Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/91

Rh " Fanny," which was the fastest sailing merchant- man of her time, accomplishing her first voyage from Philadelphia to the Isle of Wight in seven- teen days, the most rapid passage then on record. In London he was engaged to make a voyage in this ship to Batavia. In 1804 he relinquished his sea-voyages and devoted himself to mercantile pursuits in Philadelphia, building many fine ves- sels, which sailed to London. Amsterdam. China, and the East Indies. In 1825 he retired with a competency, and, becoming president of the Insur- ance company of Philadelphia, redeemed its for- tunes, and served efficiently until his death. He was also a director of the Bank of Xorth America. Mr. Macalester was an ardent Presbyterian, a founder of the Mariner's church, treasurer of the Marine Bible society of Philadelphia, and vice- president of St. Andrew's society. — Ilis son. Charles, merchant, b. in Philadelphia. Pa., 17 Feb., 1798 ; d. there, 9 Dec, 1873, was educated at the University of Pennsylvania, which he left in 1812 to command a company of forty boys, who worked for two days to assist in making the forti- fications on the west side of the Schuylkill. Early in life he engaged in mercantile pursuits, and re- sided in Cincinnati in 1821-'7. after which he re- turned to Philadelphia, and retired in 1849. He was president of the Orthopedic hospital, and of the St. Andrew's society. In 1873 he gave a valu- able property, consisting of a large building with extensive grounds, for the establishment of a col- lege in Minneapolis, which has been called by the trustees " Macalester college." He has frequently presided at large mass meetings in Philadelphia.

McALESTER, Miles Daniel, soldier, b. in New York. 21 March, 1833 ; d. in Buffalo, N. Y., 23 April, 1869. He was graduated at the U. S. military acad- emy in 1856, and assigned to the engineer corps, becoming 1st lieutenant, 2 May, 1861, and captain, 3 March, 1863. He served in the construction and repair of fortifications on the Atlantic coast from Florida to New York, superintending the defences of the Narrows in 1859-61 and Fort Mifflin, Pa., in 1861. During the civil war he was engaged in constructing the defences in Washington, and also served as chief engineer of the 3d corps in the Army of the Potomac till October, 1862, being in all the important battles of that army, and win- ning the brevets of major and lieutena.nt-colonel. From October, 1862, till April, 1863, he served as chief engineer of the Department of the Ohio, for- tified Cincinnati and its vicinity, and constructed bridge-trains for the western armies. During the siege of Vicksburg he was detached under the or- ders of Gen. Grant, and subsequently became as- sistant professor of engineering at West Point. On 15 July. 1864, he was appointed chief engineer of the military division of west Mississippi, and en- gaged in the reduction of the Confederate defences in Mobile bay and in the Mobile campaign, receiv- ing the brevets of colonel, 23 April, 1864, for his services as chief engineer of the military division of west Mississippi, and especially as supervising engineer of the siege of Forts Gaines and Morgan, and brigadier-general. 9 April. 1865, for services at the siege of Mobile. He was then engaged in con- structing defences at Mobile and New Orleans, and in the improvements of the Mississippi river. He was commissioned major of the engineer corps on 7 March, 1867, and appointed engineer of the 8th ligjit-house district, 22 May, 1867r

MacALISTER, James, educator, b. in Glas- gow, Scotland, 26 April, 1840. After studying at Glasgow university, he came to this country and entered Brown, but was not graduated. He then studied law at Albany law-school, where he re- ceived his degree in 1864. In 1873 he was super- intendent of public schools in Milwaukee, Wis., and in 1878 he became regent of normal schools in Wisconsin, holding these offices until 1883. He was then appointed first superintendent of public schools in Philadelphia, which post he now (1887) holds. In 1885 he was elected a member of the board of trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, and in 1886 a member of the American philosophi- cal society. He advocates educational reforms, especially the kindergarten and the introduction of industrial or manual training into the public schools. He has published educational and literary addresses, reports, and " Manual of Primary In- struction " (Philadelphia, 1884); "Manual of In- struction in United States History and Civil Gov- ernment" (1887); and "Catalogue of Pedagogical Librarv, with Bibliographical Notes " (1887).

McALLISTER, Matthew Hall, jurist, b. in Savannah, Ga.. 26 Nov., 1800 ; d. in San Francisco, Cal., 19 Dec, 1865. After receiving his education at Princeton he studied law. was admitted to the bar about 1820, and practised in his native city. In 1827 he was appointed U. S. district attorney, which post had been held by his father under Gen. Washington's administration. In 1832 he was ac- tive in opposition to nullification, and became a po- litical leader during the discussions of that period. He was several times elected to both branches of the legislature, in which he obtained the establish- ment of the court for the correction of errors, and in 1845 was defeated by a small vote as Democratic candidate for governor of Georgia. For several years he was mayor of Savannah, and was noted as a protector of the colored people. In 1848 he was a delegate to the National Democratic convention that nominated Gen. Lewis Cass for the presidency. He removed to California in 1850 with his family, entered upon the practice of law in San Francisco, and in 1855 was appointed the first U. S. circuit judge of California, rendering eminent service by his wise decisions upon land-titles, which were then in the utmost confusion. He was also well known for his energetic action in suppressing the vigilance committee by an appeal to the naval authority. Judge McAllister resigned his office in 1862, owing to impaired health. In 1860 Columbia gave him the degree of LL. D. He was the author of a " Eu- logy on President Jackson " and also of a volume of legal opinions, which was published by his son. — His son, Julian, soldier, b. in New York city, 28 Oct., 1823 ; d. on Governor's island, N. Y., 3 Jan., 1887, was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1847, assigned to the 2d artillery, and served in the war with Mexico in 1847-'8. He was trans- ferred to the ordnance corps on 13 April. 1848, and was at various arsenals till the civil war, during which he was chief of ordnance of the Department of the Pacific. He received all the brevets up to colonel at the close of the war, and in 1866 became major and a member of the board to determine the armament of the Pacific coast fortifications. He was made lieutenant-colonel on 23 June. 1874, and in 1886 was transferred to the command of the New York arsenal on Governor's island, where he also served as president of the board for testing rifled cannon. — Matthew Hall's grandson, Ward, jurist, b. in Newport, R. I., 27 July, 1855, was educated at Princeton and graduated at Harvard law-school in 1880. Pie was assistant district attorney for California in 1882-'5, resigned, and then became judge of the U. S. court for the territory of Alaska.

McALPINE, William Jarvis, civil engineer, b. in New York city in 1812; d. in New Brighton,