John Joseph Badenoch had a limited education in the public schools of New York City and after working as an errand boy for Dennison & Co. “the Western fever struck him” which I assume to mean the gold rush. If he was 16 when he arrived in Chicago, it means that as a very young teenager, he made his way out west. This travel would have given him some background for his career with M. Kronberg & Co. wholesale jewelers, as he “became one of the first to cross the Rocky Mountains” as a traveling salesman.
Traveling west, he learned to play cards as he traded diamonds for gold. He apparently became very good at the game. But if he wanted to marry Miss Clemence Ward she said he had to stop, and he did. Clemence was only sixteen when they married, so that must have been in 1874. John Joseph would have been about 23. I could find no other information about Clemence Ward or her family.
Mrs. Clemence Badenoch died on October 10, 1924, at the age of sixty-six. She died at their home, 502 Washington Blvd., Oak Park. Children living were: Joseph W., Edward C., David A., Earnest W., her daughter, Mrs. Percy W. Stephens and eleven grandchildren. One son, John J. Jr., died May 24, 1899, at the age of 22. The family at the time of his death lived at 391 W. Randolph St.
I found several addresses for the Badenoch family but the most interesting one is 2956 Washington blvd. I have driven by that location several times in the past and saw a deserted stone house. It has three stories with a turret. I always thought it would be interesting to buy that house and bring it back to its former glory. Apparently someone else had the same idea. (You can see the house on Google Earth.) It is across the street from the Boys & Girls Club with a vacant lot to the south fronting on Sacramento Blvd. Their summer home was Brown’s Lake, near Burlington, WI.
Mr. Badenoch was a republican and a member and trustee of the Second Baptist church for 25 years. This magnificent church was located at Wabash and Washington. There are pictures on the Internet, but I have unable to trace its history. Northern Seminar located in Lombard, Illinois, appears to be a ministry of the Second Baptist Church of Chicago.
I have previously mentioned Geoff Badenoch who lives in Montana and is the great grandson of Mr. Badenoch. He recently mailed me the membership certificates for his great-grandfather; one when he became a member in 1885 and the second when he became a Life Member in 1888. They are large, 20 X 24, and had yellowed with age. The certificates had been rolled up in a container for many, many years. Thanks to Mrs. June Steele and the Halverson Fund, I was able to take them to Joel Oppenheimer, The Natural History Art Gallery, where Jennifer completely restored both certificates. At the History Club meeting on Saturday, May 14, 2011, these beautiful documents were displayed
“A scion of staunch Scottish ancestry and claiming the land of hills and heather as the place of his nativity, Mr. Badenoch has shown forth in his character and achievement the admirable attributes that have been significantly exemplified in the race from which he sprang and the loyalty and ability that have made him an honored and influential citizen of Chicago.” Board of Trade, 1917
John Joseph Badenoch, a successful, kind, dedicated father and citizen, died April 27, 1933, at the age of 82. He is buried in Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois. Little wonder that I visit his grave as often as possible.
Wayne Rethford
P.S. We have 115 names on our mailing list, so if you know of someone who would be interested in receiving notification of a new blog, just send us their name and email address. Our goal is to have 150 names by July 1st. There is no charge and you can opt-out at any time.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
John Joseph Badenoch, President of the Illinois Saint Andrew Society, Has a Private Audience with Pope Pius X
John Joseph Badenoch was president of the Illinois Saint Andrew Society and served three terms, 1893, 1894 and 1895. He was born in Fyfeshire, Scotland, April 19, 1851 and came to America with his parents when he was five years old. They lived in New York City and he was educated in the public schools. (Please read the previous two blogs for more family information.)
Since his father believed more in work than education, he began working as an errand boy for Dennison & Co. located at 108 Broadway. The family also needed the money because the father was gone during the four years of the Civil War and his pay as a blacksmith was thirty dollars a month.
After the war, the family moved to Chicago in 1867. John Joseph would have been about 16 years of age. There is no indication that he received any additional education. In Chicago, he began working for M. Kronberg & Co., wholesale jewelers. In time, he became a traveling salesman for the company “and was among the pioneer commercial men and one of the first to cross the Rocky Mountains in that capacity.”
