David Cumins Donan, M.D.

Reporter
Katherine F. Berry
Morganfield, Kentucky
David Cumins Donan was born at Three Springs, in Hart County, Kentucky, on March 12, 1882. His parents were Dr. Davis Crews Donan, M.D. and Victoria (Grady) Donan.
He received his early education in the common schools and afterwards attended private schools for Greek, Latin and Mathematics; becoming a surveyor at the age of 15 years. He graduated from the Kentucky State University in 1902 in Science. Receiving a fellowship for one year, he was given a Master's Degree in Chemistry in 1903. After teaching in the county schools for 2 years he entered the University of Louisville Medical School and graduated with first honors in 1907, and was appointed interne in the Louisville City Hospital for one year. For two years he was a member of the teaching staff of the Chemistry Department of the University. He was a licensed a registered Pharmacist in 1906.
In 1909 Dr. Donan was married to Miss Adeline Callaway of Sturgis, Kentucky, a trained nurse.
After five years of general practice in his profession in Horse Cave, Kentucky he located at Morganfield, Ky in 1913 and resided here since then. In Union County he has enjoyed a large and lucrative practice, giving special attention to Industrial Surgery and Physio Therapy, serving as attending surgeon to several coal mines and in private practice.
During the World War he served as captain in the medical corps of the U.S. Army, serving for over two years, one of them in France. He served in the hospitals and was regimental surgeon of the 336th Infantry at Camp Zachary Taylor, Kentucky. Following the war he returned to practice in Morganfield, Ky, receiving three promotions in the Medical Corps Reserve attaining the rank of full Colonel in 1934, which he has since held. promotion was earned with field training and extension work.
Dr. Donan taught a reserve officer's class at Morganfield and Henderson, Ky., for four years during this time being continuously president of the Transovarian Chapter Reserve Officers. He served as contract surgeon in the U.S. Army for three years, serving the local camp Civilian Conservation Corps, and in 1940 was appointed C.C.C. Physician for the camps at Morganfield, Owensboro and Henderson, Ky. Dr. Donan has served as County chairman for the C.M.T.C. continuously since its organization nearly twenty years ago.
Doctor and Mrs. Donan operated a small emergency hospital for several years afte the World War. His work was successful and showed the need of hospitals in rural communities.
Dr. Donan is a charter member of The Griggs-Olvey Post of the American Legion, having served two terms as Post Commander and seven years as Posot Adjutant and he was instrumental in securing the construction of the Local Community House.
He was for several years a Mason and Knight Templar and served as Master of the lodge at Horse Cave, Ky.
As an elder in the Morganfield Presbytern Church he has always taken a great deal of interest in church affairs, representing his church frequently at Presbytery.
Dr. and Mrs. Donan have reared three sons, all for professional careers. John Donan is a civil engineer at Madisonville, Kentucky. David Donan, Jr., is an accountant now serving as lieutenant in the U.S. Army; William Page Donan, a lawyer at Greenville, Kentucky.