The subject of this sketch is one of the leading stockmen of the district in which he lives and for a period of twenty-three years he has been very closely identified with the industrial business interests of Laramie County. The names McDonald indicates Scott origin and tracing his history, it is learned that he is descended from old families that for many generations lived in the romantic land of the “heather and the heath.” Archibald McCannel, the father of Donald, was born in Scotland but came to America in 1848, settling in Ontario, Canada of which province he was an early pioneer, By occupation he was a tiller of the soil and by his industry and frugality he accumulated a valuable estate, becoming one of the thrifty farmers of the section of the country in which he lived, His wife, also a native of Canada, bore the maiden name of Barbara McDougall. Donald C. McCannel was born in Ontario, Canada, on June 24, 1857, and received such educational discipline as the schools of his native county could impart. He was reared in close touch with nature on the farm, became familiar with the varies duties incident to agriculture and grew strong and vigorous of body, with an independence of mind and determination of will which eminently fitted him for the course of life he afterwards pursued. Until his twenty-first years he remained at home assisting in the work of the farm, but on attaining his majority he started into the world for himself coming to Wyoming in 1879 and settling in the county of Laramie. During the six years following his arrival in this part of the country, Mr. McCannel was in the employ of T. A. Kent, a prominent stockman who owned ranches near Uva, and he became experienced in every detail of cattle raising proving most capable and faithful in the discharge of his varied duties. Severing his connection with the above gentlemen, he engaged in contracting for ditching work on the ranches of the Union Cattle Co. and after some time passed in that capacity, he took up land of his own in Laramie County, seven miles west of Wheatland but did not settle on this until one year after obtaining possession. This was in 1886, and from that time to the present day he has lived where he originally located gradually extending the scope and magnitude of his business and enlarging the area of his lands until he and his family now own over 1,500 acres, much of which is irrigable and in a successful state of tillage. That portion devoted to gazing purposes is admirably situated, for Mr. McCannel had abundant opportunities to make a judicious selection, there being but four ranches in all this part of the county when he located his claim in 1885. Mr. McCannel devotes his time and attention to the raising of cattle, horses and hogs, and has met with most gratifying success, building up a large and lucrative business and earning the reputation of standing as one of the most enterprising stockmen in this part of the state. His judgement is sound and discriminating and possessing the ability to foresee with remarkable accuracy the outcome of transactions in which he engages, he seldom fails in carrying them to successful conclusion. As a citizen he enjoys the esteem of the community, while in every relation of life, he has ever so comported himself that his integrity has never been assailed nor the correctness of his motives questioned. Believing in progress and improvement, he has used his best efforts to these ends, aiding all enterprises calculated to build up the country and to develop its natural and industrial resources. On March 3, 1890, Mr. McCannel was married in the city of Cheyenne to Mrs. Margaret (Wilson) Cazaubon, the daughter of William Wilson, of Ontario, Canada. Mrs. McCannel was there born and reared and there married her first husband. Her father was a farmer but her mother departed this life in Ontario a number of years ago. Mrs. McCannel has one daughter of her first marriage, Mrs. Emma Rice, who was graduated from the Cheyenne high school and later from a college of photography and is now the leading photographer of Cheyenne, Wyoming located at No. 1717 Eddy Street. She is an owner of property and there conducts a very successful business. Mrs. McCannel’s grandson, Templeton Rice, is a bright child of four years of age whom she is now raising and who is a great favorite with both herself and husband. Politically, Mr. McCannel is pronounced in his allegiance to the Republican party but is not a partisan in the sense the term is usually understood, much less an aspirant for the honors or emoluments of office. He is and enthusiastic member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to the Wheatland Lodge, and is identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks at Cheyenne. Additional to those two organizations his name also adorns the records of the Wheatland Lodge, Modern Woodmen of America, in which he is a leading sprit and active worker, Of Mr. McCannel personally, much could be said in the way of truthful compliment and praise, for he is quite popular throughout the country, well liked by all with whom he comes in contact and no one questions his right to be classed with the wide-awake and energetic representative men of the county of Laramie.