He married Clemence Ward in 1874 and they would have six children. In 1873, Mr. Badenoch established himself as a “commission merchant and shipper of hay, grain, and feed.” Several of his grain elevators dominated the skyline. (I have been told that one still remains along the South Branch of the Chicago River, but I have been unable to find it.) He was very successful and not only did well in business but in civic affairs as well. Here is a partial list:
Mr. Badenoch attended 50 consecutive Anniversary Dinners celebrating St. Andrew’s Day and the beginning of our society in 1845.
The Badenoch family took a European vacation in 1911. One of the places they visited was Italy and arrangements were made for an audience with Pope Pius X. The New York Times, April 16, 1911, had the following story: “The Pope has received in private audience with ex-Chief of Police John J. Badenoch of Chicago . . . The Holy Father asked Mr. Badenoch about the organization of the American police, and said he knew what an efficient body of men they were in the chief towns of the United States. Mr. Badenoch was accompanied by his family, who were charmed by the cordiality and fatherly bearing of the Pontiff.”
There is one remaining blog about the Badenoch family and then we will change to a different subject.
Since his father believed more in work than education, he began working as an errand boy for Dennison & Co. located at 108 Broadway. The family also needed the money because the father was gone during the four years of the Civil War and his pay as a blacksmith was thirty dollars a month.
After the war, the family moved to Chicago in 1867. John Joseph would have been about 16 years of age. There is no indication that he received any additional education. In Chicago, he began working for M. Kronberg & Co., wholesale jewelers. In time, he became a traveling salesman for the company “and was among the pioneer commercial men and one of the first to cross the Rocky Mountains in that capacity.”
He married Clemence Ward in 1874 and they would have six children. In 1873, Mr. Badenoch established himself as a “commission merchant and shipper of hay, grain, and feed.” Several of his grain elevators dominated the skyline. (I have been told that one still remains along the South Branch of the Chicago River, but I have been unable to find it.) He was very successful and not only did well in business but in civic affairs as well. Here is a partial list:
- An alderman of the old 11th Ward
- President for three years of the Election Commission
- Board of Education president for three years
- General Superintendent of Police for two years - 1895-1896
- One of the founders of the Masonic Orphan’s Home
- Director of Working Women’s Home
- A member of the Union League and Illinois Club
- Foreman of the Coroner’s jury for the Haymarket Riots
Mr. Badenoch attended 50 consecutive Anniversary Dinners celebrating St. Andrew’s Day and the beginning of our society in 1845.
The Badenoch family took a European vacation in 1911. One of the places they visited was Italy and arrangements were made for an audience with Pope Pius X. The New York Times, April 16, 1911, had the following story: “The Pope has received in private audience with ex-Chief of Police John J. Badenoch of Chicago . . . The Holy Father asked Mr. Badenoch about the organization of the American police, and said he knew what an efficient body of men they were in the chief towns of the United States. Mr. Badenoch was accompanied by his family, who were charmed by the cordiality and fatherly bearing of the Pontiff.”
There is one remaining blog about the Badenoch family and then we will change to a different subject.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Joseph Badenoch, Scotland to Chicago, His Life and Death
When Joseph Badenoch arrived in Chicago in April of 1866, he knew not a single person. He arrived alone, leaving the family in New York City until he was settled. He brought a letter of recommendation to the foreman of the Illinois Central’s repair shops, but they were discharging good men. Times were hard. So he reverted to his old practice and opened his own shop. On Desplaines Street he bought a lot and built a shop with living quarters above. The family arrived in the autumn of 1866.
On Desplaines Street he began shoeing horses. He did so well “that in a little time he had a reputation which spread over the city.” At first there was a single forge, but soon he had a dozen. Joseph was at work by 5:00 in the morning and worked until late in the evening. Because of his location, he caught the draymen and teamsters of the wholesale houses in the downtown area.
When the Great Fire came in 1871, Desplaines Street was spared. Hundreds of other shops were burned and he said in his broad Scotch “Tis an ill wind that blaws naebody good.” His business doubled and tripled. He not only worked with horses, but could do all kinds of wrought-iron work. Joseph Badenoch was a very skilled workman. “If he did not grow rapidly rich, he surely accumulated money, and need it be said that this true Scotchman took good care of his money?” I could find no indication of how long he worked, but for many years he and his wife continued to live above his shop. The sound of the anvil was pleasing to him.
