A Pioneer Businesswoman

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

I rewrote this article about my ancestor's sister, Mollie McDonald, for "The County Times", the newspaper of Kewaunee County. 

If I had lived in the mid-1800's, I would have wanted to be like Mollie.   

Mary Jane, "Mollie", was born about 1840.  Early in 1856, she came with her mother Jane, sister Lizzie, and brothers, John and Michael (my great-great grandfather), to Ahnapee, now Algoma.

Her mother, who kept a strict boarding house in town, might have been a mentor for Molly.  Mollie became a successful pioneer businesswoman.

When the Northwestern Telegraph Company extended its line from Two Rivers to Sturgeon Bay beginning in late August, 1872, and the line was installed just before Christmas, Mollie McDonald became the first telegraph operator at Ahnapee.  In the telegraph office, Mollie opened a news depot.  She sold periodicals, books, stationery and confections.  From the office, she also ran a circulating library and agency for Singer and Remington sewing machines.

The Kewaunee Enterprise newspaper reported on May 20, 1873:
 

"One of the neatest and best arranged little business places we have visited in a long time is the circulating library and news depot of Miss Mollie McDonald, telegraph operator at Ahnapee.  Miss McDonald has an excellent selection of books and periodicals, and her establishment should be well patronized."

The Ahnapee Record newspaper ran this ad continually for Mollie's news depot from June, 1873 into July, 1874:

 

“MISS MOLLIE McDONALD NEWS DEPOT.  KEEPS A CONSTANT supply of all the leading periodicals of the day.  Also Stationary and Confections.  Agency for the Singer Sewing Machine.  South Water street, Ahnapee, Wis.”

Based on numerous articles in the newspapers, Molly had a very good reputation in the community.  When election returns were due in November, 1873, one paper reported:

"Ahnapee was the first town on the Northwestern telegraph line to report election returns to Milwaukee.  We are endebted to the telegraph operator, Miss Mollie McDonald, for late election returns."

The community was encouraged to shop at her establishment.  In January, 1874, an article read:

"Miss Mollie McDonald has recently added quite a number of new books to her circulating library.  This institution should be well patronized."

And, another reported:

"The News Depot of Miss McDonald, at the telegraph office, is a great convenience to our community, and deserves liberal patronage.  The circulating library contains many volumes of standard authors, besides miscellaneous works upon science, theology and law, and interesting novels."

In May, 1875, the telegraph company promoted Mollie.  She assumed charge of the telegraph office in Manitowoc on May 26, 1875.  Her brother Michael took over the Ahnapee telegraph office.  Upon the announcement, the Ahnapee Record newspaper reported:

"...While the departure of this estimable lady from our midst will be regretted by all, it is a gratification to know that her talents as an operator are appreciated..."

Sadly, in August of 1876, Mollie became very ill.  She had to give up her telegraph job.  Her sister, Mrs. William (Elizabeth "Lizzie") Nelson, went to Manitowoc to care for her.  Ultimately, Mollie moved to Chicago where her other sisters, Mrs. Kingsley (Catherine "Katie") Olmstead and Mrs. John (Margaret "Maggie") Kley, and brother Andrew lived.  Mollie died in Chicago on September 23, 1876 of consumption (tuberculosis).

The announcement, although not unexpected, was a blow to her relatives and friends.  The death notice described her as "an estimable lady, possessed of rare mental powers, an untiring energy, which disease and sickness could scarcely diminish, and a grace of disposition that gained and held for her many firm friends.  Among those who best knew her, and whose hands during her last hours, supplied the tender ministrations prompted by love, her loss will be the most keenly felt, while by all who enjoyed her acquaintance the tidings of her death will be received with profound sorrow and regret." 

For a woman of her time, Mollie had made a significant impact in her community.  At her death, she was only 36 years old.

Shirley VerBruggen is a descendant of a Wisconsin State Genealogical Society Pioneer Family.  Her ancestors made Kewaunee County their home.  She enjoys family history research and blogs about genealogy at http://shirley-familytimes.blogspot.com.