A Cosmopolitan City
Published in the Milwaukee Sentinel
Wednesday, October 16, 1895
Written by John Johnston (SAS President 1870-71 & 1878-80)
Submitted & Transcribed by John Schafer
The Scotch in Milwaukee
Of the 250,000 men, women, and children now living in Milwaukee only 686 were born in Scotland, yet the Scottish contingent has not been without it influence in making Milwaukee what it now is. There is seldom a new city begun without a Scotsman immediately appearing upon the scene, and on Dec. 31, 1834, James Murray from Creiff – the father of Mrs. George W. Hayes and Mrs. Everett A. Smith – camped on Deer Creek, and on January 1, 1835, he moved into Milwaukee. Next years came James McNiell, and he and James Murray entered land where now Murray’s addition and Mitchell Heights in the Eighteenth ward.
In 1839, came Alexander Mitchell, and the following year came David Ferguson; then followed John Dunlop and Robert Gunyon. In 1843 came Daniel Tainsh, so well and favorably known on the south side; also James Douglas the architect. In 1844 came David Christie, and in 1845 came Martin Durward. Later came Robert Menzies, James Sheriffs, James McDonald, Peter McGeoch, and Arthur MacArthur. In 1855 came John Hill and his son Robert, then a lad, and James MacAlister. In 1856 came John Johnston, and in 1857 James Bryden, Ninian Masson, and William P. McLaren: then later came Charles Dingwall, A. Middlemass, the Lindsays, the Morgans, the Curries, William D. Gray, Dr. Mackie, and many others who ought to be mentioned but lack of space prevents.
What have the Scotsmen of Milwaukee done towards building up our city? Much every way, when we consider how few their numbers.
Alex. Mitchell and David Ferguson for almost a decade conducted our only bank and furnished a circulation as good as gold to the whole Northwest from Cincinnati to Dubuque and Detroit to St. Louis. When Chicago was about to cut Milwaukee completely off from the country naturally tributary to it by swallowing piece-meal our various small antagonistic railways, a Scotsman, Alex. Mitchell, came to the front and consolidated them into a vast Milwaukee railway system which had during his lifetime its headquarters here, and even now is known all over the great West as the Milwaukee Road. Mr. Mitchell built two of the noblest buildings in the city – his bank building and the Chamber of Commerce – and the work was superintended by another Scotsman, Charles Dingwall from Cromarty.
James MacAllister as school superintendent did much to elevate and systemize our educational methods till Philadelphia took him from us and placed him in charge of her public schools.
It would be impossible to go through the list of the 2000 Scotsmen in Milwaukee and relate in detail what they have done to advance our city. Pettigrew is in charge of our parks, Currie of Forest Home, Dingwall is superintending the new post office, Lindsay is alderman from the Fifth ward, Bryden is alderman from the Seventh ward, McMillian is engineer at the waterworks, and McLaren vice-president of that great institution, the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance company, while Alfred James is president of that other most substantial company, the Northwestern National.
Besides those born in Scotland there are many in our midst of American birth but with Scottish blood in their veins who are holding positions of responsibility. Among them may be mentioned John P. McGregor, John L. Mitchell, J.G.J. Campbell, Alex. W. Dingwall, and others.
The Scotsmen of Milwaukee have made their impress on our city by their games. It is thirty years since the first Scottish picnic and games were held here, and since then one society after another has fallen in line in imitating the Scottish methods of conducting them. Then the games of curling and golf have come from the stern old land of the mountain and the flood.
The best conducted banquet up to date in the history of our city was held by the Scotsmen of Milwaukee in 1859, being the centennial of Burns’ birth. Speeches, recitations, songs, anecdotes, and instrumental music filled the evening in such a way as to astonish the Americans present, and from that date the Merchants’ association and other societies, when banqueting, took a leaf from the Scottish programme.
In more than one of our churches the Scottish members have made their influence felt.
On this, the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Milwaukee, our few fellow-citizens of Scottish birth and blood may well feel proud of what those now living, as well as those who have gone before, have done towards developing every desirable phase of our city’s life.
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Learn more the history of Scots in Milwaukee in the Early Presidents of the St. Andrew’s Society of Milwaukee, written by SAS Past President Mackie Westbrook in 1996 and view the list of Past SAS Presidents here.