Mr. Badenoch and his wife were deeply religious. They “are Christians of the order of Alexander Campbell.” His belief in working was almost as strong as his religious belief. “Fathers should send their sons to learn manual trades or send them to farms,” rather than institutions of higher learning." His house was near the Chicago University and he once said: “...there is Chicago University; it is making beggars.” He went on to say, “the millions contributed toward its rich endowment would be better expended making farms for the unemployed people...”
The obituary for Joseph Badenoch was published in the Chicago Daily Tribune, October 15, 1897. “He died at the residence of his daughter, 751 S. Albany Ave. Beloved husband of Helen Badenoch and father of Mrs. David S. Jaffray, Joseph Badenoch, Jr., and John J. Badenoch, He was 83 years and seven months old. Funeral Friday, Oct. 12, 12:30 p.m., from his late residence, to Rosehill Cemetery by carriages.” The pallbearers were all grandchildren. Helen Tough Badenoch died January 20, 1907, at the same residence and is also buried at Rosehill. Thus ended a long journey. There is no evidence they ever returned home to Scotland.
Gus Noble and I often visit Rosehill Cemetery and always stop at the large Badenoch burial plot. Twenty people are buried here and there is room for more. On either side are two large plots owned by Scottish-born families. On the right, is the plot belonging to the McArthur family. The principal owner is General John McArthur. I have not made a connection between the McArthurs and the Badenochs, except they fought in the Civil War and were members of the Illinois Saint Andrew Society. John Joseph Badenoch and General John McArthur both served as President of our Society.
On the left is the plot belonging to the Mason clan. Major George Mason is the principal owner. He is the nephew of General McArthur and served under his command during part of the Civil War, especially at Shiloh. In the museum, we have his officer’s sword, pictures and letters. Vickie Dandridge, who lives in California, inherited the George Mason collection which included furniture, pictures, books and letters. She has given to our museum many of his pictures and letters. She once found a letter to George Mason from his mother in Scotland addressed to “George Mason, Blacksmith, Chicago, Illinois.” (I doubt he would get the letter today - no zip code.) Later, he and his father, Carlisle, owned the Excelsior Iron Works. They would always need a good blacksmith.
In the next blog, I will write about John Joseph Badenoch who rose to prominence in Chicago and served as President of the Illinois Saint Andrew Society.
On Desplaines Street he began shoeing horses. He did so well “that in a little time he had a reputation which spread over the city.” At first there was a single forge, but soon he had a dozen. Joseph was at work by 5:00 in the morning and worked until late in the evening. Because of his location, he caught the draymen and teamsters of the wholesale houses in the downtown area.
When the Great Fire came in 1871, Desplaines Street was spared. Hundreds of other shops were burned and he said in his broad Scotch “Tis an ill wind that blaws naebody good.” His business doubled and tripled. He not only worked with horses, but could do all kinds of wrought-iron work. Joseph Badenoch was a very skilled workman. “If he did not grow rapidly rich, he surely accumulated money, and need it be said that this true Scotchman took good care of his money?” I could find no indication of how long he worked, but for many years he and his wife continued to live above his shop. The sound of the anvil was pleasing to him.
Mr. Badenoch and his wife were deeply religious. They “are Christians of the order of Alexander Campbell.” His belief in working was almost as strong as his religious belief. “Fathers should send their sons to learn manual trades or send them to farms,” rather than institutions of higher learning." His house was near the Chicago University and he once said: “...there is Chicago University; it is making beggars.” He went on to say, “the millions contributed toward its rich endowment would be better expended making farms for the unemployed people...”
The obituary for Joseph Badenoch was published in the Chicago Daily Tribune, October 15, 1897. “He died at the residence of his daughter, 751 S. Albany Ave. Beloved husband of Helen Badenoch and father of Mrs. David S. Jaffray, Joseph Badenoch, Jr., and John J. Badenoch, He was 83 years and seven months old. Funeral Friday, Oct. 12, 12:30 p.m., from his late residence, to Rosehill Cemetery by carriages.” The pallbearers were all grandchildren. Helen Tough Badenoch died January 20, 1907, at the same residence and is also buried at Rosehill. Thus ended a long journey. There is no evidence they ever returned home to Scotland.
