Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/192

160 occasions, and contributed articles to the " North American Review " and other periodicals.

McQueen, John, congressman, b. in Robinson county, N. C, in 1808 ; d. in Society Hill, S. C, 30 Aug., 1867. He was educated at home, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1828, and settled in Bennettsville, S. C. He was colonel of militia during the nullification excitement of 1833, pro- moted major-general in 1835, and was in command in the threatened disturbances of 1837. He was elected to congress as a Democrat in 1848, re-elect- ed without opposition for the next six sessions, and served from 1849 until his resignation in 1860. From 1862 till 1864 he was a member of the Con- federate congress.

McQueen, Thomas, Canadian journalist, b. in Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1803: d. in Goderich, 25 June. 1861. His education was extremely limited, and he had early to contribute toward the support of the family. He became a stone-mason, em- ployed his intervals of leisure in supplying the de- ficiencies of his early education, and became an eloquent advocate of the cause of labor. He came to Canada in 1842, and pursued his trade in the county of Renfrew In 1848 he established the " Huron Signal " at Goderich, and became through its columns a well-known advocate of responsible government. In 1854 he was an unsuccessful can- didate to the Canadian parliament for Huron in the reform interest. He has published several vol- umes of poems.

McQUILLEN, John Hugh, dentist, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 12 Feb., 1826; d. there, 3 March, 1879. He was the son of Capt. Hugh McQuillen, who served during the war of 1812 under Decatur. He studied in the Friends' schools in Philadelphia, and became a clerk, but devoted his leisure to study. In 1847 he began the study of medicine and dentistry, beginning the practice of the latter in 1849, receiving the degree of M. D. at Jefferson medical college in 1852, and that of D. D. S. at the Philadelphia college of dental surgery in 1853. In 1857 he accepted the chair of operative dentistry and dental physiology in the Pennsylvania college of dental surgery, which he held until 1862, and in 1859 he originated the idea of the American dental association. In 1863, principally through the efforts of Dr. McQuillen, a charter was obtained for the Philadelphia dental college, and he was made dean, and professor of physiology, which offices he held until his death. For several years he was president of the American dental association, the Pennsylvania dental society, and the state odonto- graphic society, and corresponding secretary of the biological and microscopical section of the Phila- delphia academy of natural sciences. From 1859 till 1871 he was an editor of the " Dental Cosmos," a monthly journal, to which he contributed various articles, including a monograph upon " The Action of Anassthetics on the Blood-Corpuscles," which was widely copied and translated. He has written much on the principles and practice of dentistry and dental education, and also in exijosition and discussion of histology and microscopy.

McRAE, John J., senator, b. in Wayne county, Miss., about 1810 ; d. in Balize, Honduras, 30 May, 1868. He was graduated at the University of Mississippi in 1834, studied law, was admitted to the bar, and served in both houses of the legisla- ture, officiating as speaker for two sessions. He was appointed U. S. senator from Mississippi as a state-rights Democrat, in place of Jefferson Davis, resigned, and served from 19 Dec, 1851, till 1 .March, 1852. From 1854 till 1858 he was governor of Mississippi. He was then elected a representative to congress in place of John A. Quitman, and was re-elected to the succeeding congress, in which he served on the committee on military affairs, his term extending from 7 Dec, 1858, till 12 Jan., 1862, when he retired. He was a representative from Mississippi to the first Confederate congress, serving from 22 Feb., 1862, till 21 Feb., 1864.

MacREA, William, soldier, b. in 1767 ; d. near Shawneetown, 111., 3 Nov., 1832. In 1791 he was appointed from Virginia lieutenant of levies, and was wounded at Gen. Arthur St. Clair's defeat by the Miami Indians on 4 Nov., 1791. He became captain in December. 1794, was transferred to the artillery in June, 1798, and promoted major, 2d regiment of artillerists and engineers, 31 July, 1800, and lieutenant-colonel, 19 April, 1814. He did good service in the action near New Orleans, 23 Dec, 1814. and was brevetted colonel " for ten years' faithful service," 19 April, 1824.

MACREADY, William Charles, English actor, b. in London, 3 March, 1793 : d. in Cheltenham, England, 27 April, 1873. He was the son of an Irish actor and theatre-manager, and received a thorough education at Rugby, preparatory to his admission to a course of study in theology. But family circumstances changed his course, and on 10 June, 1810, he appeared, under his father's management, at the Birmingham theatre, as Romeo in &ldquo;Romeo and Juliet.&rdquo; Here he remained until 1814 as leading juvenile performer and stage-manager, making occasional visits to other large cities. On 16 Sept., 1816, he played at Covent Garden theatre in London, as Orestes in &ldquo;The Distressed Mother,&rdquo; and achieved an immediate success. He was connected for many years with Covent Garden, Drury Lane, and the Haymarket theatres of the metropolis, and performed in most of the large playhouses of Great Britain and Ireland. During his career he created several original characters, and constantly advanced in favor with his audiences. Among these specialties were the rôles of Orestes, William Tell, Virginius, Werner, Rob Roy, and Richelieu. He also made several short visits to Paris, and in 1844 played Hamlet before the royal family at the Tuileries. In 1837 and 1838 Macready managed Covent Garden theatre, and in 1842 and 1843 cast his lot with Drury Lane. On both occasions he produced sterling plays, with unequalled splendor and historic truthfulness. From these undertakings, however, came no pecuniary reward, and he retired from the control of Drury Lane with heavy loss. In 1850 and 1851 Macready gave a series of farewell performances in the principal cities of the United Kingdom, closing at the Haymarket theatre in London with an extended round of his best characters. His last incidental appearance was on 26 Feb., 1851, at Drury Lane theatre, in Macbeth. Thereafter he resided in Sherborne, occasionally giving readings to London audiences, and occupying his leisure with schemes for the education of the poor. Macready made three visits to the United States &mdash; in 1826, 1843, and 1848 &mdash; and was always received with much favor. His last appearance here was on 7 May, 1849, at the Astor place opera-house, in &ldquo;Macbeth,&rdquo; on the evening of the Forrest-Macready riot. (See ../Forrest, Edwin.) This event terminated Macready's engagement, and forever destroyed Forrest's popularity. The breach between the two actors had been caused by Macready's refusal to permit the American tragedian to appear in London in the plays of &ldquo;Virginius&rdquo; and &ldquo;Richelieu,&rdquo; both of which, by purchase, had become Macready's property. Macready's private life was without blemish. At all times he