Angus James Gilchrist

Died Oct. 2, 1834, aged 61

   Headstone of Angus Gilchrist

SOURCE: http://www.ncgenweb.us/richmond/1887reminiscences.html

The Fayetteville Observer, Thursday, August 04, 1887; Issue 231; col A

   THE FIRST SCOTCH SETTLERS

   Reminiscences in Robesonian, by Rev. John Monroe

   		The first Scotch settlers that I have any authentic record or history of were Gilbert and Christian McMillan ("Chriosdian Ban") who emigrated in 1770. Gilbert McMillan died in 1772, two years after his arrival in America, leaving his wife, with one son and seven daughters in what was then almost a wilderness. She seems to have been equal to the occasion, as she has left a history which has been handed down for four generations, that far surpasses the history of any other woman that has ever lived in this section. Her son Archibald McMillan, married a Miss McArthur, and was the father of "Old Duncan McMillan, of Florida;" of John McMillan and Christian McNeill, the mother of Henry McNeill. Mary married Archibald Sellars; one married McKay; one married Hughes or McEwen; one, McAllister; one-Effie, married John Gilchrist, Sr., the father of John Gilchrist (lawyer.) I do not know at this writing who the others married. Besides raising and educating to some extent this large family, she was sent for by the Scotch in sickness and in trouble as far as sixty miles. Of this I was told by her grandson, lawyer John Gilchrist, who recollected her well. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and after a long and useful career, died on the 15th day of June, 1811, in the 84th year of her age. She is buried at D.P. McEachern's, beside her husband, where an ancient-looking marble slab, with inscriptions almost defaced, mark their graves. Her daughter Effie, who married John Gilchrist, Sr., had nine or ten children, and died in 1794, in the 46th year of her age. John Gilchrist afterwards married a Miss Currie, an aunt or grand-aunt of Hector Currie, deceased, father of "Bud" Currie, deceased, formerly of Maxton. By this union he had a daughter named Effie, who married Col. John Blue, of Marion, S.C.; of Mrs. Milton McIntosh, and of Mrs. Wm. Buchanan, of Richmond County, NC John Gilchrist Sr., was the first to institute the study of the classics, and started school generally among the Scotch settlers. He died in May, 1802, aged 62 years. It will be proper here to correct a mistake made in a former number by the copyist, relative to John Gilchrist, lawyer as being the first to institute the study of the classics, etc. It was the father of the lawyer, John Gilchrist, Senior, who first introduced schools generally, etc. The lawyer, being a graduate himself, was doubtless as much in favor of education as was his father.

   	On the tombstone which marks the grave of John Gilchrist, Sr., is found the following inscription: "He had a vigorous mind, much improved by education and travel; he was a patron of learning; often a legislator; a Presbyterian in faith; in morals circumspect, and fond of piety."

   	Angus Gilchrist, Sr., owner of the Gilchrist bridge, was an elder brother of the lawyer, and died in 1834. He was said to be an excellent surveyor.

   	Counting six children to each human pair, which I believe is considered the average, and, as far as my information extends relative to this family, there are, or have been, no less than 100,00 of this Gilbert and Christian McMillan's descendants. They are to my knowledge in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, California and of course in other places unknown to me. They are the progenitors of the Bakers, one family of the McMillans, McNeill, McBrydes (Thomas), McArthurs, Sellars, McKays, McEacherns, Purcells, Gilchrists, and others. I have often thought of this when I heard men doubtful about all the human family springing from one pair. If, when the average human life is about thirty years, 100,00 persons could spring from one couple in 100 years, how many could multiply from one pair when the average life was 500 or more years? Likewise, as this unwritten history is handed down for over one hundred years and believed to be authentic, doubting Thomases ought to think that Adam could have related the history of creation and the early history of his life, for 600 years, to Enoch, and Enoch to Noah. Hence Noah would have the information second-handed (see Bible Dictionary) for four channels through which Noah could have received it second-handed.

   	Over two hundred years ago (1660) three Purcell brothers emigrated from Ulster, Ireland, to America. They were Scotch-Irish. One of them settled in Pennsylvania, one further down the Ohio, near the mouth of the Scioto river, and the other in West Virginia. The Pennsylvania Purcells are descended from the Pennsylvania brother; those of that name in Kentucky and Tennessee, from the one who settled on the Scioto. Likewise, the Virginia and North Carolina Purcells, from the Virginian. (James G. Blaine is a descendant of this West Virginia brother.)

   	Malcomb Purcell, one of the Virginia family, emigrated to North Carolina about 1760, settled near Fayetteville, on the Cape Fear river. He married Beatrice Torry in 1772, and was killed by the Tories during the Revolutionary War, in trying to make his escape from them across the Cape Fear. His widow, Beatrice Purcell, with her then 4 or 5 year-old son, John Purcell, Sr., came to Robeson County, I suppose to be under the protection of her brother, David Torry, who lived on Saddle Tree Swamp, near the present town of Lumberton. Here Mrs. Purcell married Daniel McEachern, and by this union had two children, Col. Archibald McEachern, Sr., deceased, and Mrs. Sallie Patterson, also deceased-the grand mother of John T. Sinclair.

