaw Railroad. The father died in 1874. In 1881 Mr. McDonald came to Dakota Territory where he bought a section 11 in Hobart Township. In 1879 he married Jennie Lambert (1859-1895) in Jackson, Michigan. Four children were born to them: Harry; Florence - Mrs. H. A. Kaufmann; Marjorie - Mrs. A. J. Buchanann; Jack - married Josephine Greenway of Saginaw. Mrs. McDonald died in 1895 and Mr. McDonald moved from the farm into Valley City where he engaged in the machinery and automobile business. He was one of the first dealers in North Dakota handling the Oldsmobile and Maxwell. In 1902 he brought E. J. Pegg to Valley City to manage his garage. In 1888 Mr. McDonald was elected to the Territorial Legislature and chairman of the appropriations committee and was responsible for the location of the State Normal School in Valley City. He served on the State Board of Administration for a number of years, retiring in 1915. He also served for some years on the Valley City Park Board. Mr. McDonald's two sisters, Mrs. C. F. Mudgett and Jennie McDonald, were early residents of Valley City.
Mr. McDonald married Edith Perrine (1868-1951) in 1900. She was born at Albion, Michigan, the daughter of William H. and Lavonia (Benedict) Perrine. Both her parents were teachers in Albion College. Her mother was the first woman in Michigan to receive a B.A. Degree in 1852. After the father's death in 1881 Mrs. Perrine and her three daughters, Lura, Florence and Edith, came to Medbery, LaMoure County in 1882 where they took claims and faced the trials of the early pioneers. In 1892 the family moved to Valley City where Lura took a position at the State Normal School as head of the Science Department. Edith graduated from the State Normal School in 1896.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 145