A native of Greene County, Pennsylvania, was born July 14, 1820, son of Richard and Ann (Mellon) McDonough, both natives of Ireland. He was reared in Pittsburgh and Allegheny City, receiving, his education in the schools of the latter city, but on account of the limited circumstances of his parents his facilities were not very good. At the age of seventeen years he began working in the foundry of Kingsland, Leightner & Co., and remained with that firm and their successors sixteen years, and in the meantime availed himself of the night schools, There he received a fair education. He had not been in the employ of the firm long before he was taken into the office, and was gradually promoted from post to post until January 1, 1851, when he was admitted as a partner. He remained with this firm till January, 1853, when he started a foundry in Allegheny City under the firm name of McDonough & Stewart. He sold out his interest in this foundry June 1, 1854, and in the same month visited Iowa. He was so taken with the country that he entered a section of land in Jackson Township. He then returned to his home, but in the spring of 1855 came with his family to Clarke County. Since coming here Mr. McDonough devoted most of his time to fanning and stock-raising. Mr. McDonough was married at Brady's Bend, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, to Miss Agnes Campbell, who was born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. February 24, 1823. He was for a number of years been an energetic advocate and worker in the cause of education. After coming here he was elected school director, next justice of the peace, which office he filled a number of years. He next served as county supervisor two or three terms, then was a trustee of Iowa Agricultural College. During the late war he was Captain of a company of home guards in the Southern Border Brigade. He was president of the Clarke County Agricultural Association. He helped organize the Old Settler's Association of Clarke County, and was its first president. In the fall of 1883 he was elected Senator of the fifth Senatorial District (Clarke and Decatur) to the Twentieth and Twenty-first General Assembly. He was a staunch supporter of temperance, and of woman's rights and suffrage. In his political views Mr. McDonough formerly affiliated with the Whig party, but since the organization of the Republican party has voted that ticket. Mr. McDonough is an active member of the Catholic church, and took a prominent part in the erection of the first Catholic church in Clarke County, at Woodburn.
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