Person Page - 4663

Crescent City - Mrs. Oliver MacDonald died suddenly at her home in Paterson, N.J., last Friday morning, May 19th. Mr. and Mrs. MacDonald, who have spent several winters at Grove Hall, left here for their home in Paterson some four weeks ago, well and full of hope for a return next season. The sudden death of Mrs. MacDonald will be sad news to our people and all winter guests at our hotels. The following is from the Paterson Morning Call of last Saturday: "The many friends of Mrs. Henrietta, wife of J. Oliver MacDonald, will be pained to learn of her sudden demise, which occurred yesterday morning. The end came about 11 o'clock, after Mrs. MacDonald had been unconscious for two days, due to apoplexy.
     "Mr. and Mrs. MacDonald only a few weeks ago returned from Crescent City, Florida, about 100 miles south of Jacksonville, where it has been their custom to spend the winter months for some years, and Mrs. MacDonald was in the best of health and spirits. Early on Wednesday morning she was stricken with apoplexy, which proved fatal, and she never regained consciousness.
     "Mrs. MacDonald's maiden name was Henrietta Sackett, and she was a native of Long Island. She was about sixty years old. Mr. MacDonald was for many years senior superintendent of the local office of the Prudential Insurance company, but has lived in retirement for some years at No. 24 Garrison street.
     "Aside from her husband, Mrs. MacDonald leaves one son and two daughters, also nine grandchildren, to mourn her demise. These all reside in this city. Henrietta, the eldest, is the wife of Edward Van Houten, the well known local builder; John M. is an assistant superintendent of the Prudential Insurance company, and Ella A. is the wife of Charles B. Stagg.
     "The funeral will be held from her late residence on Monday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, and the interment will be made at Cedar Lawn."

—Palatka News, Florida, 26 May 1905

J. O. MacDonald Funeral Monday
Well Known Wyckoff Resident Passed Away Last Friday
     Funeral services were held on Monday afternoon for John Oliver MacDonald, from his late residence in Wyckoff.
     Mr. MacDonald, who has resided in this community during the past eight years of his life was a well known figure in this section of the state.
     He was born in Fort Lee on November 15, 1843, and spent the early years of his life there, coming to Paterson sixty-seven years ago when he entered the insurance business to become the first superintendent of the Prudential Life. This was in the year 1878, and he continued with this company until his retirement in 1892.
     Mr. MacDonald traces his ancestry back to the Bourdette family, who were of French origin and of the Reformed faith. When the Revocation of the dict [sic: edict] of Nantes caused the emigration of thousands of Huguenots from France, a Bourdette was among those who sought a new home in foreign land. This member came to one of the West India Islands and prospered as a planter. In course of time the planter's son Etienne was sent to New York to complete his education, but like many another before and after him, Etienne found New York so attractive that his education continued to the end of his life. Later some of his forebears founded a home in Fort Lee and here during the Revolutionary War they rendered valuable aid to Washington and their country, and here years later John Oliver MacDonald was born, a descendant of this illustrious family.
     Mr. MacDonald had been ill but a short time when he passed away last Friday. The services were in charge of Dr. J. W. Marshall, an old friend of the family, who paid a fitting tribute to the memory of the departed. Dr. C. H. Van Glahn of Allendale also assisted at the service and Isaac McCrum rendered the ever beautiful hymn, "Abide With Me."
     Mr. MacDonald married Miss Henrietta Sackett of Long Island in 1865 who passed away in the year 1905 leaving him with three children, one son, John M. MacDonald, and two daughters, Henrietta, now Mrs. Edmund Van Houten, Sr., of Paterson, and Ella, now Mrs. Richard Stinson, of Paterson. In the year 1910 he married Mrs. Sarah Maxwell, who still survives him. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, Dr. J. O. MacDonald, Mrs. Raymond J. Burt, Donald Van Houten, Charles Herbert Stagg, Mrs. Jack Totten, Mrs. Hoyt Palmer, Arthur B. Van Houten, Edmund Van Houten and Mrs. George Stephenson and seventeen great grandchildren.
     He was a member of Council No. 1, Union League of America, dated December 11, 1864. Interment was in Cedar Lawn Cemetery.

—The News, Wyckoff, New Jersey, 15 Jan 1931, p 1