The Glengarry McDonalds of Virginia

As all family records and papers were destroyed when Col. McDonald's home, Glengarry, near Winchester, Virginia, was burned to the ground, I have to rely for material in this memoir upon the few imperfect histories of that period and the public records; supplemented by incidents which have been handed down orally to the younger members of the family.

And from a careful comparison of all the data which I have been able to collect on the subject, I believe that Angus McDonald (emigrant) was the son of Angus, who was a younger son of Alastair Dulbh McDonald, the hero of Killicrankie. [This battle was fought on the banks of the Garry river July 27, 1689.] John, Alastair Dubh's oldest living son, being chief of Glengarry at the time of the "rising," in 1740.

Draper's M. S. Record, says: "He was born in the Highlands in 1727 and educated at Glasgow, and having fought in the battle of Culloden, he was at-tainted of treason and fled to Virginia in following year (1746) ."

He landed at Falmouth, Virginia, in 1746, being then nineteen years of age, bringing with him the short sword, sash and gorget he wore on the field of Culloden; the gorget having on it. the Glengarry arms. [I remember seeing the Gorget, and I have heard my father say that the sash was so stoutly woven that a man could be carried in its folds.]

Remembering how Cumberland had destroyed and laid waste the Highland homes, I imagine he had little of this world's goods, and like the thrifty Scot he proved himself to be—he accepted the first position that offered itself—and engaged in merchandising in Falmouth, for the next two or three years. Having gotten on his feet again, so to speak, he moved further into the interior and it was not long before the military spirit, which a long line of Celtic ancestry made almost a second nature, began to assert itself and he entered the service of the Colonies, under Governor Dinwiddle, holding the rank of Captain. For these first services, he received, in 1754. four hundred acres of land.

In 1760 he established the first Masonic lodge in Winchester, where he was now located, and was also a member of the Committee of Safety. On October 29th, 1762, he purchased from Brian Bruin a tract of land lying to the east of Winchester, containing 370 acres; along which the old Winchester and Potomac R. R. was subsequently located. There he built his home and called it "Glengarry" after his old home in the Highlands.

In 1765 he was commissioned Major of Militia for Frederick County, and about the same time was appointed by Lord Fairfax as his attorney and agent, to collect all rents, &c., due his Lordship. On June 20th, 1166, he married Anna Thompson, of Hancock, Maryland.

Draper further says, "in December, 1774, Angus McDonald was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel. And was made Sheriff in 1775, and was re-commissioned by new State Justice and Deputy-Sheriff in

1776. It is not known whether he was out. with Braddock or not. Although Col. McDonald was a staunch Whig, he refused to enter the Continental Army, being unwilling to serve second in command to a Colonel without military experience. He was a man of commanding figure, strong personality and a rigid disciplinarian with his troops. After the Wapatomica expedition he served under Dunmore until the close of the war."

According; to the original records, and to the statement in Norris' "History of the Lower Shenandoah Valley:" "On Aug. 6th, 1776, he took the oath of Sheriff of Frederick. County; - before the New County Court, under an ordinance of the Virginia Convention of 1776. Of this Court, Chas. Minn Thruston was a member.''

The Sheriff of Frederick at that time was in command of the Militia of both Frederick and Augusta Counties which, excepting .Hampshire County, were the only Virginia Counties west of the Blue Ridge, and embraced all the territory between the Ohio river and the 'Tennessee line, including the State of Kentucky. The Sheriffalty was therefore an important office, civil as well as military.

De Hass' "History and Indian Wars," says of the Wapatomica Campaign: "Colonel 'McDonald, who lived near Winchester, Virginia, and was a man of great energy of character, intrepidity and courage, was sent West early in the Spring of 1774 to survey the military county lands lying within the Colonial Grant made to the officers and soldiers of the French and Indian Wars of 1754-63. Col. McDonald net hostile Indians at almost every step, until finally they were compelled to relinquish the undertaking and to resort to Wheeling for safety. He then reported to Dunmore the state of affairs in northwest Virginia, whereupon the Governor authorized him to raise a sufficient force and proceed to punish the savages without delay. The call was nobly responded to by gallant men on the frontier, the purpose being to destroy the Indian towns.