   	About 1792 David Torry moved to upper Robeson, and bought the place where Archibald Purcell formerly resided. His nephew, John Purcell, and sister, Mrs. McEachern, came with him, or soon afterwards (Mr. McEachern being deceased.)

   	In 1798 John Purcell married Mrs. Mary McKay, the widow of Col. Archibald McKay, of the British army, the daughter of John Gilchrist, Sr., and the granddaughter of Christian and Gilbert McMillan. This Col. McKay fought on the side of Great Britain during the revolutionary war. After the war he returned to England, where he remained several years. He came back to America and married Mary Gilchrist. I presume that he was acquainted with her and her father before they left Scotland. They were natives of Cantire. He purchased 4,000 acres of land, including the place on which I now reside, where one son, Hector McKay, was born. He died of fever in 1794. As before stated, in 1798 his widow married John Purcell, Sr. They had seven children. The sons were Malcom, John, Alexander, Archibald. Miss E. Purcell married Graham. Miss Mary Purcell married Rev. Hector McNeill. They have all passed away except Mrs. Gilchrist.

   A Meeting with the Marquis de La Fayette

   Posted 28 jul 2014 by misterlime

   The venerable Archie Johnson, Esq., of Spring Hill, this county, was in town last Friday.  He has used tobacco all his life and, like Sam Jones, has nothing to say against it.  Never took but one dose of medicine in his life and that was very recently.  He had the honor of shaking hands with the Marquis de LaFayette when the latter was passing from Fayetteville to South Carolina on his visit to this country in 1825.  The Marquis passed Spring Hill church on Sunday and had his carriage stopped long enough for him to get out and shake hands with the people, young and old, who had assembled to attend divine services.  He had passed Saturday night at Gilchrist's Tavern, the usual stopping place for travelers by stage between Fayetteville and Camden, S.C.

   -The Rocket (Rockingham, NC), Sep. 24, 1885

   To the Freemen of the Counties of Montgomery, Anson, Richmond, Robeson and Cumberland.

   From The Weekly Raleigh Register,  Oct. 8, 1804:

   To the Freemen of the Counties of Montgomery, Anson, Richmond, Robeson and Cumberland.

   CITIZENS,

   The second Friday in November is near approaching, when you will be again called on to exercise your right of suffering in making a choice for and Elector to vote for President and Vice President of the U. States.  Having taken the liberty of nominating myself a Candidate as an Elector for your division, I will take this opportunity of soliciting your suffrages, and if honored with a sufficient number of them to elect me, I will vote for Thomas Jefferson, Esquire, as President, and my choice of Vice-President will be governed by future information.

   This declaration, deviating in a small degree from my priniciples as a Federalist will no doubt be censured by many: But when I declare that party spirit, has always been repugnant to my feelings, and that the Administration of Jefferson, has in general, been satisfactory to me; the right of censure (should any exist) will I trust be removed.

   I am Citizens

   Your obedient servant,

   A. GILCHRIST.

   Richmond County, Sep. 20, 1804

   From The Weekly Raleigh Register,  Nov. 12, 1804:

   POSTSCRIPT.

   We hear from Cumberland County, that the state of the poll for Elector was as follows: For Cochran, 375; Gilchrist, 142; Culpepper, 56; Lanier, 7.

   The other counties in the district not heard from, except in a separate election in Robeson County, at M'Fall's, where the votes were Gilchrist 131, Cochran 5 votes.

Gilchrist Bridge Gilchrist Bridge Historical Marker North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998

To the Freemen of the Counties of Montgomery, Anson, Richmond, Robeson and Cumberland.

1804

Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

Campaign and results for Angus Gilchrist for his district's Elector during the Presidential Election of 1804.

Angus Gilchrist was the second child and first son of John Gilchrist Sr. (1740–1802) and Effie McMillan (1748–1794).

By all accounts, Angus Gilchrist was well educated, a literary scholar, a superior mathematician and even fluent in Latin. He designed, built and owned the Gilchrist Bridge, a landmark structure located in Wagram, NC. He was best known as an exceptional surveyor. At about 19 years of age, he was appointed Deputy Surveyor of Public Lands in Robeson County, NC.

In addition to surveying land, he held title to several thousands of acres over the course of his life. He began acquiring land before he was of legal age by associating with someone who was - John Jacob Rhodes. The two became business partners and lifetime friends. In tribute to their friendship, Angus' named his youngest son John Jacob Rhodes Gilchrist.

His first wife was Margaret McKay (b. 1782 Charleston, SC, d. 1811), daughter of Archibald and Catherine McKay, and sister of Colonel Archibald McKay. She is buried in the Longstreet Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Fayetteville, Cumberland, NC.

In 1813, after Margaret's death, Angus married Elizabeth McNeill (d. 1850, Lowndes Co., Ala.), widow of James Graham. Angus and Elizabeth built a large, fine home in north-eastern Richmond Co., NC, - an area which bordered both Cumberland and Robeson Counties at that time.

The Angus Gilchrist House was located along the stage route between New Orleans and New York. (Today, the location of the home would have been on Old Wire Road, in Wagram, Scotland Co., NC.)

Angus and Elizabeth's home was a stage stop and inn for travelers. Reportedly, the Angus Gilchrist House was the best stopping place between Richmond, VA. and Columbia, SC.

GEDCOM Note

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