Dr. Henry James Donahue was born in 1828 in Washington County, Pennsylvania. After attending St. Joseph’s College and Ohio University, he obtained his medical degree from the Cleveland Medical College in 1853. Dr. Donahue also opened his medical practice in Sandusky, Ohio in 1853. His office was on Columbus Avenue, not far from the office of Dr. R.R. McMeens. By 1860, Dr. Donahue had married Emily Miller. For over thirty years, Dr. Donahue and his family resided in a lovely home at the southwest corner of Decatur and Jefferson Streets, seen in the bottom right quadrant of the picture below.
Besides being busy with his medical practice, Dr. Donahue served on Sandusky’s City Council, was an active member of the Board of Education, and served as Treasurer of the Sandusky Building and Loan Association for eight years.
On June 23, 1891, Dr. H.J. Donahue passed away at his residence. He was buried at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Mrs. Emily Donahue was 82 years old when she died in the summer of 1922.