William Madison McDonald

(June 22, 1866 - July 4, 1950) Born in Kaufman County, William "Gooseneck Bill" McDonald became active in politics in 1890. His ability to unite Black and White voters led to his prominence as a leader of the "Black and Tan" faction of the Republican Party. He remained influential, serving as a delegate to many state and national conventions, until the decline of the Republican Party in Texas in the early 1900s. Also active in black Masonic societies, he served as state secretary for 47 years. He moved to Fort Worth in 1906, founded the Fraternal Bank and Trust Company, and was a prominent civic leader. (1982)