Rev. William McDonough was born in 1830 in County Fermanagh, Enniskillin, Ireland and was received on trial in 1858. His family came to Canada in 1847 to Brockville.
Charges:
1849 Toronto, 1850-1852 Victoria College, 1852 received on trial, 1853 Humber, 1854 Temperenceville (York Cty), 1854-1855 Newmarket, 1866-1869 Cartwright, 1871 Newcastle (Durham Cty), 1881 Kincardine (Bruce Cty) 1882 Clinton
1852 …from Case, and His Cotemporaries – That important rural circuit in the Toronto District, the Humber, the second year in succession received for its junior preacher a chairman supply.
That supply was an ardent young Irishman, whose Superintendent familiarly “Likened to the spirited colt, which though requiring careful training at first, when once accustomed to the bit, becomes the most serviceable and enduring horse; so, when the exuberance of youth in our friend had received its proper direction, he was sure to be one of the most energetic and efficient of men.”
Our subject was Irish by birth and parentage, and peculiarly so in mind and voice. We are writing of our aggressive and courageous friend, William McDonough.
He was born in 1830, which made him twenty-two years of age at the time of his going into the field. Though young, he was not soft; but as his compact build, dark complexion, and black, curly, wiry hair indicated, had a constitution strong and enduring to a degree.
The antecedents of this youthful labourer were as follows:- His birthplace was pre-eminently Protestant, namely, the County Fermanagh, near Enniskillin. His parents were Methodists. In conformity to the practice in that country, he was taken to all the meetings, class-meetings included, by them, and was converted in boyhood. He became a class-leader at the early age of seventeen. The family emigrated to Canada in 1847.
About the time referred to, they had the misfortune to lose the husband and father in Montreal. The widowed mother and filial son came up the country to Brockville, where they resided for a time.
All this while his young heart was agitated with the thought of public usefulness.
A touching and significant occurrence happened about this time. When the people around the country turned out to attend the funeral of the much-loved Rev. Ezra Healy, the Rev. Joseph Wesley McCallum, in preaching the funeral sermon, made the following declaration and appeal: “The trumpet has fallen from the hands of one of Zion’s watchmen. Who will take it? – Who will take it up?” A response broke involuntarily from the lips of a weeping, trembling stripling, “I will !” and he immediately sank down upon the floor with extreme agitation and exhaustion. That stripling was young McDonough.
About two months after he was placed on the local preachers’ plan by the Brockville quarterly meeting.
From Brockville he came to Toronto, and was a member of the Richmond Street Quarterly Board, whence he went into the work. We need not anticipate his reception on trial, or two years’ training at Victoria College. He will often turn up in Methodist doings.
1881 Census
McDonagh, W.
Sex:M
Religion:Canada Methodist
District Name:Bruce South
Sub-District Name:Kincardine (Town)
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