Macdonald was born in Mesa in 1903. His grandfather was the first mayor of Mesa and also the first president of the Maricopa Stake of the LDS church. MacDonald Drive was named for him. Macdonald worked as the postmaster for 30 years and chief clerk for the City of Mesa for nine years. As a young man he delivered telegrams for Western Union. Macdonald gives great detail about stores and buildings in downtown Mesa including the Toggery Stapley's Vance's bakery A&B grocery Little American Kitchen Crescent Drugs and the Mesa City Bank. He recalls that the first 'hospital' was the old LeSueur home and the Franklin school was used as a hospital during the flu epidemic. He also describes his childhood games fun and homemade entertainment. Macdonald also recalls seeing President Roosevelt 1911 when he came to dedicate Roosevelt Dam.