Judge Thomas Donahoe.

In the early settlement and future development of Southampton township–more particularly that portion known as Bean’s cove–the Donahoe family have been an important factor. James Donahoe, the progenitor of the American branch of this family, came from Ireland and settled in Rainsburg prior to 1800, where he prominently engaged in business for several years, conducting a store, hotel and tannery. In 1815, thinking it better to bring up his family apart from the influences of village life, he moved to Bean’s cove–*the backwoods,* as he then expressed it. He purchased twelve hundred acres of land, including two small improvements. In 1803 he married Jane Cassady, of Huntingdon county, this state, also of Irish descent. Mr. Donahoe died in April, 1838, and his wife in 1864. They were both members of the Catholic church. They reared twelve children: Patrick, John, Mary (Dicken), Judith (Dicken), James, Thomas, Jane (Mattingly), Rebecca, William Francis, Sarah (Owens), and Margaret. Judge Thomas Donahoe was born in Rainsburg in 1815, and came to Bean’s cove with his parents when an infant. He lived at home until he had attained the age of twenty-four years, when he purchased the farm where he now resides, and has since spent his life largely in agricultural pursuits, in which he has been quite successful. He engaged in cattle-droving to a limited extent, which resulted in his financial advancement. In 1873 Mr. Donahoe was elected associate judge on the democratic ticket, he being a staunch democrat. He is a man of much force of character, quick perception, and fearless advocate of any measure or code of principles which he deems honest, upright and just. A man of unswerving principles, he has, by the positions he has maintained in the community, won for himself an enviable reputation. In 1841 he was married to Elizabeth Hendrickson, who departed this life in May, 1880. Mrs. Donahoe was, as her husband is, a member of the Catholic church. He is now passing his declining years on a farm, which he has largely improved by his own industry. He is the father of twelve children: Ann R., James C., Emma, Francis, Jonathan, Patrick, William, Augustin, Michael, Peter, Mary and Jane. Francis and Augustin are in Washington Territory. James C. lives on Flintstone creek, and is in possession of a good farm. Peter, the youngest son, now operates the homestead farm.
(Source: The History of Bedford, Somerset and Fulton Counties, Waterman, Watkins and Co., 1884.)