Gus Noble and I often visit Rosehill Cemetery and always stop at the large Badenoch burial plot. Twenty people are buried here and there is room for more. On either side are two large plots owned by Scottish-born families. On the right, is the plot belonging to the McArthur family. The principal owner is General John McArthur. I have not made a connection between the McArthurs and the Badenochs, except they fought in the Civil War and were members of the Illinois Saint Andrew Society. John Joseph Badenoch and General John McArthur both served as President of our Society.
On the left is the plot belonging to the Mason clan. Major George Mason is the principal owner. He is the nephew of General McArthur and served under his command during part of the Civil War, especially at Shiloh. In the museum, we have his officer’s sword, pictures and letters. Vickie Dandridge, who lives in California, inherited the George Mason collection which included furniture, pictures, books and letters. She has given to our museum many of his pictures and letters. She once found a letter to George Mason from his mother in Scotland addressed to “George Mason, Blacksmith, Chicago, Illinois.” (I doubt he would get the letter today - no zip code.) Later, he and his father, Carlisle, owned the Excelsior Iron Works. They would always need a good blacksmith.
In the next blog, I will write about John Joseph Badenoch who rose to prominence in Chicago and served as President of the Illinois Saint Andrew Society.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Joseph Badenoch, Blacksmith and Ironworker Extraordinaire
The name Badenoch is no longer found in Chicago, except at Rosehill cemetery. But, once it was a name familiar to every Chicago citizen. Over the years, I have been in contact with Badenochs in Georgia, Indiana, Arizona and California. Geoff Badenoch has kept in touch on a regular basis. He lives in Montana, and we will write more about him later. I was once told that there are more than 225 descendants on the Badenoch family tree.
Joseph Badenoch stood 6 ft. tall and weighted 250 pounds. It is said he had extra long arms, muscles of iron and tendons which hold like steel. He was a blacksmith and looked the part. Always his own man, he opened his Scottish shop wherever there was work: first at Banff, then at Keihill and later to Ashogle. In 1833, he moved to Aberdeen and carried on blacksmithing with vigor and success. He would say it may make the hands black but the money is clean.
Joseph was born near Aberdeen, Scotland, in the hamlet of Dallachy, not far from the mouth of the river Spey. His father, George, was a child when Culloden was fought (April 16, 1746) but had vivid memories of the troops as they moved from Aberdeen to the battlefield. He lived to be 94 years of age and was the teller of great stories.
Joseph Badenoch had little formal training but did know how to read and had access to books of history and, of course, as a Presbyterian, the Bible. He also had access to a radical paper published in London and early became in principle a republican. He was in feeling an American but it would be another twenty years before his dream would come true.
At Aberdeen, Joseph Badenoch marred Miss Ellen Tough. She, too, had ideas of liberty and independence which caused her to wish to depart from Scotland and dwell in the United States. It would be later, after children were born and some had died, that they finally decided to leave. They were both raised in the Presbyterian church but left upon their marriage and joined the Baptists. The change in churches had to do with slavery in America, but is much too complicated for this short story.
In 1855, they landed in New York and Joseph set up his shop as a blacksmith. He found work in various place like Staten Island and later helping to build Central Park. Four thousand people were at work on the Park and sixty were blacksmiths. The pay was $2.00 per day. Every Saturday they were paid in gold and silver from the back of a wagon. He found a house nearby and placed his children in public schools, one of whom was John Joseph Badenoch. This son would later become the President of the Illinois Saint Andrew Society and a major player in Chicago history.
When the Civil War began, work on public improvements stopped. He thought about moving to Chicago at that time but saw an ad in the New York Herald for 100 well recommended blacksmiths to serve with the army. (It is said that he was a blood relative to James Gordon Bennet, the editor of the Herald, but the connection is unclear at this time.) I never considered the role of a blacksmith in the Civil War but it makes sense when you think of all the horses, wagons, cannons and such that would need repair. In addition there were bridges to be built or repaired as well as railroads to maintain.
