University of Virginia Library

HARRY BIGLER DONALDSON

Harry Bigler Donaldson, the subject of this sketch,
has represented the city of Roanoke in the Council and
on the Board of Aldermen successively for fourteen
years, having been
elected as a member of
the old Council from the
old Fourth Ward in
1897. This position he
held until under the new
constitution the Bicameral
Council became
effective when he was
elected, for a short term,
as a member of the
Board of Aldermen.
This was in 1904 and in
1906 he was again elected
from Jefferson Ward for
a term of four years. In
1910 he was elected to
the Board for a third
term. During the fourteen
years of service in
the Council he has been on every committee but one,
and has served as Chairman of the Committees on
"Fire and Water," "Streets," and "Public Property."
He has been Chairman of the Public Property Committee
for six years.

He was born in Smithsburg, Maryland, February
22d, 1867, and is a son of William O. and Adelaide
(Wishard) Donaldson. When quite young he graduated
from the Smithsburg High School, under the
tutorship of Professor George C. Pearson. After
graduation he taught in the public schools of Washington
County, Maryland, for a period of five years.
During Cleveland's Administration he was Assistant
Postmaster under his father at Smithsburg.

In May, 1891, he located in Roanoke, Virginia, and
accepted a position in the copper shop of the Roanoke
Machine Works, where he has since remained.

Religiously Mr. Donaldson is a member of St. Mark's
Lutheran Church.

Socially he is an Elk, a member of Lakeland Lodge of
Masons, an Odd Fellow, and a Red Man. For ten
years he has been Secretary of Roanoke Lodge I. O. O.
F., and for eight years, Chief of Records of Wahoo
Tribe I. O. R. M.

On November 6th, 1891, he married Fannie K.,
daughter of ex-Judge A. C. and Barbara (Oswald)
Hildebrand. To this union three children have been
born; namely, Marie, married to A. C. Hurst of
Roanoke, Virginia; Esther and Harry B., Jr.