Lauchlan Donaldson, one of the ablest lawyers of Tiptonville, is the son of Wellington and Elizabeth A (Meriweather) Donaldson. His father was born in St. Johns N.B., and when a young man went to the republic of Texas, where he was engaged with a corps of engineers to survey the Guadalupe River, receiving as compensation a large tract of land. In 1843 he moved to Tennessee, and married Miss Meriweather, in Obion County, who was a native of Montgomery County, Tennessee Soon after they were married they settled at Meriweather’s Landing, and made it their permanent home. Mr. Donaldson, Sr., was by preference an Episcopalian, though neither his wife nor he was connected with any church. He was a Whig until after the war, then a democrat. He enlisted in the Confederate Army during the late war, and became one of the defenders of Island No. 10. During the siege he died. He had four sons, three of them in the Confederate Army. He was for awhile magistrate in Obion County. His wife is still living, and is now seventy two years old. In early life she was quite a huntress, being very expert in using firearms and killing game. Her father moved to Meriweather’s Landing in 1827, when it was thinly settled, only an Indian trail running from Stone Ferry to New Madrid. Our subject, Mr. Lauchlan Donaldson’s ancestors, was Scotch on his father’s side, being the last of the McDonalds, of Glencoe, and on his mother’s side Welsh and English.
He was born January 4, 1844, in Hickman, Kentucky, and received his early education in Obion County. In 1862 he volunteered in Captain Faulkner’s company of independents, and the year following was made first lieutenant of Company K, of Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry, Confederate Army. During three years’ active service he was only wounded once, at Guntown, Mississippi. He was imprisoned once at Alton, Illinois, being captured at Island No. 10, and again at Johnson’s Island, for six months, being captured at Verona, Mississippi. In 1866 he commenced reading law, under Judge Kingman; of Hickman, Kentucky In 1868 he located at Tiptonville, where he has since practiced his profession.
In 1873 he married Mary Nall, daughter of Hon. Robert C. Nall. They have had six children, four boys and two girls, only five living. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Donaldson belongs to any church. He has been county superintendent for seven years, and has practiced law at Tiptonville for eighteen years, and, in connection with his professional and official duties, has a farm of 300 acres, which he also looks after. Mr. Donaldson is a man of marked ability, a fine lawyer and a useful citizen.