(died 30 March 1867, aged 50 or 60, age 51 also found), businessman, postmaster. (James Macdonell of Athol, James of Athol, James Macdonell (Athol)) Born in Scotland. He is described on his gravestone at St. Raphael’s cemetery as “James McDonald of Athol a Native of Glengary Scotland and for Many Years an Extensive Merchant in Glengary Canada.” (The inscription uses the old spelling of Glengarry, and gives his surname as McDonald not Macdonell.) He was the business partner at Athol, in northwestern Glengarry County, of George Macdonell. Both these men had the place designation “Athol” (whether of Scotland, or GC, or both) added to their names in common usage. It has not been determined whether the men were brothers. Lovell’s 1857 directory lists them as partners in the firm of G. & J. McDonell, storekeepers at Athol, and names James in addition as postmaster and as commissioner in Queen’s Bench. (Later, George was postmaster of Athol.) James was reeve of Kenyon Township for seven years, and in 1859 he was warden of SDG. He and Donald A. (Sandfield) Macdonald were trustees appointed under the will of Alexander Macdonell, postmaster of Alexandria (see Angus S. Macdonald), but declined to act, with the result that the legislature of United Canada passed an act naming new trustees. James Macdonell died in Cornwall. He was unmarried. A tribute at the time of his death stated that “the name of ‘James of Athol’ will long be remembered in his late locality.” He was the uncle of Duncan A. Macdonald, who was later for many years the postmaster of Alexandria.

Cornwall Freeholder 5 April 1867 (with editorial tribute) * Fraser, Gravestones, III, 44 * Harkness 217 * Lovell 1857 365 * “trustees”: statute 29 Vict. cap. 113 of United Canada, 1865 * will of James of Athol, SDG Surrogate Court records