About the middle of June, 177-4, nearly tour hundred men rendezvoused at Wheeling, embracing some of the most energetic and experienced on the frontier. Col. McDonald met the force at Captina Creek, twenty miles below Wheeling, and thence proceeded to Wapatomica on the Muskingum. In his command were some of the first and bravest men of the West. James Wood, afterwards Governor of Virginia (from Winchester), Daniel Morgan, afterwards the distinguished General of Revolutionary fame, Michael Cresap, and others who afterwards became prominent, commanded companies."

Withers' "Border Warfare" says that "George Rogers Clarke also accompanied this expedition as a scout." Also, that "the first Fort built in Wheeling was by Dunmore's order, built under the direction of Majors Angus ,McDonald and William Crawford."

In relation to the building of this fort. I find in American Archives, 4th series, vol. 1st, the following letter from Arthur St. Clair to Gov. Penn of Pennsylvania:

`'Ligonier, July, 4th, 1771.
"SIR:

I have the honor to enclose to You the last piece of Indian intelligence which came by White Eyes a few days ago and am happy that affairs have so peaceable an aspect. Yet I can but fear that it will soon be interrupted, as a large body of Virginians are certainly in motion. Col. Henry Lewis is ordered to the mouth of the Kanawha to build a fort there and Maj. McDonald with 500 men is to march up Praddoek's road and down to Wheeling to build another there."

Also another letter from Eneas McKay to Coy.

Penn's Sect. (same source)
"Jul, 8th, 1774.

The Virginians, from their conduct, seem determined on War. Maj. McDonald and others are expected here shortly who it is said are going down the river to build forts and station men at different places."

I find in "Dunmore's War" this account of the Wapatomica expedition: `'Early in June, Dunmore planned an expedition against the Indian towns, but it was not until July that McDonald succeeded in securing a force sufficient, to move out. About four hundred were then recruited, chiefly on the Monongahela and Youghiogheny, under the following Captains: Michael Cresap, Michael Cresap, Jr.. Hancock Lee, Daniel Morgan, James Wood, Henry Hoagland and two others, marching across country and ,joining Crawford at Wheeling.

McDonald ordered every man to take seven days rations in his pack, and crossed the river at Fish Creek some twenty miles below Wheeling. George Rogers Clark, who had a lard claim in the vicinity, was a subaltern in McDonald's regiment. After this Wapatomica expedition McDonald served under Dunmore until the close of the war."

In connection with this expedition, I find in "Dunmore's War" a letter from Col. Fleming to his wife, in which he says: "My Lord Dunmore is near Pittsburg by this. He will have upward of seven hundred men with him. Four hundred that marched with Major McDonald and three hundred with himself. Have you heard that McDonald, with a part of his men, destroyed an Indian town, Wapatomica''"

In another letter to Col. Preston, Col. Fleming says "Major McDonald with four hundred men, being Lord Dunmore's advance guard below Fort Dunmore, was boldly attacked by the Indians. His men were marched in three columns, himself at the head of the middle one, which was attached and about four killed and six wounded. He ordered the right and left columns to file off and surround the enemy, which could not be clone, but they killed three or four Indians and took one McDonald afterwards found his men's scalps hung up like colors, but the town had been evacuated."

The Maryland Journal of Sept. 7th. 1774, says of the same expedition, "By an express from Williamsburg (August 15th), we learn from the frontier that Col. McDonald had just arrived from Wapatomica, a Shawnee town on the Muskcingum, which he has destroyed will all the plantations around it. Killed several Indians and taken three scalps, and one prisoner with the loss of only two of his people and six wounded. Also that an expedition is planned against some of their other towns. which, if successful, will probably put an end to the war."

