Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/187

Rh in Novcinlier, 1884, and took an active part in the discussions of that body.

McNISH, George, clergyman, b. about 1660; d. in Newton, N. J., 10 March, 1722. Authorities disagree as to whether he was a native of Ireland or of Scotland. He came to this country in 1705 as an ordained clergyman of the Presbyterian church, labored for a short time in Somerset county, Md., and was one of the original members of the pres- bytery of Philadelphia, the first of that church that was formed in the colonies. He became pas- tor in Jamaica, N. Y., in 1711, was styled the " father of Presbyterianism in the state of New York," and instituted the first presbytery therein. He was moderator of the presbytery of Philadel- phia in 1710 and 1717, preached the synodical ser- mon of the latter year, and was deputed by that body to act as its representative abroad for the promotion of the gospel in the United States, but subsequently declined. Throughout his ministry in Long Island a violent controversy was waged for the possession of the church building in Ja- maica, which, although originally erected for the Presbyterians, was given to the Episcopalians by Lord Cornbury, and Mr. McNish is supposed never to have preached in it.

McNUTT, Alexander Gallatin, governor of Mississippi, b. in Rockbridge county, Va., 12 Sept., 1801 ; d. in De Soto county. Miss., 22 Oct., 1848. He was educated at Washington college, Va., emi- grated to Mississippi in 1828, settled in Vicksburg in the practice of law, and soon established a repu- tation as a political speaker. He was in the legis- lature for several years, speaker of the senate in, and governor the next year. During his legislative career he secured the right of represen- tation to the counties that were formed out of the Chickasaw and Choctaw cessions. Sergeant S. Prentiss opposed this measure, and subsequently attacked him in a series of brilliant speeches in, during Prentiss's canvass for congress, Mc- Nutt's slovenly dress and intemperate habits form- ing a target for the former's wit. McNutt subse- quently reformed, and accumulated a large fortune from his practice. He was a Democrat in politics, and yielded in debate to none but Prentiss, whom, after the canvass of 1838, he resolutely refused ever to meet on the " stump."

MACOMB, Alexander, merchant, b. in Belfast, Ireland, 27 July, 1748 ; d. in Georgetown, D. C, in 1832. He emigrated to the United States in his youth, became a fur-merchant in Detroit, and was associated with John Jacob Astor, Elias Kane, and others. He subsequently removed to New York, and was engaged in shipping and speculations in landed estate, buying large tracts in Georgia, Ken- tucky, and North Carolina. In 1791 he bought of the state of New York 3,670,715 acres at about one shilling (one eighth of a dollar) an acre, on St. Lawrence river, including all the Thousand Islands that belonged to New York. This tract is known as " Macomb's purchase." — His son, Alexander, soldier, b. in Detroit, Mich., 3 April, 1782; d. in Washington, D. C, 25 June, 1841, entered the army as a cornet of cavalry in 1799, was retained in the service after tlie partial disbanding of troops in 1802, became captain in 1805 and major in 1808, and at the beginning of the war of 1812 held the rank of lieutenant-colonel of engineers, and adju- tant-general of the army. Finding his position un- likely to bring him into active service, he was trans- ferred to the artillery, and in 1813, as colonel of the 3d regiment of artillery, did effective service at Ni- agara and at Fort George. He was promoted briga- dier-general in 1814, and placed in command of the northern frontier, bordering on Lake Champlain- At Plattsburg on 11 Sept. of this year, while in command of 1.500 regular troops and some detach- ments of militia, he sustained the attack of a greatly superior British force un- der Sir George Prevost, which, after the defeat of the Brit- ish squadron on Lake Champlain on the same day, retreated to Can- ada. Gen. Ma- comb was pro- moted major- general for his conduct on this occasion, and received the thanks of con- gress and a gold medal. He was subsequently retained in the service as colonel of engineers, and, after the death of Gen. Jacob Brown in 1828, became major-general and general-in-chief of the army. During the Florida war in 1835 he took the field for a short time. He was buried with military honors in the congressional cemetery in Washington, and his tomb is marked by a handsome monument. He published " A Treatise on Martial Law and Court-Martials as practised in the United States " (Charleston, 1809), and " A Treatise on the Practice of Court-Martials " (New York, 1840). and supervised Adjutant Samuel Cooper's " Tactics and Regulations for the Militia " (Philadelphia. 1836). See "Memoir of Alexander Macomb," bv George H. Richards (New York, 1833).— His son. William Henry, naval officer, b. in Detroit, Mich., 16 June, 1818 ;" d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 12 Aug., 1872, entered the navy as midshipman in 1834, and was commissioned lieutenant in 1847, commander in 1862, captain in 1866, and commodore in 1870. He commanded the sloop " Portsmouth," of the East India squadron, in 1850-'8. with which he was en- gaged in the capture of the barrier forts at Can- ton, China, under Com. Andrew H. Foote. on 16-22 Nov., 1856. He had charge of the '• Metacomet " in the Paraguay expedition in 1859, and the steam- er " Genesee " in 1862-'3, attempting the passage of the Confederate batteries at Port Hudson on 14 March of the latter year, and was in frequent ac- tions in April and June, 1863. He commanded the " Shamrock." of the North Atlantic blockad- ing squadron, in 1864-'5, and the naval force in the capture of Plymouth, N. C, on 30 Oct., 1864, and was advanced ten numbers in his grade for gallantry in this action and for that on Roan- oke river, near Poplar Point, N. C. He was as- signed to the steam sloop " Plymouth " of the Eu- ropean squadron, in 1869. His last service was that of lighthouse-inspector.

MACOMBER, Eleanor, missionary, b. in Lake Pleasant, Hamilton co.. N. Y., in 1801 ; d. in Maulmain. India, 10 April. 1840. In 1830 she was sent by the American missionary board of the Baptist church as a teacher among the Ojibway Indians at Sault Sainte Marie. Mich. After four years' service her health failed, but she connected herself with the Karen mission in 1836, and in the latter part of this year arrived in Burmah. She then settled at Dong-Yahn, about thirty-five miles from