MACPHERSON, James, Scottish author and translator: b. Inverness-shire, 1736; d. 1796. He studied at Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Having published (Fragments of Ancient Poetry,' translated from the Gaelic or Erse language, a subscription was raised to enable him to collect additional specimens of national poetry. He produced, as the fruit of his re searches, 'Fingal, an Ancient Epic Poem,' translated from the Gaelic (1762, quarto); and other Poems) (1763), professedly translated from originals by Ossian, the son of Fingal, a Gaelic prince of the 3d century, and his contemporaries. The question of the poem's authenticity gave occasion for violent contro versy. It may be concluded that Macpherson's prose epics were founded on traditional narra tives current in the Highlands; but the date of the oldest of the lays is comparatively modern, and it is now impossible to ascertain the pre cise extent of his obligations to Gaelic bards. Macpherson himself never made any serious attempt to vindicate himself against the charge of forgery. He had a life allowance from the government, and was agent to the Nabob of Arcot, having also a seat in the House of Com mons, 1780-96. He was also the author of a very inadequate prose translation of Homer's (Iliad) and of some other works.
McPHERSON, James Birdseye, American soldier: b. Sandusky, Ohio, 14 Nov. 1828; d. Atlanta, Ga., 22 July 1864. He was graduated from West Point in 1853. Appointed brevet 2d. lieutenant of engineers, he was assistant in structor of practical engineering at West Point, 1853-54, and after serving on fortifications and construction duty on the defenses of the harbor of New York and the improvement of the Hud son River (1854-57), was given charge of the construction of Fort Delaware (1857-61) and of the defenses of Alcatraz Island, San Fran cisco, Cal. He applied for active employment in the field at the opening of the Civil War. In May 1862 he was appointed brigadier-general of volunteers and was with Halleck at the siege of Corinth. For his services on this occasion he was made major-general of volunteers in the following October. He took an important part in the siege and capture of Vicksburg and was in consequence promoted to brigadier-gen eral in the regular army, 1 Aug. 1863. In March 1864 he was made commander of the Depart ment and Army of the Tennessee and performed distinguished services in the campaign of Geor gia. In the following July he commanded in the engagement around Atlanta and was killed during a reconnaissance. A statue has been erected in his honor at Washington, D. C., by the men who fought with him in the Army of the Tennessee.
McPHERSON, Kan., city, county-seat of McPherson County, on the Union Pacific, the ' Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, the Missouri Pacific and the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroads. about 150 miles west by south of Topeka. The city is the trade centre of an extensive agricultural region in which the chief products are wheat and corn. It has flour-mills, creameries, grain-elevators, brick and lumber yards. Its trade is chiefly in farm and dairy products and in livestock. Its principal build ings are a courthouse, high school and opera house. It is the seat of the McPherson Col
lege. under the auspices of the German Baptists. The city owns and operates its waterworks and electric-light plant. Pop. 3,546.
McPHERSON COLLEGE. This institu tion was established at McPherson, Kan., in 1887, and opened its doors for the first time 5 Sept. 1888. Dr. S. Z. Sharp, then a professor in Mount Morris College, Illinois, was the chief pronioter. The college is the property of the Church of the Brethren (sometimes called the Dunkers) and the control is exercised by a board of trustees representing the 11 church dis tricts which make up Kansas, Nebraska. Mis souri, Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah and Idaho. A local committee of five, in connection with the president of the college, actively supervise the work of the college. While the college is denominational, there are no religious tenets required for admission. The number of stu dents usually ranges from 300 to 400. There are the following departments: college, acad emy, bible, expression, business, agriculture, domestic science, music, manual arts. The alumni number about 600. There are 22 faculty members. The endowment of the school was small until in 1916, when largely through the efforts of President Kurtz it was raised to over $225,000. This sum is productive. Other gifts are contingent. Each year the contribu tory congregations observe an educational day on which offerings are raised to sustain scholar ships in McPherson College for prospective • ministers and missionaries. There are already some 14 alumni on the mission fields of China and India. The material equipment consists of six buildings, a 10-acre campus and two farms which have been secured for agricultural pur poses. On the campus there are Sharp Ad ministration Building, Fahnestock Hall, Arnold Hall, Carnegie library, alumni gymnasium and central heating plant.
McQUAID, m'kwad', Bernard John, Amer ican Roman Catholic prelate: b. New York City, 15 Dec. 1823; d. Rochester, N. Y., 18 Jan. 1909. After studying in Canada, he com pleted his course at Saint John's College, Ford ham, N. Y., where he was graduated in 1843, and for the next three years held the position of tutor. He studied theology first with the Lazarists of New York City and later at Saint John's College, Fordham, being ordained priest January 1848. Having built churches at Morris town and Springfield, N. J., he was engaged upon one at Mendham when summoned to the newly created diocese of Newark, N. J., 1853. In 1856 Father McQuaid founded Seton Hall College at Madison, N. J., and was its first presi dent, retaining the office for 10 years, and its subsequent success has been eminently due to his indefatigable efforts. He was consecrated first bishop of the diocese of Rochester, N. Y., by Archbishop McCloskey in New York City, 12 July 1868. With characteristic energy he discharged his episcopal duties, the cause of Catholic education ever appealing to him as one of paramount importance. With a view to advancing it he invited the Sisters of Saint Joseph to conduct new parochial schools in his diocese and likewise founded Saint Andrew's Preparatory Seminary.