His first assignment with ninety-nine other blacksmiths was Hilton Head, Charleston, S.C. The North needed that port in order to blockade the remainder of the coast. The fleet consisted of 80 ships, 20,000 men and 1,500 horses. The attack began the morning of November 7, 1861, and by mid-afternoon the fleet had fired nearly 3,000 shells. The Confederate forces retreated. Joseph Badenoch served the entire four years with many adventures and close calls.
The war ended and Joseph Badenoch returned to New York. There, reunited with his family, he sought in vain for what would suit him in the way of business, and resolved to remove to Chicago.
To be continued...
Joseph Badenoch stood 6 ft. tall and weighted 250 pounds. It is said he had extra long arms, muscles of iron and tendons which hold like steel. He was a blacksmith and looked the part. Always his own man, he opened his Scottish shop wherever there was work: first at Banff, then at Keihill and later to Ashogle. In 1833, he moved to Aberdeen and carried on blacksmithing with vigor and success. He would say it may make the hands black but the money is clean.
Joseph was born near Aberdeen, Scotland, in the hamlet of Dallachy, not far from the mouth of the river Spey. His father, George, was a child when Culloden was fought (April 16, 1746) but had vivid memories of the troops as they moved from Aberdeen to the battlefield. He lived to be 94 years of age and was the teller of great stories.
Joseph Badenoch had little formal training but did know how to read and had access to books of history and, of course, as a Presbyterian, the Bible. He also had access to a radical paper published in London and early became in principle a republican. He was in feeling an American but it would be another twenty years before his dream would come true.
At Aberdeen, Joseph Badenoch marred Miss Ellen Tough. She, too, had ideas of liberty and independence which caused her to wish to depart from Scotland and dwell in the United States. It would be later, after children were born and some had died, that they finally decided to leave. They were both raised in the Presbyterian church but left upon their marriage and joined the Baptists. The change in churches had to do with slavery in America, but is much too complicated for this short story.
In 1855, they landed in New York and Joseph set up his shop as a blacksmith. He found work in various place like Staten Island and later helping to build Central Park. Four thousand people were at work on the Park and sixty were blacksmiths. The pay was $2.00 per day. Every Saturday they were paid in gold and silver from the back of a wagon. He found a house nearby and placed his children in public schools, one of whom was John Joseph Badenoch. This son would later become the President of the Illinois Saint Andrew Society and a major player in Chicago history.
When the Civil War began, work on public improvements stopped. He thought about moving to Chicago at that time but saw an ad in the New York Herald for 100 well recommended blacksmiths to serve with the army. (It is said that he was a blood relative to James Gordon Bennet, the editor of the Herald, but the connection is unclear at this time.) I never considered the role of a blacksmith in the Civil War but it makes sense when you think of all the horses, wagons, cannons and such that would need repair. In addition there were bridges to be built or repaired as well as railroads to maintain.
His first assignment with ninety-nine other blacksmiths was Hilton Head, Charleston, S.C. The North needed that port in order to blockade the remainder of the coast. The fleet consisted of 80 ships, 20,000 men and 1,500 horses. The attack began the morning of November 7, 1861, and by mid-afternoon the fleet had fired nearly 3,000 shells. The Confederate forces retreated. Joseph Badenoch served the entire four years with many adventures and close calls.
The war ended and Joseph Badenoch returned to New York. There, reunited with his family, he sought in vain for what would suit him in the way of business, and resolved to remove to Chicago.
To be continued...
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Abraham Lincoln, His Death and Funeral
Abraham Lincoln died on Good Friday, the 15th of April, 1865. Almost immediately plans were undertaken for his funeral. In Chicago, a call was issued for all members of the Saint Andrew’s Society to meet on Saturday night. The special meeting was held in Parlor No. 1 at the Briggs House. The outcome of the meeting is unknown, but the Society did participate in the procession that brought the hearse from Park Row (12th St. station) to the Court House.
In Washington, D.C. plans were also under way for the funeral which was held on April 19. The actual funeral was held in the White House which was filled to overflowing. The Reverend Dr. Phineas Dinsmore Gurley gave the sermon. He had been present when Lincoln died and knelt by his bed for prayer. Rev. Gurley was the President’s pastor at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. He would later ride the great funeral train all the way to Springfield. The Gurley ancestors came from Inverness, Scotland, arriving in 1695. Mary Todd Lincoln, whose family had a direct link back to Scotland, did not attend the funeral in the White House.
