McLean, Donald
John M. McDonald interview — 1847-08-24
Donald McLean describes his family’s background, and mentions John Kane, a Loyalist who left Fredericksburg to fight in the Revolutionary War. He also describes Enoch Hoag, a Loyalist who left for Canada after the war, returned to Beekman, New York, after a lapse of time. Hoag but had to leave Beekman again as relatives of those whom his gang had robbed and killed “began to talk of revenge.” McLean discusses black rate, and concludes by recollecting Major Thomas Menzies, a Loyalist officer skilled in the area of agriculture who left for Canada after the close of the war.
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Transcription
- Hufeland Index Page 483 -
Aug. 24. Donald McLean, of 34th St. between Avenues 7th & 8th second house of the row from Ave. 8th: “Our family were originally Irish, and not McLean but McGillian. Our ancestors came from Ireland
- Hufeland Index Page 484 -
to New York (?), and being a man of education rendered some important services to the great landed proprietor McDonald, (or McLean?) who was in difficulties. In gratitude for these services Mc. D. granted him a long lease (one or two hundred years?) of the Borrera estate from which they took their distinctive appellation of the Borrera McLeans This lease has long since expired. John Kane went off from Fredericksburg with a band of men, one of whom, a son of Squire Haviland of Dover (or 9 Partners?) was killed. A black servant who accompanied the young man Haviland afterwards returned. Kane himself never returned to Fredericksburg. (Tories were very numerous in.) Tories were very numerous in Dutchess County and also in New Fairfield Hoag and his followers robbed a store at Quaker Hill in open daylight at 4 oclock P.M., and though many were present no one offered any resistance but an old Quaker Priest named Ferris. Hoag returned some
- Hufeland Index Page 485 -
years ago to Beekmantown, but his robberies were remembered, and some whose relatives had been killed by him or his gang began to talk of revenge whereupon he disappeared. Old priest Ferris was a whig, but his family were all tories. Black rate (as I think) was an act of the Legislature, so arbitrary and unjust that it was seldom or ever enforced, by which Tory property was taken to make good Whig losses. The value of horses and cattle stolen or taken from Whigs was appraised and assessed upon their Tory neighbours.” “Major Thomas Menzies was an honorable man of great agricultural taste and talents. He was a prisoner of war on parole, as was also a Major Grant. He did not go off till 1780, and went then with leave of the public authorities. His withdraw was considered a great loss to the cause of agriculture in Dutchess County.”