-^ i^i;*>?;[;:>vr'<' • :; ;; i; •-!':<. ^A v» •7-, ;'#• ,v ^r -.„^^' ^'^^•'^S^cJ'^ -r^ - iS V x°^ '-^^: '^-.. -'-v ... /-^'V ^ -v -'o "~ \> -^ "^-.„^'' >. t*^' jV'^'^- ' iLJ ;.^% Vt.^^#,^ •?^'^. Vit!^. > <.^" ,,-i "^y- C^^ o 0' A" ^. s.'^ "^/. V*' ^^- -' <- -^"^ '^WJ^-^ '^v^^ '^^'^^ '^^ c<- ' -'i^\M^ 'o > c^^ aV j'„ V ^'•1^>J^, -' ,'^" .^^^ "i-^S s^-^. JiV</>„ '^^ V* =^:. .-^ -^^ '*. : V ><i-^ .o.'^^^. *•-• , •**. l'<</^|\))^. ^^'-^.r;. ,0 o^ W: .^ ^- ,0^ ^i ^^' ^.^': % >\V o ^' - mm^''. "^^ yf^'^^-^^^%.^' : .>' *>, .0 0^ \^\^ xv ^/>.. /"^'*- o^-Vl^-""'"^ .#^ ^/. V-*^ o\ ^ .^'"'^. xO<=<. -^ '>• * ' • , -C' V, .\,«^;'. <^> ,<>^ ^? ^• ^^ v^ --^; \ ^ <^ •i' -5^. c .^' ^. .xx^^-^. % . -^y^ .<i^ * ^ <- * c tV^ 111 <\, ' . >. \^ ^ , "^ / . , s lO ' o o w '\ -3 •* s ,11 x'^°. x*^°<, >0 c- t > *v-. ,^ %c^ %. o>^'^ This edition is limited to Four Hundred Copies, of which this copy is No. //-^ WILLIAM M. MAC BEAN, LL.D. BIOGRAPHICAL REGISTER OF Saint Andrews Society OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Vol. II 1807 «» 1856 BY WILLIAM M. MACBEAN,LL.D. NEW YORK Printed for the Society 1925 ' 4 Copyright 1925 by William M. MacBeant «IFT FEB12'26 FOREWORD The material for the second volume of the Biographical Register had been fin- ished by the late Dr. MacBean some months prior to his death. The work was so carefully done that the labour of editing has been almost negligible. The late Historian of the Society had already, in the first volume, covered the period from 1756 to 1806 and this book now brings the records of the Society down to 1856, thus completing the first hundred years of its existence. Many of the sketches, no doubt, tell only inadequately of the lives of these early members and it must be remembered by those who read them that it is due to the utmost patience and diligence on the part of Dr. MacBean that there is any record at all of these early days. The story tells of some failures but also of many successes and one may read between the lines and, at times, almost take part in the daily doings of those who started and kept alive the charitable and social activities of the Society in their day and generation. X^o member can read these sketches without appreciation of the devotion of Dr. MacBean to Saint Andrew's Society and its traditions, and no Scotsman can fail to realize that a deep love for his native land was the moving force behind the many hours of investigation, full with difficulties, that kept him searching on for his facts. These "footprints on the sands of time" might have been obliterated for ever, and their preservation may well be a stimulus to the members of the future to strive to keep the records of the coming years so that the labour of investigation may not be so onerous. Saint Andrew's Society and its members of this generation will hold the memory of the first Historian in deep afifection not only because of his labour on behalf of the Society but because of his forceful personality. THE COMMITTEE Chas. p. McClelland, Chairman Alex. B. Halliday Robert Prater Munro John S. MacNab BIOGRAPHICAL REGISTER of Saint Andrew's Society 1807 746 CHARLES DONALD McNEILL, M.D. Neill McNeill of Jura brought over to this country from Argyleshire in 1739 a colony of more than 350 persons and also large numbers in 1746, after Culloden, and settled them on the Cape Fear River, Cross Creek, now Fayette- ville, which was the centre of these Highland Settlements (Black's Scotland's Mark on America). The ancestry of Dr. McNeill, according to Pennell's Life of Whistler, shows that he was the grandson of Donald, chief of the McNeills of Skye, who came to North Carolina in 1746 and bought land on Cape Fear River. The McNeills are not known to have been identified with Skye nor have the chiefs of either branch of the McNeills been identified with this country until the present generation. The grandfather is believed to have been Donald, son of Archibald who was executed for his support of Prince Charlie in "The '45." Neill, the colonizer mentioned above, was an elder brother of Archibald and therefore uncle to Donald. About 1760, when Donald had grown to man- hood, he came out to his uncle and after a year or two bought lands and settled on the place still owned by his descendants. Whether this Donald was the father or the grandfather of our member has not yet been definitely determined. Be that as it may Dr. McNeill was a native of Bladen County, North Carolina, was usually known as Dr. Daniel McNeill, and became identified with Wilming- ton. During the Revolution, like most Highlanders, he adopted the cause of the King and consequently became obnoxious to his fellow townsmen. In Gaine's Universal Register for 1782 he