Enclosed in a letter from Sir Thomas Walpole to the Earl of Dartmouth, we also find this extract from one of McDonald's letters to Major John Connolly, relating to the same expedition: "On the 2nd, I and my party attacked the Upper Shawnee towns. I destroyed their cornfields, burnt their cabins, took three scalps and one prisoner. I had two men killed and six wounded."

We are also indebted to "Dunmore's War" for a copy of the following letter from Angus McDonald to Capt. Sharrod:

`Winchester, Jan. 8th, 1775. "DEAR CAPT.:

I have just returned from Williamsburg. The news is that all the country is well pleased with the Governor's expedition. We shall be paid if the Gov. and the Assembly don't differ at the meeting. The 2nd of February is the day of the meeting, but I am afraid they will not agree. If that should be the case we will not be paid for two or three months.

We are all preparing for war, both Maryland and Virginia are in motion, and I believe will fight before they suffer themselves to be imposed on.

"I am, dear sir, your obedient servant,
ANGUS MCDONALD.

In American Archives 4th, series, Vol. 1st, I find an account of a mass meeting of the citizens of Frederick County to protest against an act, passed by the Government "To discontinue in such manner and for such time as are therein mentioned, the landing and discharging and lading and shipping of goods, wares and merchandise at the town of and within the harbor of Boston, in the Province of Massachusetts Bay in N. America.":

Angus McDonald with C. M. Thruston, Isaac Zane, Geo. Rootes, Alex. White, Geo. Johnston and Samuel Brent were appointed a committee to draw up a protest against said act.

It seems to me that there is sufficient evidence in this letter of Col. McDonald to Capt. Sharrod and his action in the mass meeting in Winchester to completely refute the idea indulged by some of his descendents, that he was bound by a parole to the English Government (exacted of so many of the Highlanders after Culloden), and for that reason could not enter the Continental army.

The fact that he became an exile from his home looks more as if he might have declined a parole. Both Draper and De Hass say that it was because he would not serve under a man with no military experience. And when we take into consideration his Colonial record, "his military character and attachment to that way of Iife," as Washington expressed it in his Ietter to McDonald, urging his acceptance of this commission under Thruston, we are convinced that nothing except the reason which has been assigned by both Draper and De Hass, could have actuated him in declining the Commission.

And when we further reflect that in his veins flowed the blood of the men who had, since the battle of Bannockburn, in the 12th century, held, as the post of honor, the right wing of the Scottish army, we can still better understand how his proud spirit must have been stung by this cruel disregard of his conspicuous claim to a place in the fore-front.

Following is Washington's Ietter urging Angus McDonald to accept a commission as Lieut. Col. in the Continental army:

"Headquarters, Morristown.
March, 1777.

"Sir
Being informed that you are not yet in the Continental service, I have taken the liberty to appoint you Lieut. Col. to one of the additional battalions, the command of which I have given to Mr. Thruston.

I sincerely wish that you would accept this office, and let me entreat you not to permit the love you bear to the cause to be smothered by any neglect of attention to your military character, the contest is of too serious and important a nature to be managed by men totally unacquainted with the duties of the field. Gentlemen, who have from their youth discovered an attachment to this way of life, are in my opinion called upon in so forcible a manner that they ought not to withhold themselves. You will please to communicate your resolution to me by the very first opportunity.

I am your most obedient servant,

G. WASHINGTON.

In Draper's M. S. Record above referred to is an autograph patent of Lord Dunmore to Angus McDonald for 2,000 acres of land, which tract he bequeathes in his will to his eldest sons, John and Angus. Following is a copy of the original Patent:

"I do hereby certify that Angus McDonald is entitled to two thousand acres of land agreeable to his Majesty's proclamation in the year 1763, and he is desirous to locate the same in the County of Fin-castle on any of the Western waters, if he can lay it on any vacant lands that have not been surveyed by order of Council and patented since the above proclamation.

Given under my hand and seal the 5th day of February, 1774."

DUNMORE. (Seal.)

