Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1854-07-22
The e Angel Gabriel.o

The name of this eccentric and ~peripate-
tic orator is McSwish. His father was a
native of Sco,land. and was a domestic in
the establishment of the Marquis of Huntley.
| He married a female domestic in the same
household, and with her emigrated 10 the
Isle of Skye where this precious "Angel
Gabriel the fulminator of unpalatable
truths, first opened his eyes upon a sinful
world. His fortunes and wanderings have
not been untinctured with romance and
tiueed with some most disreputable re-
miniscences. He was born on the 81 of
September, 1909, and is consequently forty
i've years OF age.
His mothers maiden name was Saunders,
and he was christened Sandy McSwlSh.
He was a very dull lad. and instead of re-
naming at school, was apprentlced to a
weaver in his thirteenth year. His mother
in the meantime having become a widow,
she married an %itinerat Baptist preacher
named Orr. whence the "AneeI" not only
derived his present name, but imbibed his
singular notions of handing his name down
10 posterity. The family, in course Of time:
left the Isle of Skye, and Orr went on a
preaching tour to the Highlands but finding
the business" bad, he charged his name
as well as his occupation, and as one Wig
gins, he joined an equestrian troupe. Sandy.
of course, followed in the footsteps of his
iIlnstrious step father, and soon distinguish
ed himself in his new calling. He shortly
quarrelled with the manager, however,
joined in a company of acrobats, with whom
he travelled over England, and finally came
to Liverpool.
Here he felf in love with a wine mer-
chants daughter with whom he eloped to
Wales, where they were married. In
Wales he first set up as a preacher OF the
Methodist persuasion; but his hearers soon
growing weary of his discourses, he con-
ceived the happy idea of setting his sermons
to music, and introduced for that purpose, a
tin horn into the pulpit. Hence the origin
Of all our woes! Having by some means
fallen into disgrace, he left his Welch charge
under cover Of night, leaving a few debts
behind. and taking in exchange the pewter
tankard, which had been employed i'll the
church sacraInents. and with his trumpet
he commend his wanderings.
Embarking as a cook Oh board a Bristol
vessel, he first landed at Jamaica, in the
West Indies, where he resumed his func-
tons of "staIed p%reaching." But as the
Baptist denomination was here more pop
ulous aud numerous than the former sect,
he left the Methodist, and came out a deeply
immersed Baptist. He left Jamaica; and
next started a dancing school in a small
village, during which he first heard of the
Furnishing Mormon settlement of Nauvoo,
in Illinois. and Immediately determined TO
push his fortunes in that direction. He ar
rived in Philadelphia just at the period of
the Native American excitement there, and
concealing his origin and antecedents, and
being a dashing, spirited fellow. he soon
was an acknowledged leader, finally be-
coming the editor of a ~nalivist paper. He
gave up all idea of following Joe Smith, as
the harvest here was already ripe for the
reaper. He came TO New York, had just
money enough to purchase a brass horn,
which he has continued to blow until his
name has flied the earth.
The particulars of this strange biography
are related by one who was born in the same
town with the "Angel Gabriel" and he is
quite as much astonished al his success and
noteIiety as any one. He always wears his
trumpet, frequently rides on the tops of
omnibusses, and blows for the amusement
of drivers. 5- "- t