The Scottish American History Club Newsletter
January 2000
New Lanark, Scotland

As the River Clyde leaves the Southern Uplands, it
turns east for a time below Tinto Hill and then makes a
u-turn heading toward Lanark under Hyndford Bridge. The
river then throws itself through a steep-sided gorge for
about a mile and a half. Using the power of the Clyde an
“Englishman helped a Glaswegian lay the foundation for
an industrial bonanza which awaited the development of
Lanarkshire’s most beautiful and spectacular location.”
Seeing the huge potential of the rushing water, Robert
Arkwright together with Glasgow banker David Dale
purchased the land along the Clyde. Here, they build the
largest cotton mills in Britain and began the “greatest
single industrial adventure Scotland had ever
witnessed.”
Within two years Arkwright had departed and David Dale
was left alone to finish the project He erected the
cotton mills, built dye-works and workshops. In
addition, he built a school, shops and accommodations,
so that a real community could develop.
Many of the “shattered Highlanders, victims of the
Clearances” made their way to New Lanark seeking
employment. But, the work was best suited for the young.
Dale needed “quick, supple and nimble fingers” to do his
work. “Many orphans found desperation converted to hope
and future security solely as a consequence of their
inclusion in their eighteenth century Clydeside
revolution.” David Dale was treated as a hero and was
very popular with his employees.
Unlike many factories across Britain this was not a
sweat-shop. Workers were paid fairly for their labor.
David Dale was a kind man. “He strove not only to
manufacture a quality end-product but also to bond his
twelve hundred strong community and create a kindred
spirit among them. Undoubtedly, he succeeded in doing
just that.”
In 1800, Dale sold the mills to his son-in-law, Robert
Owen. Now the mills were improved along with working
conditions. “Knowledge of the transformation by Dale and
Owen had now spread worldwide and in 1826, Robert Owen
emigrated to America to pioneer a similar venture.”
Robert Owen would buy an entire village and call it New
Harmony, Indiana.
In the mid-twentieth century, the cotton industry was in
steep decline as artificial textiles became popular. In
1967, no buyer could be found for the derelict
buildings. New Lanark died.
Conservationists began to work at saving and restoring
the buildings. “Now it is once again a thriving
community, where heritage and private accommodation
happily cohabit, and to which thousands travel each
year to enjoy and wonder at the reinstatement of one of
Scotland’s greatest-ever industrial and social
miracles.” 1
Visit
the
New Lanark Heritage Site
New Harmony, Indiana
In 1800, Robert Owen was the manager and principal
partner of the New Lanark spinning mills of Scotland. It
was the largest cotton-spinning establishment in Great
Britain employing 1,500 persons, mostly women and
children. They worked 13 hours a day at the mill, with a
half hour off for breakfast and three-quarters of an
hour for the noon meal. In 1810, the work time was
reduced to 12 hours.
Wages were low, but the benefits for the community were
greater than those normally given. Workers could buy
food, clothing and other articles at cost from the
company store. Children were encouraged to attend local
schools and free medical services were provided. Housing
was available at a modest cost and garden space was
available. Recreational and social services were also
available. New Lanark attracted thousands of visitors
who commended Robert Owen for his achievements in
extending benefits to employees while operating the
mills at a profit.
During his years at New Lanark, Robert Owen changed his
ideas about man and society. He sought to secure shorter
hours and better working conditions through legislation
in Parliament. These efforts proved largely fruitless
and Owen gradually became convinced that society itself
was in need of drastic change. He concluded that
marriage, the church, and the institution of private
property were roadblocks to the establishment of a new
society. He believed that man’s character was determined
for him through his environment, not by personal
endeavors alone.
When Robert Owen heard that Harmonist Village at New
Harmony, Indiana, was for sale he left for America to
follow his dream. On January 1, 1825, Robert Owen
purchased his entire community for $125,000. The town
had approximately 180 structures and included twenty
thousand acres of land. It is important to note that
Owen invested his own money in the purchase of New
Harmony, Indiana.
