James Donald McFadgen was born in Isli, Scotland November 16, 1813. Here he grew to manhood and married Mary Shaw, also of Isli, who was born in 1819.

The James McFadgen family migrated to Canada in 1852. With them came their five children, the eldest of which was Donald D. McFadgen.

James Donald was a miller by trade and the family settled at Fergus, Ontario where James was engaged in his chosen trade. Here three additional children were born.

Donald D. McFadgen, the eldest son, when old enough to go on his own, became a supervisor with the Northern Pacific Railroad and when the railroad was built thru North Dakota he left the employ of the railroad and proceeded to build a cabin where the railroad was to cross the Sheyenne River. He later homesteaded at the crossing and when the county was organized in 1878, he was elected the first sheriff. In 1880 a brother named John and his family came to Valley City and occupied the cabin Donald had built.

In 1883 a new court house was built which had living quarters for the sheriff. Being unmarried, Donald D. then sent for his father and mother and the remainder of the family. All came but one brother, Duncan. The family then lived in the court house, which was considered a palatial abode alongside the general housing of the village.

The children of James Donald McFadgen were as follows: Alex, who was a deputy sheriff; Phoebe, who married William Stewart (who died) and then Herb Weston; Flora, who married John Moore; Belle, who married Tom Ford and died young; Janet, who married the former husband of Belle; and Mary, who married a Mr. Ewell; John, who married Elizabeth Pae in Ontario and homesteaded in Barnes County.

Mary McFadgen passed away in February of 1902 and James Donald McFadgen passed away January 21 , 1903 at the home of his daughter Flora (Mrs. James Moore). He would have been 90 years of age had he lived until November 16th, 1903.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 146