Along the coast of Scotland, in Aberdeenshire, Donald Trump and his investors are building what they describe as “the greatest golf course in the world.” They are presently in the process of buying land necessary to build this golf course and its facilities. The location will include the usual facilities, clubhouses, etc. but will also have a 450 room hotel and 500 residential homes. The project is due for completion in 18 months and is expected to cost nearly 1 billion pounds.
He has decided to rename a strip of coastline that for 600 years has been known as Menie Dunes. The new name as given by Mr. Trump is “The Great Dunes of Scotland.” It goes without saying that some Scots oppose the renaming of their country by an outsider. They are hoping to obtain the signatures of thousands of people who oppose the construction. In fact, his opponents have organized under the name of “Tripping Up Trump.” This group has purchased some land in the middle of the project and ownership is split among 12 persons. They have even set up a web site called “The Bunker.” Some are saying he should built his course "over there".
Mr. Trump was dismissive of the protests and said “It’s a little late to trip me up.” He also described the fisherman’s house, at the heart of the controversy, as “a slum” and a “terrible-looking building.” The opposition refers to Donald Trump as a "New York Clown."
Visit Scotland supports the project of course, but I hope Mr. Trump understands the nature of Scots when their land is threatened. Sometimes money doesn't buy everything, but I presume the locals are destined to lose. I wonder if they have "imminent domain" in Scotland?
Stay tuned.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
John Scott Neil A Veteran of the Crimean War died at the Scottish Home and Was buried by the Illinois St. Andrew's Society
John Scott Neil died January 21, 1933, after being a resident of the Scottish Home for eighteen years. He was born in Glasgow in 1837 and had lived in the United States for over forty years. Funeral services were conducted by the Rev. Alfred F. Waldo of the Riverside Presbyterian church.
Rev. Waldo said the following during the service: “It is a far cry back to the Crimean War; the war of 1854-1856, between Russia on the one hand and Turkey with her allies, England, France and Sardinia on the other. Yet this man, John Scott Neil, whose obsequies we respectfully observe this morning, was in that war, a bugler boy with the 49th Highlanders which regiment he joined when a lad of about 16. Such service and such longevity combine to constitute a true distinction. So it is a distinguished man in the presence of whose mortal remains we this morning preform the last rites and perform them with respect, with reverence and with love.”
According to his own testimony, Neil fought at Sebastopol. He was wounded twice in the Crimean war and twice more in the Indian rebellion that followed. He told residents at the Home that he was nursed by Florence Nightingale in a field hospital near Sebastopol. He came to Chicago in 1893 and had been confined to bed for eight years after he suffered a broken hip. Interment was in the Saint Andrew’s grounds in Rosehill cemetery, and as a last tribute to the man whom he had long called “Grandad”, Hugh Jamieson in Highland dress, played most fittingly on the bag pipes the soldier’s farewell, “Flowers of the Forest.”
Mr. Neil is one of several veterans buried in the Society's plot, Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois.
Rev. Waldo said the following during the service: “It is a far cry back to the Crimean War; the war of 1854-1856, between Russia on the one hand and Turkey with her allies, England, France and Sardinia on the other. Yet this man, John Scott Neil, whose obsequies we respectfully observe this morning, was in that war, a bugler boy with the 49th Highlanders which regiment he joined when a lad of about 16. Such service and such longevity combine to constitute a true distinction. So it is a distinguished man in the presence of whose mortal remains we this morning preform the last rites and perform them with respect, with reverence and with love.”
According to his own testimony, Neil fought at Sebastopol. He was wounded twice in the Crimean war and twice more in the Indian rebellion that followed. He told residents at the Home that he was nursed by Florence Nightingale in a field hospital near Sebastopol. He came to Chicago in 1893 and had been confined to bed for eight years after he suffered a broken hip. Interment was in the Saint Andrew’s grounds in Rosehill cemetery, and as a last tribute to the man whom he had long called “Grandad”, Hugh Jamieson in Highland dress, played most fittingly on the bag pipes the soldier’s farewell, “Flowers of the Forest.”