Robert Owen met many of America’s leaders as he began
the process of building his new society. At New York,
Philadelphia, and Washington he had discussions with
important leaders in business, culture and politics. He
met with President James Monroe, John Quincy Adams,
Thomas Jefferson and General Andrew Jackson. He spoke
twice to the House of Representatives in Washington,
D.C.
The community failed, however, and Robert Owen returned
to Scotland on May 1, 1827. There were many positive
results from the experiment at New Harmony, and we hope
to discuss some of these in future editions. New
Harmony, Indiana, is 300 miles directly south of
Chicago. They still celebrate their Scottish heritage
each year in August.2
Visit
Historic New Harmony
The Reverend Dr. James Smith
It is a well-known fact that Mary Todd Lincoln was a
member of the Presbyterian Church. There is no recorded
evidence that Abraham Lincoln ever formally joined. When
Dr. James Smith came to Springfield, Illinois in 1849 as the
new minister to the church, he began a relationship with
the Lincoln family that lasted beyond the death of the
President.
Dr. Smith described himself as an Old Light
Presbyterian. He was a native of Glasgow, Scotland and
was said to have a heavy Scottish accent. Dr. Smith had
a reputation of preaching good sermons and for being a
temperance advocate. He was also noted for publishing a
book, The Christian’s Defense, in 1843. When the
Lincoln’s second son, Edward Baker Lincoln died in 1850,
Dr. Smith conducted the funeral at the Lincoln home.
Several scholars believed that Dr. Smith’s book had a
profound effect on Lincoln and his thoughts about
religion. On one recorded occasion Lincoln helped Dr.
Smith as one of 38 supporters at a temperance lecture
delivered on Sunday, January 23, 1853. Lincoln was
obviously a man of firm convictions in many matters. He
believed that a man should stand when a prayer was being
offered and so he stood, although the custom was that
the congregation be seated.
During Lincoln’s stay in Washington, D.C., it was the
Presbyterian Church to which he again turned. This time
he attended the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church and
became a friend of the Rev. Phineas D. Gurley. Dr.
Gurley was frequently called to the White House for
prayer and consultation. It was Gurley who held services
for 12-year-old William Wallace Lincoln when he died at
the White House. The pastor prayed at his bedside
shortly after the President was shot and delivered a
eulogy at the funeral service conducted in the East Room
of the White House. Dr. Gurley also accompanied
President Lincoln’s body back to Springfield.
Dr. James Smith later moved to Chicago and worked with
the American Sunday School Union. He then returned to
Scotland once again but came back to serve a church in
Belvidere, IL. Through a series of events he was
appointed Consul at Dundee. In July 1869, Mary Lincoln,
accompanied by Tad, spent several weeks in Scotland at
the invitation of Dr. Smith. Later, Mrs. Lincoln
presented him with one of Lincoln’s gold-headed canes.
Smith remained at his post until his death on July 3,
1871.3
More information about Rev. Phineas D.
Gurley is available at
Mr. Lincoln's White House.
Visit the
First Presbyterian Church of Springfield for more
information about Rev. James Smith.
Dr. Jean Isabel MacKay - Gliddon
Someone You Should
Know
Born Jean Isabel MacKay in Mount Carroll, Illinois on
June 11, 1859, she died in Mount Carroll on October 12,
1912, of complications from serious burns from a paint
fire. She was married in July, 1897, to Rev. DePutron
Gliddon, a native of the Isle of Guernsey in the English
Channel.
She graduated from the public high school of Mount
Carroll and from the Mt. Morris Academy. She attended
Lake Forest University, being the first lady student
admitted to that institution. Her medial education was
received in the Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago,
Illinois. After obtaining the degree of M.D. from that
college, she took post-graduate courses in obstetrics
and the puerperal diseases in Chicago and in Materia
Medica in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She also studied
at the Homeopathic Hospital, London, England. Dr.