"To the Surveyor of Fincastle Co.
Endorsed (Col. Preston's handwriting)

"To be surveyed by Hancock Taylor. Angus McDonald 2,000 acres came to hand ye 16th of May, 1774.

"To begin on the Ohio at a branch near the old Indian Fort, above the mouth of Big Meame and to extend down the river."

The Vestry book of Cunningham Chapel in Clarke County, Virginia, shows that Angus McDonald was appointed Vestryman for the Parish of Frederick on March 2nd, 1768. At the same time is recorded this minute: '`The Rev. Chas. Minn Thruston motioned the Vestry that he might be inducted into the Parish as Rector. It was also motioned that until the arrival of Mr. Walter McGowan on the last day of Nov. that no person be inducted into the Parish without Mr. Thruston having previous notice to attend, in order to make his application to the Vestry."

"At a meeting of the Vestry 18th of Nov., 1768, on motion of Rev. Chas. Minn Thruston it is ordered that he be inducted and received into the Parish as Rector and that his salary commence with the time of his moving into the Parish and it is ordered that he regularly attend to perform divine at the church in Winchester, at Cunningham, McKay's and Mechlinburg Chapels, by rotation and at the other Chapels in the Parish twice a year, that is to say in the months of May and Nov."

"At a meeting of the Vestry Nov. 26th, 1770, a petition of sundry inhabitants of the Parish of Frederick presented to the Vestry and read, set forth that the Rev. Minn Thruston had neglected his duty in preaching but once in his Parish Church since laying the last Parish levy, Nov. 7th. Whereupon several evidences were sworn and examined, whereof it is the opinion of the Vestry that the petitioners have proved their allegations."

"Resolved that the sum of 200 lbs. be levied to be applied to the purchase of 16,000 pounds of tobacco to be paid to said Thruston if he should recover his salary by due course of law, otherwise to be applied by the future direction of the Vestry, to which Thomas Rutherford, John Neville, Thos. Swearingen and Charles Smith entered their dissent."

"At a meeting of the Vestry Dec. 27th, 1770, they considered upon application of Rev. Thruston, its late order concerning the payment of his salary. and he having excused himself and given satisfactory reasons to the Vestry for his neglect of duty, complained of by the inhabitants of Winchester, and moreover agreed to snake up the deficiency by preaching on Wednesday, if required by the Vestry, it is ordered that the Collector do pay Mr. Thruston the sum of 160 lbs."

"Angus McDonald, gentleman withdrew before signing the order, signed by Chas. Minn Thruston and Vestry."

Angus McDonald is mentioned as Col. McDonald in the minutes of the Vestry held April 25th. 1778, and in these minutes it is stated that the powder and lead belonging to the Parish was turned over to Col. McDonald and he was directed "to dispose of the same and to use the money with the fund from which it was originally taken."

I have given the proceedings of these Vestry meetings in full in order to justify, as far as possible, the alleged cause which has been attributed to Angus McDonald for not entering at once the Continental army. His withdrawal from the Vestry meeting shows plainly his disapproval of the Rev. Chas. Minn Thruston and that he should have declined to serve in a regiment commanded by the Rev. Charles Minn Thruston, seems to my mind, perfectly ,justifiable.

His death occurred on August 19th, 1778, from the effects of a wrong dose of medicine. An old letter from his granddaughter, Mrs. Millicent Holliday, says: "His death was very sudden and caused by a close of tartar emetic, taken for something else."

His wife and seven children survived him. Mary, born May 9th, 1767; John, born August 19th 1768; Angus, born December 30th, 1769; Eleanor, born September 5th, 1771; Anna, born June 25th, 1773; Thompson, born March 29th, 1776; Charles, born April 28th, 1778. The records of his marriage and the births of his children, are to be found in his large family bible, given by Anna to her grandson, Angus W. McDonald, and now in the possession of Major Edward H. McDonald, his son, who lives at "Media,' Jefferson County, W. Va.