Mr. Neil is one of several veterans buried in the Society's plot, Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Facts About The First Stop On Our History Tour, July 17, 2010 - The J. Ogden Estate & Mansion
- Ogden purchased 1,000 acres of swampy land at edge of Lake Forest. Land cost $10 million
- The mansion had 20 rooms
- Italian Renaissance style
- Formal gardens, orchards and a deer park
- A 10 acres pond stocked with fish
- Red tiled brick roof
- Constructed of concrete and brick with steel beams employed for long spans and steel trusses used to support the heavy roof. One of the early use of steel for such purposes.
- Building supplies arrived by freight cars at a railroad siding built on the property.
- 20 marble fireplaces came from Europe as did much of the furniture.
- Each bedroom suite in the H-shaped mansion contained a sitting room as well as a bedroom
- The estate accommodated a staff of 125.
- The property included stables, an exercise ring, and carriage house with clock tower.
- The house was always filled with plants and flowers.
- Mrs. Armour enjoyed entertaining, but Mr. Armour felt ill at ease with small talk. Like his father, he was all about business.
- The Prince of Wales visited in 1924
- House designed as a fairyland for the Armour’s daughter, Lolita, who was only 3 pounds at birth.
- She suffered from a congenital hip, which was corrected by surgery
- She learned to ride horses and live a normal life
- During WWI, she was a Red Cross volunteer nurse with hopes of going to France.
- The Armour's also had homes in Chicago, Michigan, California and an apartment in London.
- Ogden Armour died in 1927 at the age of 64 in London
- Claims against his estate were $18 million
- Mrs. Armour offered the creditors a group of stock in a company that had developed a method of extracting more than the usual amount of gasoline from a gallon of oil. They felt it was worthless and let her keep the stock. It later became very valuable.
- In 1928, a syndicate of businessmen, led by Samuel Insul, purchased the estate and planned to turn the property into a golf club for millionaires.
- When the market crash came in 1929 that plan also crashed and so did Samuel Insul.
- Frank J. Lewis, Chicago businessman and philanthropist, bought several hundred acres from the Continental Illinois Bank & Trust Co. for close to $400,000. He later sold the house and 200 acres to Lake Forest Academy in 1947.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Lolita Sheldon Marries J. Ogden Armour, May 12, 1891. What a Beginning for a Young Girl!
Ogden Armour was the oldest child of P.D. Armour. On May 12, 1891, he married Lolita H. Sheldon of Sufrield, Conn., in the Murray Hill Hotel of New York City. Lolita was 18 years of age and is described as an extremely pretty brunette. She was educated at Miss Porter’s school in Farmington and on a trip to Chicago had met Mr. Armour in 1890. The engagement was announced after a three weeks’ acquaintance.
By September, the Armours’ were building their new home in Chicago at the north-west corner of Michigan Avenue and 37th street. The house was to be eighty-two feet deep and a frontage of sixty feet, two stories with an attic and high roof. The walls would be of Bedford stone and steel beams would be used to make the home absolutely fire-proof. A broad hall, 20X42, will lead to the rooms on the first floor, “with a massive stairway leading to the second floor." In 1893, the house was finished and a large reception was held at 5:30 o’clock. “The marble vestibule of the house opened into a large square hall finished in solid mahogany. A broad stairway, with square landings, led to the second floor. To the left of the hall was a reception-room, which was hung in pale green silk. The draperies and most of the furnishings were of pink silk and brocade.” The library was painted India red. On the opposite side was the music room with bright rose-colored satin. The Hungarian orchestra played behind the stairway. Mrs. Armour was assisted by Mrs. W. Vernon Booth and Mrs. P.D. Armour.