The Governor of Illinois at the time was Richard J. Oglesby who happened to be in Washington when the President died He took a major role in seeing that the burial would be in Springfield. Oglesby, who was a Major General in the Civil War, was a close friend of the fallen President and according to Thomas C. MacMillan "liked to trace his ancestry back to Scotland."
The funeral train, known as the Lincoln Special, would travel for the next 14 days and cover 1,666 miles. Some of the stops were: Philadelphia, New York City, Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and finally arriving in Chicago on May 1. The largest crowd to see the President was in New York City where 150,000 people viewed the remains. In Chicago an estimated 40,000 marched in the procession and 120,000 viewed their fallen leader in the Court House.
Leaving Chicago the train would stop in Joliet, Pontiac, Bloomington, Lincoln and other small towns along the route. Lincoln finally arrived in Springfield on May 4. A Committee of One Hundred accompanied the body from Chicago to Springfield. There are at least seven Scots in the Committee that I recognize. They are: George Anderson, James H. McVicker, Robert Hervey, Joseph Medill, John H. Kinzie, John Alston and John A. Wilson. There are probably more but these are the names I know.
The hearse came from St. Louis and was finished in gold, silver and crystal. It was followed by Lincoln’s horse, Old Bob. The Abraham Lincoln Memorial Association wanted to bury Lincoln at the current site of the State Capitol, which was then vacant, but Mrs. Lincoln refused to give her approval. Oakridge Cemetery appeared to be important to the Lincoln’s since they had participated in its dedication in 1859 and “it was quiet.”
The final funeral sermon was given by Bishop Simpson of the Methodist Church. He was a friend of the President but never his pastor. Thomas C. MacMillan in his article, The Scots and Their Descendants in Illinois, called Bishop Simpson “a Scot.”
Abraham Lincoln, like George Washington, was surrounded by Scots in life and in death.We remember this great president on Good Friday 2011.
Wayne Rethford, Historian
Illinois St. Andrew’s Society
wrethford@comcast.net
www.chicagoscots.net
In Washington, D.C. plans were also under way for the funeral which was held on April 19. The actual funeral was held in the White House which was filled to overflowing. The Reverend Dr. Phineas Dinsmore Gurley gave the sermon. He had been present when Lincoln died and knelt by his bed for prayer. Rev. Gurley was the President’s pastor at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. He would later ride the great funeral train all the way to Springfield. The Gurley ancestors came from Inverness, Scotland, arriving in 1695. Mary Todd Lincoln, whose family had a direct link back to Scotland, did not attend the funeral in the White House.
The Governor of Illinois at the time was Richard J. Oglesby who happened to be in Washington when the President died He took a major role in seeing that the burial would be in Springfield. Oglesby, who was a Major General in the Civil War, was a close friend of the fallen President and according to Thomas C. MacMillan "liked to trace his ancestry back to Scotland."
The funeral train, known as the Lincoln Special, would travel for the next 14 days and cover 1,666 miles. Some of the stops were: Philadelphia, New York City, Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and finally arriving in Chicago on May 1. The largest crowd to see the President was in New York City where 150,000 people viewed the remains. In Chicago an estimated 40,000 marched in the procession and 120,000 viewed their fallen leader in the Court House.
Leaving Chicago the train would stop in Joliet, Pontiac, Bloomington, Lincoln and other small towns along the route. Lincoln finally arrived in Springfield on May 4. A Committee of One Hundred accompanied the body from Chicago to Springfield. There are at least seven Scots in the Committee that I recognize. They are: George Anderson, James H. McVicker, Robert Hervey, Joseph Medill, John H. Kinzie, John Alston and John A. Wilson. There are probably more but these are the names I know.
The hearse came from St. Louis and was finished in gold, silver and crystal. It was followed by Lincoln’s horse, Old Bob. The Abraham Lincoln Memorial Association wanted to bury Lincoln at the current site of the State Capitol, which was then vacant, but Mrs. Lincoln refused to give her approval. Oakridge Cemetery appeared to be important to the Lincoln’s since they had participated in its dedication in 1859 and “it was quiet.”