They are also entered in a pocket bible, bearing on the title page the name, "Angus .McDonald, his book. 1747." Which is now in possession of Miss Millicent McDonald, of St. Louis, Mo., a great granddaughter.

His family continued to live at Glengarry until it was destroyed by fire, when they moved to a large plantation on Patterson's Creek in Hampshire County, where his widow lived to be eighty-four years of age, having been born in 1748. She was just eighteen at the time of her marriage and Angus was thirty-nine.

I was a good deal puzzled in my researches at finding no record of Angus having accompanied Braddock on his expedition, until I discovered that Braddock had been an officer under Cumberland at the battle of Culloden.

Following is a copy of his will taken from the Clerk's office of Frederick County, Virginia.

'`In the name of God, Amen! I, Angus McDonald, of Frederick County and Parish, in the Colony of Virginia, Farmer, do make and ordain this my last will and testament. That is to say, principally, and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it, my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in Christian burial, at the discretion of my Executors, nothing doubting but at the general Resurrection I shall receive the same again, by the mighty mercy and power of God. And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.

"First, I give and bequeathe to my dearly beloved wife, Anna, the house and plantation whereon I now live and the choice of six cows, all the sheep and hogs and five horses, for the support of the young children, also all the servants and slaves, so long as she shall remain a widow. Also all the rents and profits of my estate after my debts and funeral charges are paid.

"Secondly, I give to my well beloved son, John McDonald, the Plantation near Winchester which I bought of Mr. Richard Henderson, containing 729 acres, to him, his heirs and assigns forever. And I give to my well beloved son, Angus :McDonald, the plantation I now live on after his mother's decease, containing 466 acres. Also my two houses and lots in Winchester and their appurtenances, to him, his heirs and assigns forever. I give to my two eldest daughters, namely, Mary and Eleanor, my land in Maryland, which I bought of my wife's three brothers, containing 445 acre, also three other tracts near the same land surveyed in Virginia, not yet patented, to be equally divided between them, to them and their heirs lawfully begotten, forever. And I give to my youngest daughter, Anna, my plantation on Patterson's Creek, which I bought of Col. Stephens; with two hundred pounds to erect a mill thereon, to her and, her heirs lawfully begotten, forever.

"I also give to my two sons, John and Angus, my 2,000 acres of land on the Kentucky, to be equally divided between them, their heirs or assigns forever. And I give to my youngest daughter, Anna, 400 acres, it being my lot of land under Governor Dinwiddie's proclamation, as a soldier in the year 1754. And it is my will and desire that all my land in Maryland, called Fair Island and the land on the main, and every other tract or parcel of land in Maryland, or elsewhere, not before mentioned, shall be sold to the best bidder for the payment of my just debts and the remainder be put out at interest and divided equally among all my children. And I give each child an equal proportion of all my personal estate, to them, their heirs and assigns forever.

"I constitute and appoint my dear loving wife my whole and sole executrix, as long as she remains single and after death or inter-marriage, I constitute my worthy friend, Doctor John McDonald, my executor and guardian to all my children and I give unto him, the said John McDonald, my small sword, sash and gorget as a token of my respect.

"Given under my hand and seal this 26th day of June, 1775.

ANGUS McDONALD. (Seal)

"At a Court held for Frederick County the 2nd of March, 1779, this will was returned unto Court by Ann McDonald, the widow of the deceased and there being no witnesses to prove the sane according to law, the same was examined by the Court, who is of opinion that it is in the hand writing of the Decedent and therefore is ordered to be recorded, and on the motion of Ann McDonald, the executrix therein named, who made oath according to law, certificate is granted her for obtaining probate thereof in due form, she with security- having entered into and acknowledged bond conditions as the law directs.

By the County Court, James Keith, C. C."

In addition to the property inherited by Anna from her husband, Angus McDonald, a deed recorded in the Clerk's Office of Frederick, Maryland, names the following parcels of land as being left to Anna Thompson by her father, John Thompson. A part of each of the following named tracts : "Fair Island, The Hills, Invention, The Fork of Gruby, The Addition, Patience, Froggy Island, Fountain, Partnership and Widow's Mite."

