Individual Details
Ora Eddith McAdams
(14 May 1878 - 29 Mar 1950)
On the 1910 U. S. Census of Pittsburg, Crawford Co., Kansas, Ora (indexed as Ara) McDonald is a servant in the household of Otto Greef. She stated she was divorced and no children of her own were noted.
On the 1920 U. S. Census of Wekiwa, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Ora McDonald is listed as a widow who works as a matron at the Page Home.
On the 1930 U.S. Census of Wekiwa, Tulsa Co., Oklahoma, Ora McDonald (indexed as Ira) appears as a matron at the Sand Spring Home (orphanage). She is a widow and married at 21.
Ora McDonald was assistant Matron at Sand Springs Home, an orphanage in Oklahoma. This was from a flyer about the home in the blue photo album belonging to Kathleen Briggs Seronello.
Obituary from Sand Springs Leader, Sand Springs, (Tulsa County), Oklahoma, Thursday March 30, 1950, front page. Mrs. McDonald "Mother" of Many Children, Passes. Funeral Will Be Conducted In Home Living Room, Saturday, at 2:30. The woman to came to the Sand Springs Home 34 years ago to visit and in her own works, "just stayed," is dead. Mrs. Ora Edith McDonald, 71, passed away Wednesday morning at 10;15 in a Tulsa hospital, following a long illness. Mrs. McDonald retired as head matron from the home January 1, 1949 and moved to Tulsa to make her home with a sister and be "near my children." Mrs. McDonald had been "mother" to more than 400 men and women throughout the United States. Each year she personally selected each of several hundred gifts delivered to children at the Home on Christmas eve. She began the task shortly before Thanksgiving, but instead of of a chore found it a pleasure to see that each Home boy and girl received just what he or she 'ordered' from Santa Claus." She was promoted to head matron of the Home in 1932 following the retirement of Miss Margaret Lindsey whom she came to visit in 1916. Born at Morse Station, Iowa, she was educated in the public schools at Pittsburg, Kan. She was employed in dressmaking and millinery shops in Pittsburg before working at the Sand Springs Home. The body will lie in state at the Mobley funeral home from Friday noon until Saturday noon. Funeral services will be conducted from the Home's spacious living room at 2:30 Saturday afternoon with Rev. Ed Reinhardt, pastor of the Christian church, of which she was a member officiating. B. F. Breeding, who was superintendent of the Home at the time Mrs. McDonald was matron, will assist Rev. Reinhardt. Home girls will contribute the music and casketbearers will be the older Home boys. Burial will be in Woodland cemetery in the Home plot. Beside the sister Mrs. Hamm, with whom she lived other survivors are two brothers, E. F. McAdams and F. E. McAdams, both of Pittsburg, two nieces and seven nephews.
On the 1920 U. S. Census of Wekiwa, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Ora McDonald is listed as a widow who works as a matron at the Page Home.
On the 1930 U.S. Census of Wekiwa, Tulsa Co., Oklahoma, Ora McDonald (indexed as Ira) appears as a matron at the Sand Spring Home (orphanage). She is a widow and married at 21.
Ora McDonald was assistant Matron at Sand Springs Home, an orphanage in Oklahoma. This was from a flyer about the home in the blue photo album belonging to Kathleen Briggs Seronello.
Obituary from Sand Springs Leader, Sand Springs, (Tulsa County), Oklahoma, Thursday March 30, 1950, front page. Mrs. McDonald "Mother" of Many Children, Passes. Funeral Will Be Conducted In Home Living Room, Saturday, at 2:30. The woman to came to the Sand Springs Home 34 years ago to visit and in her own works, "just stayed," is dead. Mrs. Ora Edith McDonald, 71, passed away Wednesday morning at 10;15 in a Tulsa hospital, following a long illness. Mrs. McDonald retired as head matron from the home January 1, 1949 and moved to Tulsa to make her home with a sister and be "near my children." Mrs. McDonald had been "mother" to more than 400 men and women throughout the United States. Each year she personally selected each of several hundred gifts delivered to children at the Home on Christmas eve. She began the task shortly before Thanksgiving, but instead of of a chore found it a pleasure to see that each Home boy and girl received just what he or she 'ordered' from Santa Claus." She was promoted to head matron of the Home in 1932 following the retirement of Miss Margaret Lindsey whom she came to visit in 1916. Born at Morse Station, Iowa, she was educated in the public schools at Pittsburg, Kan. She was employed in dressmaking and millinery shops in Pittsburg before working at the Sand Springs Home. The body will lie in state at the Mobley funeral home from Friday noon until Saturday noon. Funeral services will be conducted from the Home's spacious living room at 2:30 Saturday afternoon with Rev. Ed Reinhardt, pastor of the Christian church, of which she was a member officiating. B. F. Breeding, who was superintendent of the Home at the time Mrs. McDonald was matron, will assist Rev. Reinhardt. Home girls will contribute the music and casketbearers will be the older Home boys. Burial will be in Woodland cemetery in the Home plot. Beside the sister Mrs. Hamm, with whom she lived other survivors are two brothers, E. F. McAdams and F. E. McAdams, both of Pittsburg, two nieces and seven nephews.
Events
| Birth | 14 May 1878 | Morse Station, Johnson Co., Iowa |  | ||
| Marriage | 1900 | William Alexander McDonald | | ||
| Divorce | Bef 1910 | William Alexander McDonald | | ||
| Death | 29 Mar 1950 | Tulsa, Tulsa Co., Oklahoma | | ||
| Burial | Woodland Cemetery, Sand Springs, Tulsa Co., Oklahoma | |
Families
| Spouse | William Alexander McDonald (1858 - ) |
| Father | Walter Spielman McAdams (1837 - 1910) |
| Mother | Marina Elizabeth Haynes (1850 - 1932) |
| Sibling | James Albert McAdams (1869 - 1900) |
| Sibling | Ellis Franklin McAdams (1870 - 1957) |
| Sibling | Susan Jesse "Sue Dae" McAdams (1881 - 1975) |
| Sibling | Floyd Earl 'Mick" McAdams (1887 - 1965) |
Endnotes
1. 1880 Census Johnson Co., Iowa.
2. Note of Marjorie Ham Briggs.
3. Sand Springs Leader, Obituary of Ora Edith McDonald (n.p: Thursday, March 30, 1950, n.d).
4. 1900 Census Crawford Co., Kansas.
5. 1910 Census Crawford Co., Kansas.
6. Sand Springs Leader, Obituary of Ora Edith McDonald (n.p: Thursday, March 30, 1950, n.d).
7. Sand Springs Leader, Obituary of Ora Edith McDonald (n.p: Thursday, March 30, 1950, n.d).