The Second Generation: The McDonnells of Philadelphia

The McDonnell (sometimes recorded as McDonald) family traces its origins to Ireland in the early 1800s. It was John Joseph McDonnell Jr. who first brought the family name to America, eventually settling in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

John married twice during his lifetime. His first marriage was to Susan McHugh of Philadelphia on July 28, 1872, at St. Paul Church. Together, they raised six children: Mary, Sarah, John Joseph III, Francis, Joseph Leo, and Francis McDonnell. Sadly, Susan passed away in November 1885, leaving John widowed with their young family.

Two years later, John found companionship again and married Mary Welsh of Dover, Delaware, on April 7, 1887, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Philadelphia. John and Mary had four children: Anna, Augustus John, David Howard, and Michael John McDonnell.

For this branch of the story, we’ll focus on John and Mary’s third child, David Howard McDonnell, whose life and descendants continued the McDonnell family legacy in Philadelphia and beyond.

David Howard McDonnell and His Family

David Howard McDonnell was born on July 2, 1892, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the third child of John Joseph McDonnell Jr. and Mary Welsh. He was baptized on July 17, 1892, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, with his godparents David Howard Conrad and Helena “Ella” O’Rourke, Mary’s younger sister.

On June 2, 1912, David married Rose Cecelia McCann at the same parish, Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, in Philadelphia. David’s sister Anna McDonnell served as their witness. Rose, born on December 29, 1893, in Philadelphia, was the daughter of William McCann and Jane Owens. Together, David and Rose raised three children: Rose Rita, Anne Cecelia, and David McDonnell Jr.

Rose Rita McDonnell
The couple’s first child, Rose Rita McDonnell, was born on April 3, 1913, in Philadelphia and baptized on April 20, 1913, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church. Her godparents were Augustus McDonnell, David’s brother, and Maria McCann, Rose’s sister.

Rose Rita remained at home until her marriage on August 22, 1935, to Edward J. Peterson in Philadelphia. Edward, the son of Joseph Peterson and Mary Quin, was born on July 19, 1907, in Philadelphia. They had one son, Edward J. Peterson Jr.

Between 1940 and 1948, Rose and Edward separated, and in 1949, Rose remarried Vincent Manganaro, born around 1906 in Philadelphia. The two shared the rest of their lives together, eventually moving from Philadelphia to West Chester, Pennsylvania. Vincent passed away on September 11, 1991, followed by Rose on September 13, 2007. Both were laid to rest together—alongside Rose’s son Edward—at Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery in Springfield, Pennsylvania.

Rose’s first husband, Edward Peterson, later remarried a woman named Mary and died on June 28, 1962, in Philadelphia.

Anne Cecelia McDonnell
David and Rose’s second child, Anne Cecelia McDonnell, was born on January 19, 1915, in Philadelphia and baptized on February 7, 1915, at St. Edmond’s Church. Her godparents were John McCann, her uncle, and Anna McDonnell, her aunt.

Anne married Joseph Alexious Powell on August 3, 1935, in Philadelphia. The ceremony was officiated by Joseph’s brother, Rev. Daniel Powell. Joseph, the son of Daniel Powell and Catherine Coakley, was born on November 28, 1912, in Philadelphia.

Anne and Joseph had four children: Joanne, Daniel Bernard, Rosemary Elizabeth, and Joseph Powell Jr. They later settled in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Joseph passed away on November 9, 1973, in Clifton Heights, and Anne followed on August 4, 1983. They rest together at Saint Peter and Paul Cemetery in Springfield, Pennsylvania.

David McDonnell Jr.
The youngest child, David McDonnell, was born on December 4, 1919, in Philadelphia. He married Elizabeth Adelaide Greene on January 18, 1941, in Philadelphia. Elizabeth, born on January 1, 1921, was the daughter of Joseph Greene and Elizabeth Duane.

The couple had five children: David, Michael, Patrick, Denise, and James McDonnell. They later moved from Philadelphia to Camden, New Jersey, where David passed away on August 18, 1979, in Clementon. Elizabeth lived another forty-one years, passing away on December 14, 2020, in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. They are buried together at New Saint Mary’s Cemetery in Bellmawr, Camden County.

Later Years
The McDonnell family remained closely connected to the Philadelphia area, relocating throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey as the family expanded.

David and Rose remained part of their children’s lives for many years. The couple eventually separated before 1946. David passed away on March 31, 1953, in Rural Windsor, Berks County, Pennsylvania, and was buried on April 6 at Holy Cross Cemetery in Philadelphia. Rose later remarried John Joseph McCue on November 30, 1953, at St. Martin’s Church in Philadelphia. She lived out her later years in Norristown, passing away on March 22, 1985. Rose was buried beside her second husband in Saint Peter and Paul Cemetery in Springfield, Pennsylvania.