Page 53
History of Orange County
Town of Newburgh
Page 53
We look upon the tiny flower as it breaks from the earth to see the light and feel the warm influences of the early spring, when “dissolving snows are in the liquid torrent lost, and mountains lift their green heads to the sky,” as one of the little keys which unlocks to the mind, with an easy touch, the great volume of nature, and admits the spectator to an exploration of a beautiful and interesting portion of her works. We almost pity the individual to whom the fragile and tender flower has no endearing beauties, imparts no pleasures, nor lifts his mind up to the God of the universe, who feeds it with rains and dews from heaven—himself, the while, fed from the same great store house in the skies. His mind loses half the enjoyment intended to please and gratify the kindest and most create portion of his nature. The omission to feel and cultivate such influences is one of the negative means that lends him away and wins him from his father’s mansion. God in wisdom has thrown around us, not only time magnificent productions of his power for our contemplation and to remind us of our frailty; but sown everywhere the small and beautiful to please and win our affections, and this minute providential care. Cold and insensible must be time heart, untuned to all the finer feelings of the soul, which does not see and feel wonderful beauty and goodness in time common grass beneath his feet, and in the flower bud as it gushes forth to shed its fragrance on the vernal air.
There’s not a tint that paints the rose,
Or decks the lily fair,
Or streaks the humblest flower that grows
But Heaven has placed it there.”
JOHN MCAULEY.—This individual was brought out to the state from Ireland by his two elder brothers, William and Robert McAuley, when he was 12 years old, about the year 1757. The family is Scotch, though before emigration they had lived one hundred years in Ireland, having a lease for 99 years of an estate which afterwards came to Lady Mary Ross, with a tannery on it—which lease she refused to renew when it ran out, intending to prostrate the improvements, and throw the lands into the grounds around her mansion. The family then removed to London, and John was apprenticed to a merchant in the city.
One reason for going to London was, that James, the oldest son, was then residing there—an officer in the customs. He died soon after, and the other brothers concluded to emigrate, and try their fortunes in the new and comparatively unsettled wilds of America. As they did not wish to leave, their little brother John behind, they purchased his indenture. Their father and mother being aged and not under the necessity of emigration, with their daughter Mary, remained in London. When Mary grew up she married John Proffet Nixon, the father of Mr. George Nixon, late of he city of New York, deceased. By the time the war of the Revolution closed, the father, mother and Mr. Nixon had all died, leaving Mrs. Nixon with her infant child George, (about two years old,) surviving; when the brothers, with a praiseworthy affection, went out to England an old family servant—who had cheerfully clung to the fortunes of the young men in their emigration—by the name of Hugh, and bought out Mrs. Nixon and child. On their arrival here, the boys having then all grown up to mens’ estate, located and in business, John adopted young Nixon as his child, placed him in his store in Newburgh, provided for him as if his own son, and when of age sat him up in mercantile business in the city of New York.
We now go back in our narrative to say that when the McAuleys came to Now York they placed John in the store of Mr. William Gillerland, an extensive wine merchant in the city and a relative of the family. They brought out with them £12,00 each, which was put under the direction and expenditure of Mr. Gillerland. This gentleman accompanied Robert and William into the northern part of the state, and inspected the lands they proposed to purchase, and performed many friendly offices for them. They purchased a large tract, of land at Crown Point in Essex county, on the west side of Lake Champlain, sufficient when divided to make a farm for each where Robert and William settled, and went to work like men in felling the stately timber that covered the purchase, and clearing it up for the reception of seed.
In the meantime, John did not remain long in the city of New York, but returned to his brothers at the North, and the next we hear of him, he was in a store at Montreal, in Canada. That situation, doubtless, was procured for him by Mr. Gillerland, whose connections resided in the northern part of the state, whose intercourse and business transactions to some extent were in that direction. It appears he was discontented with his situation there, as the population was principally French, and he did not understand the language and wished to return. Bishop Oglevie, being in Canada on business appertaining to the church, was authorized to bring him back to New York, which he did, when it was placed with an extensive brewer in the city, where he remained till of age. Being brought up to mercantile business, he soon engaged in it on his own account. Chronology here is of but little moment, and we shall not attempt to be very particular us to the order of time. The first place in the village of Newburgh at which he transacted mercantile business—and he was among the first who attempted it—was on an old dock, now known as DeWint’s dock. He commenced alone, but afterwards was in company with Mr. Hugh Walsh and a Mr. Brown. This firm was dissolved, and Mr. McAuley left and established himself in business in the city of New York. He was there but a short time before his old partners, Walsh and Brown united with him again. His mercantile transactions there were of but short duration, and broken up by the following facts, which made deep inroads into his pecuniary affairs.
Before the war of the Revolution and previous to his going to New York as above stated, he had been in partnership with William McNeal of Fishkill, in Dutchess county, and did business at Fishkill village. This partnership was of several years standing, and was broken up by the operations of the war, in some way of which we are not particularly informed. At the dissolution of the firm they were heavily in debt in the city of New York. Mr. McAuley paid in his half of the debt, and their city creditors agreed to give McNeal time till he could pay his share. This remained unadjusted for some years. McNeal was not a man of much property, though his wife was rich in her own right, which gave him a fictitious reputation in pecuniary matters. His affairs were in this condition when he went to New York, as previously stated, and the creditors of McAuley and McNeal being unwilling to extend them a longer credit, be was forced, not by legal means, to pay McNeal’s share of the debt, rising £650. McNeal seems to have been honest in the whole transaction, and indemnified Mr. McAuley by conveying to him a farm in a Dutchess county, to hold till paid by a sale of the farm, or otherwise.