This Anna Thompson (the wife of Angus McDonald) was the youngest daughter of John Thompson and Yocomanche Eltinge, of Hancock, Maryland. The Eltinges being of Holland lineage.

There were three sons and two daughters. Named, respectively, William, John and Cornelius Thompson and the two daughters were Elizabeth and Anna.

Anna, after her husband's death, lived at Glengarry until it was burned, as has been stated, and must have been an unusual woman even for that period. Her husband's comparatively early death left her with a large family and many responsibilities, all of which she seems to have discharged most conscienciously. On an old fashioned Sampler, still in the possession of one of her descendants, and which was embroidered by her at the age of eleven, is the following unique verse:

"Have communion with few,
Be intimate with one,
Deal justly with all,
Speak evil of none."

Her oldest son John married a lady from Georgetown, Md., from whom he afterwards separated. He then went West and made his home in later life with his nephew, Edward C. McDonald, of Hannibal, Mo. He finally died at the home of his niece, Mrs. Millicent Holliday, of St. Louis, from the effects of a stroke of paralysis. His attending physician was Dr. May, of St. Louis, and he was buried there by Rev. Peter Minard, Rector of the Episcopal Church.

Dr. Thompson McDonald, the third son of Angus and Anna McDonald, was a physician and distinguished in his profession. Owing to an unfortunate love affair in his youth, he never married and died July 31st, 1822. He made his home with his mother and is spoken of, by those who knew him, as a man of striking personality.

The only members of the Thompson family with whom this generation had any intimate acquaintance were the descendants of John Thompson, who married Miss Nellie Dick. It was his youngest daughter, Anna, named for her aunt, Anna McDonald, who married John Peerce, and was the dear old lady whom we always called "Grandma" and loved and admired so extravagantly for her many noble qualities and uniform kindness to us during the many visits we made her during our childhood.

No one admired and loved my father more than she. A Iittle circumstance, which I have often heard him speak of, will illustate her inflexible sense of honor. A small legacy was left my father by Cornelius Thompson, a mutual relative, but through some technicality of the law it was diverted to "Grandma" Peerce, but her own strict ideas of equity convinced her that she was not entitled to receive it, so for years she supplied her cousin, Angus, with marketing from her farm near Burlington, until the entire debt was cancelled.

Charles, the fourth son, and youngest child died in infancy. Mary, the oldest child of Angus and Anna, married Col. Elias Langham, of Fluvanna, and moved to Chillicothe, Ohio. They had three sons, Angus, Elias and John. Elias, the second son, was made Surveyor-General for Missouri and Illinois, and Indian agent at Fort Snelling, where his daughter Winonah was born, and named for her Indian nurse.

They (Mary and Elias) also had three daughters, Jane, Betsey Anne and Mary. Betsey Anne married Wharton Rector, of Arkansas.

Eleanor, second daughter of Angus and Anna, married James Tidball and lived near the town of Hancock, Maryland, on the Potomac river. The oldest daughter of Eleanor and James Tidball, named Anna for her grandmother, married at nineteen, George Brent. They had several daughters and one son. Lucelia, the second daughter of Eleanor and James married Henry Claubaugh of Baltimore, Maryland. Mary Jane married Dr. Wilson near Martinsburg. No children. Another daughter married Mr. Wm. Harness, a wealthy man of Maryland, and left one son. Eleanor, youngest daughter, married John McDonald (no relation that I am aware of) near St. Louis, Mo. The only son of Eleanor and James Tidball, Joseph, married Rose Orrick and lived in Lexington, Mo.

Anna, youngest daughter of Anna and Angus, married Richard Holliday. They had three sons, James, Richard and Angus, besides several daughters. This family moved to Shelbyville, Mo. Richard, the second son, was the second husband of Millicent. McDonald, my father's only sister. Her first husband was William Sherrard, of Winchester, and died in Jacksonville, Fla.