In 1896, Mrs. Armour gave birth to a daughter. The baby would be given the name of Lolita, the same as her mother. She was the first granddaughter of Phillip Armour along with two grandsons. For each of the two grandsons, Mr. Armour had set aside $500,000 “to their individual credit.” “…speculation is now rife whether he will set aside $1,000,000 for the "ittle girl in order that there may be no disparity in the financial standing of the new little woman."
The child was of delicate health, and was kept in an incubator. Lolita would later be married in the great mansion in Lake Forest. On our history tour, July 17, 2010, we will see the marvelous stairs she descended on the day of her wedding.
By September, the Armours’ were building their new home in Chicago at the north-west corner of Michigan Avenue and 37th street. The house was to be eighty-two feet deep and a frontage of sixty feet, two stories with an attic and high roof. The walls would be of Bedford stone and steel beams would be used to make the home absolutely fire-proof. A broad hall, 20X42, will lead to the rooms on the first floor, “with a massive stairway leading to the second floor." In 1893, the house was finished and a large reception was held at 5:30 o’clock. “The marble vestibule of the house opened into a large square hall finished in solid mahogany. A broad stairway, with square landings, led to the second floor. To the left of the hall was a reception-room, which was hung in pale green silk. The draperies and most of the furnishings were of pink silk and brocade.” The library was painted India red. On the opposite side was the music room with bright rose-colored satin. The Hungarian orchestra played behind the stairway. Mrs. Armour was assisted by Mrs. W. Vernon Booth and Mrs. P.D. Armour.
In 1896, Mrs. Armour gave birth to a daughter. The baby would be given the name of Lolita, the same as her mother. She was the first granddaughter of Phillip Armour along with two grandsons. For each of the two grandsons, Mr. Armour had set aside $500,000 “to their individual credit.” “…speculation is now rife whether he will set aside $1,000,000 for the "ittle girl in order that there may be no disparity in the financial standing of the new little woman."
The child was of delicate health, and was kept in an incubator. Lolita would later be married in the great mansion in Lake Forest. On our history tour, July 17, 2010, we will see the marvelous stairs she descended on the day of her wedding.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
One Stop on the History Tour, July 17, 2010
The History Club of the Illinois Saint Andrew's Society will conduct its annual history tour on July 17, 2010. The charter bus will leave the Scottish Home in North Riverside, Illinois at 11 a.m. and travel to Lake Forest. Our first stop will be at the former Armour mansion, now the Lake Forest Academy. The cost is $21.00 and children are welcome. Call 630-629-4516 or email to wrethford@comcast.net for reservations or information.
The most pretentious home in Lake Forest, Illinois, was that of J. Ogden Armour. The Armour’s bought 1,000 acres which had once been the farm of Patrick Melody. Mr. Armour apparently bought the land when his wife was in Europe. Mrs. Armour named the property “Melody Farm.” The area was drained into two large lakes, stocked with bass and perch. The architect was Arthur Heun and Morton R. Mavor (a Scot) was the contractor. A relative of Mr. Mavor lives in LaGrange and has attended our History Club meeting.
Two feet of black dirt was brought in to cover 200 acres in the area surrounding the house and the stables. There was a gate on Waukegan Road and the two mile road to the mansion was lined with young elm trees. A steel bridge was built over the Milwaukee railroad. (The Armour’s had their own personal station.) Along the drive to the house, one could see deer and beautiful horses. The horses lived in a fire-proof stable with their names engraved above their stalls.
The main building measured 180 by 500 feet and had a bowling alley in the basement. The dining room was on the first floor and had marble walls. The main floor also contained a music room with a pipe organ concealed in the paneling. In London, Mrs. Armour had purchased a little green-paneled room. It was dismantled and shipped to the new mansion.
Three people lived in the house and their quarters were on the second floor. Mr. Armour had two offices, one above the other, connected by a secret staircase. Gold and silver were frequently used in door knobs and electrical fixtures. Much of the furniture was bought in Europe and so were the silk paneling that adorned the marble walls. Magnificent rugs covered the marble floors.
More about the house later.
