The McLeod family of Troy, New York, descend from a Scotch ancestor born on the Isle of Skye. His family belonged to the Harris branch of the clan McLeod, seated at Dunvegan, Isle of Skye, Scotland. The clan was divided there into the Harris and Lewis clans.
(I) Murdock McLeod, born 1753, came to America during the revolutionary war and settled in North Carolina. He was then about twenty years of age. He served in the British army as corporal in Lieutenant Hamilton's company, and served five years, until 1783. After the war was over he removed to New York state and settled on a farm in the town of Galway, Saratoga county, where he resided many years. After his son Hubert became established in business in Phelps, New York, he removed to that town, where he died March 11, 1843, aged ninety years. He married, in New York City, 1793, Catherine Anderson, and had issue. He and his wife were rigid Scotch Presbyterians, and reared their children in the strict tenets of that faith.
(II) Hubert, son of Murdock and Catherine (Anderson) McLeod, was born in the town of Broadalbin, Fulton county, New York, February, 1809, died at Phelps,New York, February 22, 1861. He removed to Phelps about the year 1825, and became the leading merchant of that town. He was actively engaged in politics and used his energy and ability in furthering the public good. He attained a high position in his town and was regarded as a man of honor and reliability. He was a Presbyterian of the most rigid type, but a most kind hearted and benevolent gentleman. He married Experience Oaks Dickinson (see Dickinson), born at Phelps, November 27, 1807, died there June 8, 1880, daughter of Augustus and Submit Dickinson. Children of Hubert and Experience Oaks (Dickinson) McLeod:
- Augustus Dickinson; (see forward).
- Richard, born April 2, 1833, died May 21, 1836.
- Charles A., August 5, 1835 (see forward).
- George H., March 11, 1838, died April 26, 1851.
- Richard M., August 23, 1840, died November 23, 1860.
- Harvey Smith (see forward).
- Loa, March 19, 1846, died June 18, 1873; married, 1872, Charles Norton, and removed to the west.
- Edwin R., November 25, 1848, died December 6, 1869.
- Anna Lee, December 17, 1857, died August 23, 1864.
(III) Charles Anderson, son of Hubert and Experience Oaks (Dickinson) McLeod, was born in Phelps, Ontario county, New York, August 5, 1835, died at Troy, New York, September 19, 1898. He received his education in the public schools, and at the age of twenty years located in Troy. He became prominent in the business affairs of that city, and particularly well known as a manufacturer of stoves, then a leading Troy industry. He was a member of the Bussey-McLeod Stove Company, of Troy, and president of the Chicago Stove Works, with large foundries and plants at Troy, and Chicago, Illinois. For many years he was president of the Stove Manufacturers' Association of the United States, continuing in this most important and responsible position until his death. He was a man of great executive ability, and the concerns over which he presided were well conducted and prosperous. He held a directorship in the Troy Savings and City national banks, besides being officially connected with the Rob Roy Hosiery Company. His large business interests did not prevent his being interested in church work and philanthropy. He was a member of the first board of directors of the Y. M. C. A., and was always a warm friend of the association. He was a member of St. John's Episcopal Church, for twenty-eight years was a vestryman, and at the time of his death was official representative of the parish in church councils. His clubs were the Ionic and Troy. He was an active, earnest Republican in politics, but would never accept public office for himself. He married (first), November 10, 1865, at Newark, New Jersey, Harriet Grace, daughter of Dr. Elisha and Eliza (Thompson) Rockwood. Dr. Rockwood was born in Bradbury, Vermont, died at Saratoga Springs, New York. He prepared for the practice of medicine at Middlebury (Vermont) Medical College, and settled in Newark, New Jersey, where he became a leading practitioner. He led a retired life for many years preceding his death. He married Eliza Thompson (not related to the Troy family), born at Poultney, Vermont, daughter of Judge Thompson of that town. Child:
- Grace, born May 26, 1870, educated at Mrs. Porter's school, Farmington, Connecticut, married Hobart Warren Thompson. (See Thompson.)
Charles Anderson McLeod married (second) Mary, daughter of Norman B. Squires. Children:
- Norman, born 1883, died 1885;
- Anderson, born 1888.
