James Patrick Donahue I – The Patriarch

• Married Margaret ~1847 (age 15)
• Worked at Dupont Gunpowder Mills, Wilmington, DE
• Died April 14, 1870 in a gunpowder explosion (Mill 9)
• Death marked a turning point for the family

James Patrick Donahue II – Building a Legacy

• Born November 18, 1857, Wilmington, DE
• Married Catherine Grant (name found in DPAA files)
• Father to four children: Joseph Paul, Sally, Mame, Annie
• Lived during post-Civil War Delaware

Joseph Paul Donahue – Soldier & POW/MIA

• Born March 25, 1932 (no birth certificate)
• U.S. Army Private First Class
• DPAA Service Number: RA-133528102
• Status: POW/MIA – no return confirmation

The Daughters – Sally, Mame, & Annie

• Sally Carney – Married (spouse name unknown)
• Mame Dougherty – Married (spouse name unknown)
• Annie Harkins – Married (spouse name unknown)
• Their marriages rooted the Donahues in Delaware

Rose & John – Bridging Generations

• Rose Ella Marie McKnight Donahue Derogatis (b. 1887)
• Married John Sylvester Donahue Sr in 1905
• John became a single father to six children
• Thomas Derogatis (Rose's father) brought Italian heritage

The New Branch – Six Children of John & Rose

• Agnes Donahue Franks (b. 1906)
• John Sylvester Donahue Jr (II) (b. 1909)
• Robert Francis Donahue (b. 1912)
• Paul Joseph Donahue (b. 1914)
• Rose Theresa Donahue Ellis (b. 1917)
• Catherine Barbara Donahue Tucker (b. 1920)

Rose Theresa Donahue Ellis – The Historian

• Born 1917, Oxford, MD & Clayton, DE
• Married her brother-in-law John Paul Donahue
• Dedicated to chronicling family history
• Connected the Donahue family to historical societies

Legacy & Impact

• From industrial tragedy to military heroism
• Women's roles shaped local communities
• Family emphasis on preserving history
• Microcosm of American perseverance

Thank You

The Donahue family story reminds us to honor past sacrifices and record our own histories for future generations.

"Preserve the past, protect the future."

James Patrick Donahue I – The Patriarch

• Married Margaret ~1847 (age 15)
• Worked at Dupont Gunpowder Mills, Wilmington, DE
• Died April 14, 1870 in a gunpowder explosion (Mill 9)
• Death marked a turning point for the family

James Patrick Donahue II – Building a Legacy

• Born November 18, 1857, Wilmington, DE
• Married Catherine Grant (name found in DPAA files)
• Father to four children: Joseph Paul, Sally, Mame, Annie
• Lived during post-Civil War Delaware

Joseph Paul Donahue – Soldier & POW/MIA

• Born March 25, 1932 (no birth certificate)
• U.S. Army Private First Class
• DPAA Service Number: RA-133528102
• Status: POW/MIA – no return confirmation

The Daughters – Sally, Mame, & Annie

• Sally Carney – Married (spouse name unknown)
• Mame Dougherty – Married (spouse name unknown)
• Annie Harkins – Married (spouse name unknown)
• Their marriages rooted the Donahues in Delaware

Rose & John – Bridging Generations

• Rose Ella Marie McKnight Donahue Derogatis (b. 1887)
• Married John Sylvester Donahue Sr in 1905
• John became a single father to six children
• Thomas Derogatis (Rose's father) brought Italian heritage

The New Branch – Six Children of John & Rose

• Agnes Donahue Franks (b. 1906)
• John Sylvester Donahue Jr (II) (b. 1909)
• Robert Francis Donahue (b. 1912)
• Paul Joseph Donahue (b. 1914)
• Rose Theresa Donahue Ellis (b. 1917)
• Catherine Barbara Donahue Tucker (b. 1920)

Rose Theresa Donahue Ellis – The Historian

• Born 1917, Oxford, MD & Clayton, DE
• Married her brother-in-law John Paul Donahue
• Dedicated to chronicling family history
• Connected the Donahue family to historical societies

Legacy & Impact

• From industrial tragedy to military heroism
• Women's roles shaped local communities
• Family emphasis on preserving history
• Microcosm of American perseverance

Thank You

The Donahue family story reminds us to honor past sacrifices and record our own histories for future generations.

"Preserve the past, protect the future."