History of Belvidere, (Warren County) New Jersey United States of America

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Biographies:

Robert McAllister, soldier, was born in Lost Creek Valley, Juniata county, Pa., June 1, 1813; son of William, grandson of Hugh, and great-grandson of Archibald McAllister. Archibald McAllister came from Scotland in 1732, and settled in Cumberland county, Pa. William McAllister was a farmer, who held various public offices, and Robert was brought up on the farm and attended the neighborhood school. He was a member of the state militia, and reached the rank of brigadier-general. In 1861 he recruited a company of volunteers at Oxford, where was engaged in building a railroad, and reported with the company at Trenton, where He was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the 1st New Jersey regiment by Governor Olden. He served in General Runyon's 4th (reserve) division at Bull Run, Va., July 21, 1861, the division being stationed about six miles in the rear, guarding the road to Alexandria. His regiment returned to New Jersey at the end of three months' service and he recruited the 11th New Jersey volunteers for the war and was elected colonel. He served in Carr's (1st) brigade, Sickles's (2d) division, Stoneman's (3d) corps at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862; in Carr's brigade, Berry's division, Sickles's corps at Chancellorsville, May 2-3, 1863 and in Carr's brigade, Humphrey's division, Sickles's corps at Gettysburg, July 1-4, 1863, where he was wounded and invalided home. He returned to the army after three months' absence and was assigned to the command of the 1st brigade, 4th division of Hancock's 2d corps and at Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864, he led the brigade at the "bloody angle" forming the second line of battle in the assault at the salient. On May 13, 1864, on the consolidation of the corps, the 4th division was absorbed and Colonel McAllister resumed command of the 11th New Jersey in the 3d brigade as reconstructed, taking part in the battle of Cold Harbor, June 1, 1864, and in the further campaign of Grant against Petersburg and Richmond, gaining for his conduct at the battle of Boydton plank road, Hatcher's Run, Va., Oct. 27, 1864, the brevet of brigadier-general. In the Appomattox campaign he commanded the 3d brigade, 3d division, 2d army corps, and on March 13, 1865, was brevetted major-general of volunteers for gallant and meritorious conduct throughout the war. He engaged in railroad business and in mining and smelting iron ore in the Lehigh valley, residing at Allentown, Pa., 1865-82, and in 1883 he removed to Belvidere, N.J. He was married, Nov. 9, 1841, to Ellen Jane Wilson of Mercersburg, Pa. He is the author of: McAllister's Brigade at the Bloody Angle in "Battles and Leaders of the Civil War," Vol. IV. p. 176. Gen. J. Watts de Peyster wrote a sketch of his life. He died at Belvidere, N.J., Feb. 23, 1891.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

William McMurtrie, chemist, was born in Belvidere, N.J., March 10, 1851; son of Abram and Almira (Smith) McMurtrie; grandson of James and Elizabeth (Smith) McMurtrie, and a descendant of Joseph McMurtrie, who was born in Dalmellington, Scotland, about 1685, and died in Oxford township, Sussex county, N.J., in 1762. He was graduated from Lafayette with the degree of M.E., 1871, and Ph.D. by examination and thesis in 1875. He was assistant chemist to the U.S. agricultural department at Washington, D.C., 1872-73, and chief chemist, 1873-78. He was married in 1876 to Helen M. Douglass. He was agent and representative for the U.S. agricultural department at the Paris exposition in 1878, and superintendent of the section assigned to the United States agricultural products at that fair. He was special agent of the agricultural department in agricultural technology, 1879-82; and represented the U.S. commissioner of agriculture at the International exhibition of sheep, wool and wool products in Philadelphia, September, 1880, and prepared the report made to congress. He was professor of chemistry, University of Illinois, 1882-88, in 1888 became chemist for the New York Tartar company, and in 1899 became consulting chemist for the Royal Baking Powder company. He was chemist to the Illinois state board of agriculture, 1884-88, and to the Illinois agricultural experiment station, 1886-88; chairman of the committee on wools in the bureau Of awards at the World's Columbian exposition in 1893; vice-president of the chemistry section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1895; chairman of the New York section of the American Chemical society during 1896, 1897 and 1898, and president of the American Chemical society during 1900. He was elected a member of the Philosophical society of Washington, the Academy of Sciences of Washington, D.C., and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He received the decoration of Chevalier du M?rite Agricole from the French government in 1883. He is the author of the several annual reports of the division of chemistry, department of agriculture, including: Report on the Culture of the Beet and Manufacture of Sugar therefrom, in France and the United States (1879); Report on the Culture of Sumac in Sicily (1879); Report on the Statistics of Grape Culture in the United States (1880); Report upon the Investigation of Wool and other Animal Fibres (1887); Report of the Physical Properties of the Wools of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 (1894); Some Records of Recent Progress in Industrial Chemistry (1897, 1898 and 1898); The Relation of the Industries to the Advancement of Chemical Science (1900).

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor