Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-07-09
The late Judge Nee unn Of New York


Judge McCunn had remarkable history.
Whatever his enemies may say Of his official
career, he took front rank among the self
made men Of this city: He was born at Cole
raine. in the county of Derry, ireland, in 1925.
When boy he always evinced preference for
the life of a sailor and when scarcely fourteen
years of age, he ran away from his home and
induced the captain of the ship Prudent, then
at the wharf In Belfast, and bound tor Merl-
nchi, in the British Provinces of North Amer.
lea, to give him a position of cabln-boy, anu
after tossing about for some eight months, aud
having been shipwrecked twice, the last time
on the coast of New Jersey, he having his I'm
gers froStbitten necesSltatlng the amrutatlon
of two Of them, he landed in 1871 in this metro
polls penniless, but full of ambition and set
tied determination to 90 to 10 the battle of life.
Finding it useless to remain here, and remem-'
berine an old FREUD of his family who resided
in PHILADELPHIA, thither he went, and appren-
ticcd himself to cabinet maker where he re-
manned sometime, but finding work scarce
there, and having desire to settle in New
York, he returned, aud began his trade anew
here; but being passlonately fond OF anything
pertaining TO law. oftentimes being appealed to
by his friends for his opinion, he sought around
him for means to enter the legal profession,
and secured mental position 10 the office of
Charles O'Conor, when the latter wasa mem
Der of the firm of Benedict 4 Boardman, In
a very short time, by his remarkable profclen-
cy aud aptneSs in Everything intrusted to his
care, he became valuable addition to the
office, so much so that upon various occasions
he was intlusted with some very delicate aud
important matters.
On attaining his majority the dream Of his life
was consummated, and be was admitted to the
bar, and soon after he married Miss Jenny
Warreus, who brought him dover OF $2500OO
Shortly afterwards he entered into law partner
ship with the late ex-Judge Moncrlef who was
for two terms likewise a Judge OF the Superior
Court. The business became prosperous, and
in short time he found himself on the high
road to fortune. Upon Judge Moncrief being
elected to the bench the old partnership was
dissolved, and new firm organized under the
name McCunn, Swartwout Il Fin. In 1861
having allied himself to Tammany Hall, he re-
ceived the nomination OF that body for City
Judge for four years, and was elected, when he
at once retired from the active practice OF bis
profession, On the outbreak of the war he
descended from the bench and raised at his
own expense the Thirty Regiment Of
Volunteers, called the Irish Rifles. At
Malvern Hill he became so conspicuous for his
ga!lantry and bravery that he was promoted to
a brigadier- generalship; but through some mad
yertency on his part he was involved in dis
pute with fellow officer, upon which he re-
signed his commission and returned home In
1864 he was nominated for and elected to the
Superior Court for six years. At the end of
his term he was reelected by large majority.
Judge McCunn was about forty years
of age, and man of highly sensitive nature. He
could encounter anything but public censure,
and during all his public life he exhibited the
greatest solicitude, lest the newspapers should
attack him for his official acts. His wife was
possessed of handsome fortune, and this with
McCuun' subsequent real estate speculations,
and income from his profession, left him worth
at the time Of his death fortune estimated at
$3.000,000.
He owned in this city large amount of prop
erty in the upper wards, and fine country
residence in New Jersey. A few years ago he
purchased in the county Derry Ireland, an
estate called Farm Hi, on which his mother
resides This place it was his habit to visit
once year.-N T. Standard