Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/218

 McNIEL

McNUTT

He united with Drs. Hosack, Francis, Mott, and Godman in establishing a medical school in Duaue street in 1826, known as Rutgers Medical college, where he was professor of materia medica until 1830, when the school was dis- continued. He was a fellow of the American Philosophical society, a member of the Literary and Philosophical society of New York, and of the various Irish societies, being elected president of The Friends of the Irish in 1828, and of the Irish Emigrant society. He received the honorary degree of M.D. from Columbia in 1806. He edited the Medical and Philosophical Journal with Dr. Benjamin De Witt, 181^15, published an edition of " Brande's Chemistry" (1812) and is the author of : Rambles in Sudtzerland in the Summer and Autumn of 1S02 (1803)^ Pieces of Irish History^ with Thomas Addis Emmet (1807); Chemical Examination of the Mineral Water of Schooley's Mountain (1815), and Exposition of the Atomic Theory of Chemistry (1819). He died in New York city, July 12, 1841.

McNIEL, John, soldier, was born in Hillsbor- ough, N.H., March 25, 1784; son of Capt. John and Lucy (Andrews) McNiel ; grandson of Daniel McNiel, and of Isaac Andrews, and great-grand- son of John McNiel who served in the Louisburg expedition, 1744-55, and came originally from Londonderry to Derryfield, N.H., and thence to Hillsborough. John McNiel, 3d, was commis- sioned captain in the 11th infantry, March 12, 1812, and major, Ang. 15, 1813. He led the regi- ment in the battle of Chippewa, July 5, 1814, and for his gallantry in leading a bayonet charge which won the day for the Americans he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel. He commanded the regiment in the battle of Niagara, July 25, 1814, and was brevetted colonel for distinguished valor there. He was promoted lieutenant-col- onel and transferred to the 1st infantry, Feb. 24, 1818 ; to the 3d infantry, Dec. 12, 1820 ; was bre- vetted brigadier-general, July 24, 1824, for ten years' faithful service in one grade ; was promoted colonel and transferred to the 1st infantry, April 28, 1826, and held various posts on the west- ern frontier. He resigned his commission in the U.S. army, April 23, 1830, and was surveyor of the port of Boston, Mjiss., by apix)intment of President Jackson, 1830-50. He was married to a sister of Franklin Pierce. Their son, John W. S. McNiel, 2d lieutenant in the 2d U.S. dragoons, was killed by Indians in Florida, Sept. 11, 1837, and their daughter Fanny, wife of Chandler E. Potter, was the first white child born on the site of the city of Chicago. Col. John McNiel died in Washington, D.C., Feb. 23, 1850.

McNIERNEV, Francis, R.C. bishop, was born in New York city. April 25, 1828. He was grad- uated at the college of Montreal, Canada, in

1849 ; was professor of belles-lettres there, 1849- 51, and prepared for the priesthood in the semi- nary of St. Sulpice, Montreal, where he served a» procurator for one year. He was ordained by Archbishop Hughes in St. Patrick's cathedral, New York city, Aug. 7, 1854 ; was chaplain to Archbishop Hughes, 1854-58 ; chancellor of the archdiocese, 1857-58, and for a short time in

1858 was pastor of St. Mary's, Rondout, N.Y. In

1859 he became secretary to Archbishop Hughes, and after his death in 1864 was secretary to Archbishop McCloskey, 1864-71. He was secre- tary of the second plenary council of Baltimore in 1866, and was an autliority on the question of church ceremonials. He was appointed titular bishop of Rhesina and coadjutor to the Bishop of Albany, Dec. 22, 1871, and was consecrated in St. Patrick's cathedral. New York city, April 21, 1872, by Archbishop McCloskey, assisted by Bishops Loughlin and Bacon. He became administrator of the diocese of Albany, Jan. 18, 1874, and bishop by right of succession, on the resignation of Bishop Conroy, Oct. 16, 1877. He visited Euroi^e several times and in 1877 attended the golden jubilee of Pius IX. He was a member of the Roman Society, Arcadia ; a knight of the grand cross of the order of the Holy Sepulchre and a delegate to the third plenary council at Balti- more in 1884. Pope Leo XIII. created him assist- ant bishop at the pontifical throne and Roman convent. May 5, 1890. He died in Albany, N.Y., Jan. 2, 1894.

McNUTT, Alexander Qallatin, governor of Mississippi, was born in Rockbridge county, Va., Sept. 12, 1801 (or Jan. 3, 1802), son of Alexander McNutt. He was a student at Washington col- lege, leaving in 1821 to study law, and was ad- mitted to the Virginia bar in 1823. He removed to Missis- sippi and settled in Vicks- burg, where he practised law and became a political speak- er. He was a state senator from Warren county, Miss., 1836-38, was president of the senate in 1837, and governor of Mississippi, 1839- 42. He recommended to the legislature in 1841 the repudiation of the bonds of the Union bank of Mississippi, then insolvent, but the legislature decided to pay the bonds. He was defeated for a seat in the U.S. senate by Henry S. Foote in 1847, and was a candidate for the state at large on the Democratic electoral ticket in 1848, but before the election he died at Cockrum's Cross Roads, De Soto county. Miss., Oct. 22, 1848.

McNUTT, Patterson, educator, was born in Switzerland county, Ind., Aug. 27, 1833. He was graduated from the Indiana Asbury (now De Pauw) university, A.B., 1855, A.M., 1858. He was