is set down on the Army List as Supernumerary Surgeon's Mate. Frequent references to him appear in Volume 18 of the North a BIOGRAPHICAL REGISTER 1807 Carolina State Reports. There it states that McNeill on the arrival of the Brit- ish joined them and behaved himself (as has been said) in unsupportable insolence, went oflf with the British and returned upon the preliminary articles of peace, and during the sitting of the Superior Court, walked the streets (of Wilmington) with an air of defiance. Some of his neighbours informed the Court that only out of respect to it was McNeill saved from being assaulted. A Bill of Indictment was preferred and found against him, he was tried and found guilty of the charge (not stated), a small fine was imposed and he was also required to depart the State within sixty days and not to return until the pleas- ure of the Assembly should be known. McNeill did not tamely accept this verdict. He remained and fought the community until ultimately it was decided that the action of the judges was illegal :md that, if any forfeiture had occurred, it should be remitted. Whether or not the hostility of his townsmen ultimately drove him North is not known, but he came to New York and practised his profession here and later in Brooklyn. His name appears in the City directory of 1807 for the first time and his residence is given as No. 22 Greenwich Street. He was twice married, having by his first wife several children and by his sec- ond, Martha Kingsley, one daughter, Ann Matilda, who married November 3, 183 1, George Washington Whistler and became the mother of James Abbott McNeill Whistler, the artist. Two daughters, by his first wife, were mar- ried on the same day, Sunday, May 26, 1816, in St. Ann's Church, Brooklyn; Isabella Kingsley to George William Fairfax, grandson of Brian, Eighth Lord Fairfax; Mary Charlotte to Lieutenant Joseph Easterbrook of the British Navy. His other children were Major William Gibbs McNeill who became a member of the Society in 1840 ; a daughter Alicia ; another who mar- ried William Winstanley and Catherine Jane who married March 23, 1840, Dr. George E. Palmer of Stonington, Connecticut. Eventually Dr. McNeill returned to North Carolina and died at Oak Forst, Bladen County, December 747 MARSHALL ROBERT WILKINGS The earliest reference to this memJjer appears in the New York Gazette of June 15, 1791, on which date he advertised as one of the executors of James Gardiner. He was then of Wilmington, North Carolina. In 1803 he was definitely located in New York, at 42 Greenwich Street, and advertised in the Evening Post that he had for sale dry goods and certain other articles. In 1809 he removed from 139 Broadway to loi William Street, six doors above Maiden Lane. There he remained only one year and is next found at 27 Hudson Street, a two-storied house with five rooms. On September 21, 1810, he admitted his son Edward W. into partnership with him and again removed, this time to — — i8o7 SAINT ANDREW'S SOCIETY 3 68 Maiden Lane, where they engaged in the dry goods business, wholesale and retail. By mutual consent this alliance of father and son was dissolved in April following. Mr. Wilkings offered for sale the unexpired lease of his house, 42 Greenwich Street, and removed to 27 Cortlandt Street. There on May 26, 1813, his daughter Katharine Ann Wright died in her seventeenth year. On January 24, 1814, Wilkings entered into partnership with John B. Bowen as Wilkings & Bowen, brokers and commission merchants and dealt in stocks, exchange, produce and merchandise. How long this arrangement lasted is not known. Mr. Wilkings was here in August 1818, but no later references have been found. It is presumed tliat he returned to Wilmington. His son Edward W. has been traced in New York up to October 1820, when his name disap- peared. The Press. 748 JOHN DE NORMANDIE GILLESPIE, M.D. Dr. Gillespie studied at Columbia, and Dr. David Hosack in the Comvier- cial Advertiser of October 16, 1779, advertised tliat he had intended to publish his researches on yellow fever but as Gillespie had chosen this subject for his inaugural dissertation he had turned over to him the data he had collected. L'nder such favourable auspices. Dr. Gillespie began his career. From that time until 1804 nothing is known concerning him. At the latter date he lived on Ferry Street, corner of Pearl, in the same house with George Gillespie, mem- ber 1805. This fact would indicate relationship. In 1806 his address was 169 William Street, and in 1807 he removed to 145 Broadway, next door but one to Liberty Street. On October 5, 1808, according to the records of the Presby- terian Church of Goshen, New York, he married Susan Bedford.