HON. ALEXANDER DONNAN.
Alexander Donnan was born in Galloway Shire, Scotland, on May 21,
1818, the son of David and Mary (Stewart) Donnan. The same year
his parents came to America and made their home in Petersburg, Virginia.
Both were born in Galloway Shire, Scotland.
Alexander went to school in Petersburg to Young D. Perkins; to the
Public School then taught by Minton Thrift; then to Jonathan Smith;
then to the University of Virginia, session of 1839-40. He
studied law under David May, brother of Judge John Fitzhugh
May, and in May, 1840, commenced practice, which he has followed
continuously since that date. He is senior member of
the firm of Donnan & Hamilton. During the late war, being
a member of the City Council, he performed local duty at
Petersburg. He was in 1859 elected to represent the city in
the House of Delegates of Virginia, but resigned shortly afterward;
has been a member of the Council for several years; is
now and has been for several years the Vice President of the Petersburg
Savings and Insurance Co., the President of the Matoaco Cotton
Manufactory, and a Director in other local companies in Petersburg.
At Williamsburg, Virginia, December 4, 1850, he married Anna E.,
daughter of Daniel Willson, of Amelia County, Virginia. Their children
are nine: Mary Stewart, Allen Edloe, Alexander, William Willson, Harris
Tinker, Etta Edloe, Lena May, Richard Thomas, and David May, all
living but the first and the two last named. Mary Stewart married
Alexander Hamilton. She died in 1877, leaving a son now living.
Etta Edloe married Judge William Hodges Mann, of Nottaway County.
Allen Edloe married Edith, daughter of Rev. T. DeWitt Talmage, D.D.,
of Brooklyn, New York.
