The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-07-28
:. "Gb 5ht5---Dstnd be Nuou but on us tbe 5u"
CHARLOTTE, N c, FRIDAY MORNING, JULY 49, 1854
The "AngeI Gabriel

The biography Of the SO Angel Gabrel'' has
been published in New York, from which we
make the following extract Of this eccentric char.
acter:
| The name OF this eccentric and peripathIc
! tor is McSwIsh. His father 4 native Of Scot
land; and was domestic in the establishment of
the Marquis of Huntley. He married female
| domestic in The household and with her emf grated
to the Isle OF Skye, where this precious ' Angel
| Gabriel "-the fulminator Of uDPalatable truths,
| first opened his eyes upon sinful world. His
fortunes and wanderngs have moi been untnctured
with romance and tinged with some most ds:epu-
table "reminiscences. He was born on the Sd OF
September, 1909, and is consequently forty-fve
years of age.
His mothers maiden name was Saunders, and
he christened Sandy McSwIsh He was a
very dull lad, and instead Of remaining at school,
was apprenticed TO weaver in his thirteenth year.
His mother having The meantime become a
widow, she married an itinerant Baptist preacher
named Orr, whence the Angel not only der-
we'd his present name, but lmbibed his singular no.
tions Of handing his name down to posterty. The
family, in course of lime left the Isle of Skye, ard
Orr went preaching TOUR to the Highlands,
bu! finding the 's business" bad, he changed 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 ustrious
step-father, and soon distinguished himself in his
calling. He shortly quarreled with the man.
ager, however, joined company of acrobats, with
whom he travelled over England, and finally came
to Liverpool.
Here he fell in love with wine merchants
daughter, with whom he eloped to Wales, where
they were married. In Wales he first set up as
preacher of the Methodist persuasion but bis
hearers soon growing weary of his discourses, he
conceived the happy iden of setting his sermons
to music, and introduced for that purpose tin
Al
woes! Having by some means fallen into disgrace,
he left his Welsh charge under cover Of. right,
leaving few debts behind, and taking in exchange
the pewter tankard, which had been employed in
the church sacrameEts, and with his trumpet he
commenced his wanderings
Em5arkng as a cook on board Bristol vessel,
he first landed at jamaica in the West Indies, where
he resumed his functions Of /" stated preaching"
But as the Baptist denomination here more
populous and numerous than his former Sect he
left the Methodist, and came out deeply immers-
ed Baptist. He left, Jamaica, and next started a
dancing school in n small village, during which he
first heard of the f1ourshIng Mormon settlement
at Nauvoo, in Illinois, and Immediately determIn-
ed 10 push his fortunes in that direction. He az
rived in Philadelphia just the period OF the
tive American excitement there, and concealing
his origin and anecedents, and being dashng,
spirited fellow, he soon was acknowledged lead.
er, finally becoming the editor of natlvist 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 brass horn, which he has continued to
blow until his name has filled the earth.
The particulars of this strange biography are
related by who born in the same town
with the Angel Gabriel" and he is quite as much
astOnished at his success and notoriety any one.
He always wears his trumpet, frequently rides on
the teps Of omnibuses, and blows for the amase-
ment OF drivers.