Gliddon was licensed to practice medicine in the states
of Pennsylvania, Illinois, Colorado, Montana and
California.
After serving as one of the physicians of the Moody
Medical Mission in Chicago, Dr. Gliddon moved to
Philadelphia where she was the physician-in-charge of
the Woman’s Homeopathic Hospital of Philadelphia and
also lecturer in the diseases of children in the Post
Graduate School of Homeopathics.
She spent the summer of 1888 at Manitou Springs,
Colorado hoping to cure her sister, Euphemia Belle
(Effie) of consumption. Letters were written and
published in the Mount Carroll newspaper describing
their experiences. Effie died March 28, 1889. Another
sister, Margaret Anna, died of the same disease in 1887.
Dr. Gliddon continued her practice in the west and for
three years had a large practice in Telluride, Colorado,
in addition to being health officer for San Miguel
County. Following this she spent some time in study and
travel in England, Italy, France, Austria and Germany.
On her return to the United States she located in
Montana, practicing in Great Falls and later Butte,
where she was recognized as a well-known businesswoman
of the city.
Documents in the possession of Marilyn Jean Creath
Miller, McEwen, Tennessee, include Dr. Gliddon’s 1886,
diploma from Hahnermann Medical College and her
California license to practice, approved January 9,
1901.
Scottish Syndicates
A great many of the early large ranches in
north-eastern New Mexico and adjacent southeastern
Colorado and the Texas panhandle were assembled and
financed by Scottish companies which were also called
“syndicates”.
The first was the Prairie Cattle Company, Ltd.,
organized in Edinburgh in 1880, and the first ranch it
purchased was the Cross L in the upper valley of the Dry
Cimarron River. The Company later purchased land further
down the Cimarron Valley, and by 1883 the Company
controlled 2,240,000 acres or 3,500 square miles of land
in New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas with cattle herds
totaling 156,000. Other Scottish ranching companies
organized soon after 1880 included the Texas Land and
Cattle Company, Ltd. (886,000 acres in Texas), the
Matador Land and Cattle Company, Ltd. (400,000 acres in
Texas), the Hansford Land and Cattle Company Ltd. (a
mere 14,000 acres in Texas), the Missouri Land and Live
Stock Company, Ltd. (165,000 acres in Missouri), the
California Pastoral and Agricultural Company, Ltd.
(104,000 acres in California), the Wyoming Cattle Ranche
Company, Ltd. (4,000 square miles in Wyoming), the
Western American Cattle Co., Ltd. (land in South Dakota
and Wyoming), and the American Cattle Company, Ltd.
(1,500 square miles in Nebraska.)4
From the Editor...
Our January issue is rather late due to a siege of
the flu and pneumonia and a short hospitalization. My
health has now been regained and we are looking forward
to this new year. The April issue will mark six years of
publication for our Newsletter. Your comments are much
appreciated and we hope you will let us know the value
of what we are doing.
One way to do this is by sending the Illinois St. Andrew
Society a check to help defray the cost of printing and
postage.
In the year 2000, the Scottish Home will begin to
celebrate 100 years of existence. The next few issues of
our Tartan Times will tell the story. A celebration is
planned in conjunction with our annual picnic on August
5, and we hope those of you in the Chicago area will
plan to attend and help us celebrate. Please let us know
if you have had a family member as a resident of the
Scottish Home. A special event is being planned for you
and the members of your family.
Did you notice the pipe band playing at the opening
ceremonies of the Super Bowl? Anyone know the name of
the band?
References:
1.
Scottish Enterprises, Millennium Images
of Scotland. Donald Ford
2. New Harmony, Indiana: Robert Owen’s Seedbed
for Utopia. Donald F.
Carmony and Josephine M. Elliott
3. Journal of the Illinois State Historical
Society
4. The Munros in New Mexico, by Kendyl
Monroe, The Thistle Epistle
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