Eleanor McDonald is said to have been a strikingly handsome woman. Very imperious in manner and bearing a strong resemblance to her father, Angus, the first.

Following, is copy of letter from Angus W. McDonald to Dr. Lyman C. Draper concerning Angus :McDonald (Emigrant). Original in possession of State Historical Soc. of Wisconsin

'`Romney, April 18th, 1817.

MY DEAR. SIR:

It is I who should, and do feel ashamed, that I have so long neglected to give some reply however brief and unsatisfactory, to your several letters.

I should be grieved to have you think that I would be indifferent to the interesting subject to which they have so often called my attention.

Be pleased, Sir, to excuse my long silence, and seeming neglect of your letters. I know but little, and that little imperfectly of the family traditions, and have been since the age of fourteen almost a stranger in the circle of my kin, who knew the history of my grand-father.

I will state in answer to your interrogatories. what I can assert with confidence of its truth, and then give you what I have gathered as hearsay.

My grand-father was a Scotchman by birth; a Highlander of the clan Glengarry, but raised and educated with two brothers in the city of Glasgow. He was engaged in the rebellion of 1745, then only eighteen years old. He fled or was sent to this country in the year 1746. During the Revolution his two brothers were merchants in Glasgow, who often, before the Revolutionary war, used to send my grandfather cases of goods. I have frequently heard my grand-mother speak of this. She died in 1832, aged eighty-six years. The name of my grand-father's father, I do not remember, but think that it also was Angus. He was educated, and independent. He was also engaged in the rebellion of '45, but whether he was killed, executed or whether he died, I do not remember. He was not alive when my grand-father left Scotland in 1746.

My grand-father landed in this country at Falmouth, and for some years was engaged there in merchandizing.

From there he removed to Winchester, I think as early as 1754.

In 1766, he intermarried with Anna Thompson, the grand-daughter of Isaac or Cornelius Eltynge, of Frederick County, Maryland, by whom he had seven children, six of whom survived him (he died Aug. 19th, 1778). Mary, his oldest child, married Col. Elias Langham, of Fluvanna. .John, who died about ten years since, Angus, my father, who died in consequence of a forced march, between Buffalo and Black-rock, in 1814, whilst a Captain in the 12th Reg. of U. S. Infantry, during the last war with Great Britain. Nancy, who married Richard HolIiday, Eleanor, who married James Tidball, and Thompson McDonald.

All the sons are dead and only one daughter lives yet. John left a daughter, Mary, three sons and three daughters. Eleanor, one son and four daughters. Nancy, living, has six sons and three daughters. Thompson never married. Nancy might be induced to answer a letter from you, she lives in Shelby County, Missouri, and has in her possession an original letter from Gen. Washington, expostulating with my grand-father for his having refused to accept a Lieutenant Colonel's commission in a reg. to be raised in Frederick County, to be commanded by Thruston, who had been the parson of the Parish, I think. My grand-father, who had great military pride, refused to serve subordinate to him. Gen. Washington wrote to him upon the subject and would no doubt have prevailed upon him, but he died not long after receiving, this letter.

You ask if he was older or younger than his brother, Doctor McDonald. Doctor John McDonald was certainly not his brother, perhaps he may have been his cousin, though I even doubt that. They differed in politicks, Dr. McDonald opposing and Col. McDonald advocating the revolution, whenever the subject was agitated. I have often heard my grand-mother speak of Col. McDonald, on one occasion, expelling Dr. McDonald and others from his house, in consequence of Tory opinions expressed by them. However, Dr. McDonald was highly esteemed by him and in his will he bequeathed to him his sash and small sword. At some future day, I will send you some old papers which I have been, as yet, in vain endeavoring to find; one of them is a list of Capt. Daniel Mortan's men, who had secured their pay from my grand-father, which document I have treasured for a long time but have now mislaid or lost it. But in the course of the Summer I will examine all my papers and if I find it, or any others, I will send them to you.

