When Cornelious George McDonald was born on 23 September 1893, in Van Buren Township, Putnam, Ohio, United States, his father, George W MacDonald, was 25 and his mother, Mary Anna Dirth, was 19. He married Mabel L. Danforth on 23 December 1914, in Licking, Ohio, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 1 daughter. He lived in Detroit Ward 5, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States in 1920 and Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States in 1930. He died on 7 February 1971, in Delray Beach, Palm Beach, Florida, United States, at the age of 77, and was buried in Boca Raton, Palm Beach, Florida, United States.