The final funeral sermon was given by Bishop Simpson of the Methodist Church. He was a friend of the President but never his pastor. Thomas C. MacMillan in his article, The Scots and Their Descendants in Illinois, called Bishop Simpson “a Scot.”
Abraham Lincoln, like George Washington, was surrounded by Scots in life and in death.We remember this great president on Good Friday 2011.
Wayne Rethford, Historian
Illinois St. Andrew’s Society
wrethford@comcast.net
www.chicagoscots.net
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Andrew Doig, John Struthers & George Washington's Sarcophagus
The Dunfermline Press issued a special supplement on July 2, 1976, where they explored the “Historic Links with the Kingdom of Fife.” It was the bicentennial of America and this was a “record of Scottish endeavors in the history of America.” Several pages were devoted to Andrew Carnegie. They also published a number of letters from Americans who had connections with the Kingdom of Fife. I have a copy in the files.
One lady from Colorado wrote the newspaper about her great-great-grandparents named Doig. She wrote that Andrew Doig was born in Dundee in 1797, and married Catherine Isabelle Fife of Fifeshire in 1825. He left for America in 1830, settled in Philadelphia and two years later was joined by his family. “He was a stone cutter and skilled workman”. In the 1840s he moved to Washington, D.C. and helped build the old Post Office. He was then employed on the Capital Building where “he put up the self-supported hanging stairs.”
The Philadelphia firm that he worked for gave two massive blocks of marble “out of which he carved the sarcophagus of George and Martha Washington. He carved the eagle and coat-of-arms on the sarcophagus of George Washington seen in the tomb at Mount Vernon.” A Google search did not reveal any more information about Andrew Doig, but there is information about the firm he worked for in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
John Struthers was a prominent architect and builder in Glasgow but he brought his family to America in 1816, including his son John who was following in his father’s footsteps. John became associated with Thomas Wilson who conducted a marble-yard in Philadelphia. When Washington’s body was moved to its present location at Mount Vernon, John Struthers donated a solid block of Pennsylvania marble for the sarcophagus and chiseled out the interior to admit a leaden coffin. He did the same for Martha Washington.
On one side of the sarcophagus is carved “By the permission of Lawrence Lewis, Esq. This Sarcophagus of Washington was presented by John Struthers, of Philadelphia, Marble Mason.” One the other side reads: “This Sarcophagus containing the remains of George Washington, first President of the United States, was made and presented for the purpose by John Struthers of Philadelphia this day of A.D. 1837.” It is possible that Andrew Doig worked on the engraving but all the credit was given to the owner of the firm, John Struthers.
George Washington, it appears, was surrounded by Scots both in life and death.
Since we are approaching the Easter Season it is significant to note that posted above the sarcophagus are the words of St. John: "I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”
Note: Comments from the Colorado letter are “Reproduced by kind permission of the Dumfermline Press Ltd.”
Wayne Rethford, Historian
Scottish American History Club
wrethford@comcast.net
One lady from Colorado wrote the newspaper about her great-great-grandparents named Doig. She wrote that Andrew Doig was born in Dundee in 1797, and married Catherine Isabelle Fife of Fifeshire in 1825. He left for America in 1830, settled in Philadelphia and two years later was joined by his family. “He was a stone cutter and skilled workman”. In the 1840s he moved to Washington, D.C. and helped build the old Post Office. He was then employed on the Capital Building where “he put up the self-supported hanging stairs.”
The Philadelphia firm that he worked for gave two massive blocks of marble “out of which he carved the sarcophagus of George and Martha Washington. He carved the eagle and coat-of-arms on the sarcophagus of George Washington seen in the tomb at Mount Vernon.” A Google search did not reveal any more information about Andrew Doig, but there is information about the firm he worked for in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
John Struthers was a prominent architect and builder in Glasgow but he brought his family to America in 1816, including his son John who was following in his father’s footsteps. John became associated with Thomas Wilson who conducted a marble-yard in Philadelphia. When Washington’s body was moved to its present location at Mount Vernon, John Struthers donated a solid block of Pennsylvania marble for the sarcophagus and chiseled out the interior to admit a leaden coffin. He did the same for Martha Washington.