I have heard from old John J. Jacobs, and old Mr. Sam'l Kercheval many anecdotes of my grandfather, which they did not introduce into their respective books, and which tend to illustrate his character.

He was a man of great composure and equanimity, sedate, stern and commanding, and I have often heard my grand-mother and oldest uncle say, that no one who knew him ever ventured to oppose or contradict him.

He held a Colonel's commission in the Colonial service, during; the wars with the western Indians, and commanded the expedition which destroyed the Miamis, on return from which expedition it was charged against Cresap, who had been with Col. McDonald, that he had massacred the family of Logan, the Mingo chief.

Mr. Jacobs told me that he was with that expedition, and that after it reached the enemy's country that a rigid and vigilant discipline was established by Col. McDonald, for the government of his camp. A Captain of a western company of volunteers, who had joined him, not appreciating the necessity for the orders for quiet in the camp, which had been issued, ventured to disobey them, and upon being summoned before Col. McDonald and admonished of the impropriety of his conduct, refused to promise compliance, whereupon my grand-father ordered his arrest, and upon the delinquent's refusal to obey the arrest, he had him tied to a tree and put in care of the guard for fourteen hours, his company giving him no countenance or support, he finally apologized, was released and afterwards proved a most obedient and excellent officer, enforcing the strictest order and discipline.

Colonel McDonald was a powerful man, about six feet two and one-half inches tall, and of fine proportions. Mr. Jacobs told me that upon one occasion he had left his camp on a very fine horse, to recconnoitre the ground in front of his command and whilst so engaged two Indians discovered and endeavored to cut off his return to camp, they being on horse-back (also other Indians not mounted, in view) . As they approached him to either take him prisoner or kill him, he wounded one and unhorsed him, and the other he grappled with, and jerked from his saddle and carried him before him, a prisoner into his own camp.

I have but little leisure just now to give you in detail the anecdotes which illustrate his character, but I shall in the course of this Summer gather from the records of Frederick County much that will fix the dates of the principal eras of his life and from my relatives, whatever they may remember of his history and in November next I will come to see you and furnish all I can collect.

As an apology for my own ignorance in regard to his history, I will state that I was, at the early age of fifteen a Cadet at West Point, and my father in the army of 1814 on the Northern Frontier. I remained in the army five years, then resigned and entered the Custom House at New Orleans, where I stayed for twelve months. From there I went to St. Louis, Mo., and engaged in surveying public lands for another year, then I went into the Indian trade as a partner of the Missouri Fur Company; was four years in that and then for the first time I returned to Virginia. to the land where my grandfather died, found all his children dispersed and his papers uncared for and scattered, I know not yet where.

But it is my duty, and I will attend to the matter, to have them searched for and at the day named, report my success and its fruits to you.

I am, sir, most respectfully and with great consideration,
Your obedient servant.
ANGUS W. McDONALD.

To Lyman C. Draper. Baltimore, Md.
Draper's notes of an interview with John Grim of Winchester in August 1844.
McDonald's Expedition-1774.
Dunmore's Campaign-1774.

Mr. Grim was not along, recollects this about it; that Col. Angus McDonald twent out about June, 1774. drove the Indians over the river at Vapatomlca, near night; some were for pursuing across the river, others opposed it----finally gave it up. Patricia Haggerty, a brave soldier in Captain Wood's company and who afterwards fought bravely during the Revolution, bawled out, when the matter was discussed about crossing the river—"Captain, if you go to h---, I'll follow you."

Col. McDonald commanded the Frederick troops. Under him were Capt. Peter Helphenstine, Daniel Morgan, James Wood and Abm. Bowman. Also under Dunmore were Capt. Hugh Stephenson—Mitchell of Berkeley, Capt. Cresap, and Major William Crawford.

The enemy was said to number 1,500 men. Dunmore was a little church of a Scotchman. Col. Angus, McDonald was likewise a Scotchman and Mr. Grim thinks McDonald was 50 or 60 years old when he died in '78. (Ed. Note—He was 51.)