Donlan Family

Edward Donlan was born on July 28, 1867, in Chapeau, Quebec. As a youth, he worked in the woods of Quebec. At age 18, he came to the United States and spent five years in various parts of the country before coming to Montana. He received his first job as a Great Northern Railway section hand at Neihart in the spring of 1890. Later that same year, he came to Missoula, Montana, and worked in the Hanratty and Tillman sawmill near Frenchtown, Montana. This property later became part of the Donlan family ranch. Donlan opened a sawmill in 1905 and for the next 25 years, was engaged in western Montana logging operations. He formed a partnership with Joe Moderie and the two contracted for William A. Clark's Milltown, Montana, sawmill beginning in 1917. Around 1930, Donlan retired from the logging business. He expanded the ranching operations he undertook around 1910 near Frenchtown. In 1946, he relinquished part of this property to his son, Arthur, and sold the rest. Donlan established the Frenchtown Irrigation District in 1936, through which 5000 acres were brought under cultivation. In 1940, Edward Donlan passed his position to Arthur.

Edward Donlan represented Missoula County in both houses of the Montana Legislature. He was first elected to the House of Representatives as a Republican in 1900. Between 1902 and 1912, he was elected to the Senate. He was reelected in 1918 and 1920. He also ran in the 1908 gubernatorial race. Materials related to Donlan's political career appear in the Mansfield Library's edition of Cartoons and Caricatures of Prominent Men of Montana by artist J.C. Terry. This copy was owned by Donlan and has been personalized with letters and newspaper clippings.

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