The most pretentious home in Lake Forest, Illinois, was that of J. Ogden Armour. The Armour’s bought 1,000 acres which had once been the farm of Patrick Melody. Mr. Armour apparently bought the land when his wife was in Europe. Mrs. Armour named the property “Melody Farm.” The area was drained into two large lakes, stocked with bass and perch. The architect was Arthur Heun and Morton R. Mavor (a Scot) was the contractor. A relative of Mr. Mavor lives in LaGrange and has attended our History Club meeting.
Two feet of black dirt was brought in to cover 200 acres in the area surrounding the house and the stables. There was a gate on Waukegan Road and the two mile road to the mansion was lined with young elm trees. A steel bridge was built over the Milwaukee railroad. (The Armour’s had their own personal station.) Along the drive to the house, one could see deer and beautiful horses. The horses lived in a fire-proof stable with their names engraved above their stalls.
The main building measured 180 by 500 feet and had a bowling alley in the basement. The dining room was on the first floor and had marble walls. The main floor also contained a music room with a pipe organ concealed in the paneling. In London, Mrs. Armour had purchased a little green-paneled room. It was dismantled and shipped to the new mansion.
Three people lived in the house and their quarters were on the second floor. Mr. Armour had two offices, one above the other, connected by a secret staircase. Gold and silver were frequently used in door knobs and electrical fixtures. Much of the furniture was bought in Europe and so were the silk paneling that adorned the marble walls. Magnificent rugs covered the marble floors.
More about the house later.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Scottish Lawyer, Died From Abuse - Buried in an Unmarked Grave
Maxwell Edgar was born in 1871 in Mount Florida, Glasgow, Scotland. Mount Florida is in the southeast corner of the city of Glasgow. (The origin of the name is unclear.) He was the son of John Edgar and Eliza (Curr) Edgar. Educated in Scotland and England, he came to America in 1893. In Chicago, he attended Chicago-Kent College of Law and was admitted to practice in 1900. That same year, he married Jeanne Weil.
He was employed by the Stuyvesant Fish company, the I.C.R.R., and then became special assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Chicago. He was in charge of taxation, 1905-1907. President of the Illinois Democratic League, 1909-10; and the Illinois Tax Reform Association, 1908-1910. His recreation was golf and he lived in the Mont Claire section of the Chicago.
Maxwell Edgar became the secretary of the Illinois Saint Andrew Society, but things did not go well. He came to believe that the funds were being wasted, especially with the Crearer Fund, which Mr. Edgar believed was a restricted fund. Land became available on Ogden Avenue, (8-10) and the president of the Society and others decided to purchase that land for the Scottish Old People’s Home. The cost was $8,000.00 but Mr. Edgar in his lawsuit said it was only worth $5,000. The purchase was being made through Jacob Magill, the brother-in-law of president Daniel Bogle. Named in the injunction were Daniel R. Cameron, John C. Harper, John F. Homes, Joseph Cormack and Daniel Bogle, president of the Society. The lawsuit was later dismissed.
By 1917, the mental and physical health of Maxwell Edgar had become quite severe. A letter from Thomas Innes, Chairman of the Board of Almoners, to James B. Forgan, is asking for help. Doctors had concluded that “considerable benefit might result to Mr. Edgar from a brief period of treatment in a private sanitarium.” A total of $200 was needed for the treatment and would be raised among the members of the Saint Andrew Society. The money was raised, despite the previous history, and Mr. Edgar was sent to the Wauwatosa Sanitarium near Milwaukee.
The treatment failed and by April 1917, Maxwell Edgar was committed to the “Elgin State Hospital for the Insane” in Elgin, Illinois. He died April 29 under unusual circumstances. A Senate committee later concluded that he had died of abuse and that an effort was made to hide his case. The two individuals listed as the perpetrators escaped prosecution by moving out of state.