On one side of the sarcophagus is carved “By the permission of Lawrence Lewis, Esq. This Sarcophagus of Washington was presented by John Struthers, of Philadelphia, Marble Mason.” One the other side reads: “This Sarcophagus containing the remains of George Washington, first President of the United States, was made and presented for the purpose by John Struthers of Philadelphia this day of A.D. 1837.” It is possible that Andrew Doig worked on the engraving but all the credit was given to the owner of the firm, John Struthers.
George Washington, it appears, was surrounded by Scots both in life and death.
Since we are approaching the Easter Season it is significant to note that posted above the sarcophagus are the words of St. John: "I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”
Note: Comments from the Colorado letter are “Reproduced by kind permission of the Dumfermline Press Ltd.”
Wayne Rethford, Historian
Scottish American History Club
wrethford@comcast.net
Friday, April 1, 2011
Tartan Day 2011
April 6 is National Tartan Day in the United States. It is an American celebration. It gives Americans an opportunity to talk about their history and heritage. It is also a chance to educate others about the accomplishments of Scottish people and their contributions to our independence and freedom. One gift was their interest in education.
“Scots have largely contributed to raise the standard of education and culture in the United States” so says Dr. George Fraser Black in his book Scotland’s Mark on America. (The book is now in the Public Domain.) He believes that Scots furnished most of the principal teachers in the Colonies south of New York. The professors in Harvard and William and Mary College were mostly graduates of Scottish and English universities in the early years.
The Scots established the Log College at Nashaminy, Pennsylvania, Jefferson College, Mercer College, Wabash College and Dickinson College. “The Log College was the seed from which Princeton College sprang. The University of North Carolina was founded and nurtured by Scots in 1793 as was the University of Pennsylvania. The first private gift to establish a “free school” in North Carolina came from James Innes. He came to America from Canisbay, Caithness, in 1734. He gave his plantation, his personal estate and his library.
Here are some other names, mostly forgotten now, but all of them believed in education for the people We remember them on this Tartan Day, April 6, 2011.
This is only a small list of the names in Dr. Black’s book. These are people mostly forgotten but each made a large contribution to the educational system of America and we thank them for their efforts.
Wayne Rethford, Historian
Illinois St. Andrew's Society
wrethford@comcast.net
“Scots have largely contributed to raise the standard of education and culture in the United States” so says Dr. George Fraser Black in his book Scotland’s Mark on America. (The book is now in the Public Domain.) He believes that Scots furnished most of the principal teachers in the Colonies south of New York. The professors in Harvard and William and Mary College were mostly graduates of Scottish and English universities in the early years.
The Scots established the Log College at Nashaminy, Pennsylvania, Jefferson College, Mercer College, Wabash College and Dickinson College. “The Log College was the seed from which Princeton College sprang. The University of North Carolina was founded and nurtured by Scots in 1793 as was the University of Pennsylvania. The first private gift to establish a “free school” in North Carolina came from James Innes. He came to America from Canisbay, Caithness, in 1734. He gave his plantation, his personal estate and his library.
Here are some other names, mostly forgotten now, but all of them believed in education for the people We remember them on this Tartan Day, April 6, 2011.
- James Blair (1656-1734) born in Edinburgh, was the chef founder and first president of William and Mary College.
- Francis Alison (1705-1799), educated in Glasgow, was Vice-Provost of the College of Philadelphia, now the University of Pennsylvania.
- The man who taught Thomas Jefferson was Samuel Finley a graduate of Glasgow University. He was born in Armagh and in 1763 was the President of the College of New Jersey.
- Isabella Graham (17445-1799) born in Lanarkshire, was one of the most successful teachers in New York at the end of the eighteenth century.
- William Graham, was the first president of Washington College, now Washington and Lee University.
- Thomas Craighead was the first president of Davidson Academy, now the University of Nashville.
- Joseph Caldwell (1773-1835) was Founder and President of the University of North Carolina.
- Charles Macalister (1798-1873), born of Scottish parents in Philadelphia, was founder of Macalister College in Minneapolis.
- John Dempster (1794-1863) President of Illinois Wesleyan University was of Scottish parentage.
This is only a small list of the names in Dr. Black’s book. These are people mostly forgotten but each made a large contribution to the educational system of America and we thank them for their efforts.
Wayne Rethford, Historian
Illinois St. Andrew's Society
wrethford@comcast.net
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)