Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/415

{rh||PROMINENT PERSONS|363}} were in his diocese eleven thousand Roman Catholics; to this number he made large ad- ditions by converts who through his argu- mentative reasoning and eloquent sermons were brought into the church. Besides the

convents and academies he established he started fourteen parochial schools. Bishop McGill's diocese suffered greatly during the civil war and his projects for its advance- ment were materially crippled. He was three times caUed to Rome by Pope Pius IX. ; in 1854, on the occasion of the defini- tion of the dogma of the immaculate concep- tion ; in 1867, at the centenary of the martyr- dom of SS. Peter and Paul, and again on the assembly of the Vatican council. In 1S66, in the council of the American bish- op's, he took a prominent part. In fact. Bishop McGiirs commanding presence and intellect made him a conspicuous figure wherever he went. During the civil war he established a hospital at Richmond for the wounded soldiers and devoted himself to their care. Bishop McGill was preeminently charitable, and no applicant was ever turned, away. Like many other gifted men he was simple in his character, tastes and habits. "He was a man of learning in theology, canon and civil law, the classics and Eng- lish literature. His tall figure, serious aspect, modest demeanor, close logic and gesticulation added to the force of his ser- mons. He was not one whose services to religion were confined to his own diocese, or to any locality. He was called on to preach in various cities in America and Europe, and whether it was in Richmond, Charles- ton, Baltimore, Louisville, Paris or Rome, the impression he always made was pro- found and lasting." His health became im- paired while attending the Vatican council and he subsequently lost the use of one of his eyes. His death, however, was caused by cancer of the stomach. He died in Rich- mond, Virginia, January 14, 1872.

McClelland, Mary Greenway, born in the village of Norwood, Nelson county, Vir- ginia. On the maternal side she was a de- scendant of Frederic Christian Graf, who was born in the principality of Waldeck, Germany, and was for many years consul of the free city of Hamburg. Her uncle, Frederic Boiler Graf, was at one time Dutch consul, and for a number of years represented Norway and Sweden. Both were residents of Baltimore, Maryland, and there her mother was born and grew to womanhood. On the paternal side she is descended from William Cabell, of "Union Hill." Her grandfather, Thomas Stanhope McClelland, was one of the Adams county

McClellands of Pennsylvania. He settled in \'irginia in the early part of the present century, and married Miss Cabell, of Union Hill. Miss McClelland passed the most of her life on a plantation among the Virginia Hills, in a very beautiful home, the land on v/hich it is situated being part of the orig- inal tract granted Dr. William Cabell, of Warminster, England, a surgeon in the British navy, who settled in the James river valley, in 1723. Her first work, "Oblivion," was published in 1885, and was quickly fol- lowed by "Princess." Since then she pub- lised novels, four novelettes, and nu- merous short stories, and her writings be- came so popular that she had to decline offers from rival publishers. She died Au- gust 2, 1895.

Whitehead, William Riddick, born at Suffolk, Virginia, December 15, 1831. The