The newspaper says he was survived by his wife, Mrs. Jeanne Edgar, 1160 Grace St., Chicago. Maxwell Edgar is buried in an unmarked grave in the Bluff City Cemetery, Elgin, Illinois. He is buried in a single grave owned by Maude Curr, who may have been a relative of his mother. His grave location is Section 15, #78 at the back of the cemetery. I have visited twice.
Contact with any family members, especially in Scotland, would be appreciated.
He was employed by the Stuyvesant Fish company, the I.C.R.R., and then became special assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Chicago. He was in charge of taxation, 1905-1907. President of the Illinois Democratic League, 1909-10; and the Illinois Tax Reform Association, 1908-1910. His recreation was golf and he lived in the Mont Claire section of the Chicago.
Maxwell Edgar became the secretary of the Illinois Saint Andrew Society, but things did not go well. He came to believe that the funds were being wasted, especially with the Crearer Fund, which Mr. Edgar believed was a restricted fund. Land became available on Ogden Avenue, (8-10) and the president of the Society and others decided to purchase that land for the Scottish Old People’s Home. The cost was $8,000.00 but Mr. Edgar in his lawsuit said it was only worth $5,000. The purchase was being made through Jacob Magill, the brother-in-law of president Daniel Bogle. Named in the injunction were Daniel R. Cameron, John C. Harper, John F. Homes, Joseph Cormack and Daniel Bogle, president of the Society. The lawsuit was later dismissed.
By 1917, the mental and physical health of Maxwell Edgar had become quite severe. A letter from Thomas Innes, Chairman of the Board of Almoners, to James B. Forgan, is asking for help. Doctors had concluded that “considerable benefit might result to Mr. Edgar from a brief period of treatment in a private sanitarium.” A total of $200 was needed for the treatment and would be raised among the members of the Saint Andrew Society. The money was raised, despite the previous history, and Mr. Edgar was sent to the Wauwatosa Sanitarium near Milwaukee.
The treatment failed and by April 1917, Maxwell Edgar was committed to the “Elgin State Hospital for the Insane” in Elgin, Illinois. He died April 29 under unusual circumstances. A Senate committee later concluded that he had died of abuse and that an effort was made to hide his case. The two individuals listed as the perpetrators escaped prosecution by moving out of state.
The newspaper says he was survived by his wife, Mrs. Jeanne Edgar, 1160 Grace St., Chicago. Maxwell Edgar is buried in an unmarked grave in the Bluff City Cemetery, Elgin, Illinois. He is buried in a single grave owned by Maude Curr, who may have been a relative of his mother. His grave location is Section 15, #78 at the back of the cemetery. I have visited twice.
Contact with any family members, especially in Scotland, would be appreciated.
Friday, May 14, 2010
How Scottish children were named by Alan T. Forrester
The Scottish American History Club meets in North Riverside, Illinois, on the first Saturday of each month, except July, August and December. We meet in Heritage Hall of the Scottish Home which also contains the Scottish American Museum. On site, we maintain a library and several years ago purchased "Scots in Michigan" by Alan T. Forrester. He writes about the traditions of naming and says the following:
The first son was named after the father’s father.
The second son was named after the mother’s father.
The third son was named after the father.
The fourth son was named after the father’s eldest brother.
The first daughter was named after the mother’s mother.
The second daughter was named after the father’s mother.
The third daughter was named after the mother.
The fourth daughter was named after the mother’s eldest sister.
“Official middle names were not always given, but when they were, they were typically the mother’s maiden name or another surname honoring grandparents, other relatives, or close friends.”
The first son was named after the father’s father.
The second son was named after the mother’s father.
The third son was named after the father.
The fourth son was named after the father’s eldest brother.
The first daughter was named after the mother’s mother.
The second daughter was named after the father’s mother.
The third daughter was named after the mother.
The fourth daughter was named after the mother’s eldest sister.
“Official middle names were not always given, but when they were, they were typically the mother’s maiden name or another surname honoring grandparents, other relatives, or close friends.”
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