(III) Harvey Smith, sixth child of Hubert and Experience Oaks (Dickinson) McLeod, was born March 31, 1843. He was educated in the public schools, and on arriving at man's estate engaged in the hardware business at Phelps, New York, continuing for about eighteen months. The civil war, then raging, claimed him, and August 15, 1862, he enlisted in Company C, 148th New York Volunteer Infantry, and was promoted second lieutenant of Company E, same regiment, November, 1863. His regiment was one of the hard fought ones, participating in twenty-six engagements. He was honorably discharged in 1864 on account of ill health, and did not recover from this breakdown until many years later. He spent a year at New Orleans, Louisiana, in the government commissary department, and in 1866 located in Troy, where for sixteen years he was engaged in the retail stove and cornice business. In 1882 he purchased the interests of Bacon & Henry, firebrick manufacturers of Troy (established 1825), and in association with Mr. Henry, of the old firm, continued the making of firebrick until 1887. In that year the firm was incorporated as the McLeod & Henry Company, with Mr. McLeod as president and treasurer. The business of the company includes the manufacture of all kinds of steam boiler equipment, and is large and prosperous. He is a most active, energetic business man and has many outside interests. He is a director of the City National Bank, trustee Troy Savings Bank, director Queens Run Fire Brick Company, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, director Gleasenton Fire Brick Company, of Gleasenton, Pennsylvania, and vice-president of the Park Villa Realty Company, Troy, New York. He has not given his life to the pursuit of money getting, but has devoted much of his time to enterprises purely philanthropic and educational. For many years he has been president of the board of trustees of the Y. M. C. A., and for twenty years has been actively interested and useful in the work of the Mohawk and Hudson Humane Society, which he now serves as vice-president. He is a trustee of the Emma Willard school, and vice-president of the Troy Boys' Club. Perhaps in the latter institution his deepest interest lies. The club is an incorporated body whose object is the "maintenance of a club for the benefit, assistance and improvement of indigent and homeless boys." It is supported by voluntary contributions and gives "industrial, mental, physical, social and business training" to boys between ages of eight and fourteen years. Mr. McLeod has written many pamphlets and leaflets in the interest of the boys' club, besides giving generous financial assistance. He is a member of the Second Presbyterian Church of Troy, and has for several years been an elder of the same. He is active in church work, and served the Men's Brotherhood Association as president. For the past fifty years he has systematically given one-tenth of his income from all sources to all forms of charitable work, public and private, keeping an accurate account in a specially prepared book. This practice he kept up when in the army on his soldier's wages of thirteen dollars per month. His record books, carefully kept since 1865, form a small library in themselves. His example has been followed by about five hundred persons of whom he has personal knowledge, devoting one-tenth of their income to good works in his systematic way. The pledge written in his account books reveals the true spirit of the man and is most beautiful in expression: "Knowing as I do that my ability to labor and get reward therefor is a gift from God, and believing that I should show my appreciation of this fact, I have decided to set aside at least one-tenth of my income to be used to aid those not as fortunate as myself, and to spread at home and abroad the wonderful story of Christ's mission to our world, and to tell the glad story that He can now be retained as advocate by those who may desire him to plead their cause at His Father's Throne, when they are called to give an account of their life work. I have this book that I may keep a strict account of this trust fund." Systematic giving is particularly dear to his heart, and he has written and lectured frequently before audiences on this subject. He is a remarkably quiet and unostentatious gentleman, rarely seen at church or society conventions, but many a lad has received an education from his "trust fund" or been given a business start from the same source. This is practical Christianity, and is given notice here to show one man's method of expressing his gratitude for the "ability to labor and receive reward therefrom," and perhaps help some one else to decide upon a similar plan. He is a Republican in politics, and strongly in favor of a purely business administration of public affairs, national, state and civic. He is a member of the Loyal Legion (military order), and is past commander of Griswold Post, Grand Army Republic. His social club is the Troy. He married, January 18, 1872, Mary C., died April 26, 1891, daughter of Franklin and Mary (Goldsmith) Field. (See Field VIII.) Children:
- Mary Virginia, educated at Miss Master's school, Dobb's Ferry New York; married, July 19, 1905, George Albert Soper, of New York City, a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, class of 1905, C. E., Columbia University A. B. and Ph. D. He is sanitary engineer and chairman of the sewage commission of New York City. Children:
- George Albert, born January, 1898;
- Harvey McLeod, July 9, 1903.
- Ruth Field, educated at Miss Master's school, Dobb's Ferry, New York; married, June, 1906, Charles N. Morgan, of New Rochelle, New York, graduate Rensselaer Polytechnic, class of 1906, C. E.; now secretary of McLeod & Henry Company, Troy.