Jack Donald

Jack Donald was a Scot from eastern Canada. He came to the Klondike as a miner on Eureka Creek, at the head of the Indian River. During the gold rush he was a clerk in the Gold Commissioner's office and then became a successful gambler for a few years. In 1906, he hired on as the Dawson manager with the Northern Commercial Company. He was knowledgeable and well-liked, and retired in 1918 for health reasons. Donald and Volney Richmond bought the Dawson store in 1920. Donald managed J.A. Donald & Company, and Richmond continued as Northern Commercial's general superintendent. Richmond and friends purchased the older company in 1922, and J.A. Donald & Company was added to the Canadian Northern Commercial Company store chain. John F. Donald, Jack's nephew, was manager of the Dawson store starting in 1950. He saw the raising of the store after the fire in 1951.¹⁾