Kentucky:  A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 3rd ed., 
1886. Warren County.

JOHN DONNELLY, one of the leading builders and contractors of Bowling 
Green, was born in Ireland in 1847, is a son of Hugh and Ellen (Mahon) 
Donnelly, both natives of the Emerald Isle.  The father was a carpenter 
at sea, and served thirty years at that occupation.  John Donnelly was 
in infancy brought by his parents to Canada, where he remained until 
1862, when he came to Kentucky.  While in Canada, Mr. Donnelly served a 
three years' apprenticeship at the carpenter trade, and this has been 
his life work.  In 1881 he came to Bowling Green, where he has since 
resided.  For two years he as the superintendent of the Bowling Green 
Planing-mill, for Forbes Bros., of this city.  In January 1885, he 
formed a partnership with Drewry B. Dearing, in the contracting and 
building business.  The marriage of Mr. Donnelly occured, in 1875, with 
Mary Rose, of Covington, Tenn.  Politically he is a Democrat, and a 
member of the Catholic Church.  Mrs. Donnelly is a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church South.  Mr. Donnelly is a man of untiring 
energy and enterprising spirit.

Donnelly Mahon Forbes Dearing
=
Ireland Canada TN

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/warren/donnelly.j.txt