Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-08-10

The New York Sunday Courier gives
the following as true, history of the
famous street preacher generally known
as the Angel Gabriel:- 54f i
The true name of the celebrated man,
whose singularities have gained for him
so great reputation, and whose popu-
lar cognomen is the Angel Gabriel is
McSwish, though he is sometimes called
OFT or Horr. in the public papers. His
father belonged to the clan Gordon; and
was, In early life, a house servant in the
employ of the Marquis of Huntley.-
He married female domestic in the
same establishments by the name of
Saunders, and emigrated with his young
wife to the Isle of Skye, in which place
the Angel, as he is now called, was
born, on the Sd of September, 1909,
which makes him As years of age. He
was christened by his mothers name Of
Saunders, and was always called Sandy
McSwish, while he remained in his na-
tive town.
The present writer, who knew him
well, and attended the same parish
school with him, kept by the minister of
the place, the Rev. Archibald Cameron,
has often been on birds nesting ex-
pedition with him, and once rescued
him from drowning. when he fell from a
high cliff into a black pool called the
Devils Loeb. Sandy was very dull
boy, and was often fogged for not
knowing his lesson, and the Rev. Mr..
Cameron, if he were alive now, would
hold up his hands in utter amazement
to know that his unpromising pupil
had become famous street preacher
in the great city Of New York, and was
kicking up a tremendous row under
the name of the Angel Gabriel
Sandy was bound an apprentice to
weaver at the age of thirteen, but his
mother having become a widow, and
married an itinerant Baptist preacher
named OFT, she soon left the Isle of
Skye with her new husband, taking
Sandy with her, who, for convenience
sake, or to disguise his Ceiti origin as
sumed the name of his step-father.-
What became of him after leaving his
native place, until he turned up in this
country as an evangelist, is known to
the present writer only at second hand,
and may not be strictly authentic,
though the facts are, probably, not far
from correct.
Mr.. OFT, the Inherent preacher, went
his circuit in the Highlands for year
or two, until, finding that way of life
rather hard, his converts few and his
family increasing, he came to the con-
clusion that he would change, not only
his pasture but his occupation and his
name. He was not Celt himself but
an Englishman, native of Brumma-
gem, and it is said, but with what de-
gree of truth / do not know, in his
early life, he had been member of an
equestrian company. At all events he
joined group of equestrians at New
castle, and having taken the name of
Virgins, assumed the post of ring
master. His young step-son, Sandy
McSwish, who still called himself OFT,
became a member of the company, and
soon attracted attention by his feats of
ground and lofty tumbling. Having
quarrelled with the manager, he gave
bis parents the slip, and joined COM
pany of acrobats, with whom he visited
some of the principal towns of England,
and at last at Liverpool, when he fell in
love with the daughter of the proprie
tor of wine and spirit vault, near the
Princes Dock. He eloped with her
and was married in Wales, where he be-
came local preacher of the Methodist
persuasion, in the village of Liangfd.
Up to this time the budding angel
had been very jolly fellow, and was
much liked by his acquaintances; but
he entered with such seriousness upon
his new vocation, that he rather alarm
ed his simple Welch hearers, whom he
used to arouse from their apathy by
blowing tremendous tin horn from the
pulpit. Growing tired of his rural posi-
ton, and having brought on fit of dys-
pepsia by eating too heartily of Welch
rabits, he disappeared one night leaving
few debts behind him as tokens of his
affections, among his parishioners, and
taking with him by way of remem-
branee, the pewter tankard which had
been employed in the church sacra-
ments.
He made his way for the nearest sea-
port, which was Bristol, where he
shipped as cook on board vessel bound
for Jamaica, and, on his arrival in that
island, he again assumed the functions
of preacher; but finding that the
Baptist persuasion was more popular
than the Methodist, he Joined that sect.
How long he remained in Jamaica is
not known, but probably not long, for
he taught dancing school in the town
of Megrawsville, few years ago, after
which he became convert to Mormon
ism; but when Joe Smith went to Hi
nois, he turned his face towards the At
lantic States, and, after having been by
turns check taker at circus, an as
sistant to menagerie, temperance
lecturer, a tin pedlar, and editor of ma
twist paper in Philadelphia-he found
himself in New York with just money
enough in his pocket to purchase brass
trumpet, and with this for his stock in