From BIOGRAPHY OF THE CLASS OF 1838 OF Princeton College. (1889)
JOHN McAULEY EAGER, A. M., ESQ.
John McAuley Eager was born at Newburgh, N. Y., Oct. 13, 1817. His parents were Samuel Watkins Eager, and Mrs. Catharine (McAuley) Eager. His father, Mr. Samuel Watkins Eager, was a lawyer in Newburgh, a graduate of Princeton College (class of 1809), a Representative in Congress, and died at Newburgh, Dec. 23, 1860. It was a singular fact that during the first year of his course in Princeton College the son John occupied the identical room that his father had occupied nearly thirty years before.
Mr. Eager was prepared for college under Mr. Jacob C. Tooker in the Academy at Montgomery, Orange Co., N. Y. He joined the Freshman Class in Princeton College in 1834, and became a member of the Whig Society. He was of about the average height, rather broadly built. His face was somewhat sharp-featured in its outline, and pleasing. He was not an earnest student, and his final grade was low. But he was a great reader, a ready and correct writer, and an earnest, graceful and impressive speaker. In conversation he was fluent and argumentative. Among his recollections of college life. Dr. Lewis McKnight gives the following: "Eager and Wall were strong politicians of antagonistic parties, and they often met in Wall's room which was the northwest corner of the upper floor of Old North College, while mine was the southeast corner, and as they would get excited in their discussions, one could hear them all over that floor, and they were often notified that they were a nuisance." Nevertheless, Eager excelled, and was popular as a public speaker, and was more than once chosen to represent the college or the Whig Society on public occasions.
After his graduation, he studied law with his father at Newburgh. On receiving license to practice in 1841, he removed to St. Louis, Mo., where he practiced for eleven years. He was at one time District Attorney for St. Louis City and county. He returned to New York City in 1852, where he lived and practiced until his death. After his death the New York Tribune said of him, " He was a well-read lawyer, a fine scholar, an eloquent advocate and a graceful writer. His addresses during the war, in this city and elsewhere, will be remembered with pleasure by all who heard them." We can- not here do better than to give a portion of a letter very kindly sent to the writer by Judge E. L. Fancher, of New York City, President of The American Bible Society, who knew Mr. Eager intimately. He says :
In 1856 and 1857, Mr. Eager was my law partner, and we pursued the practice of the law under the name of Fancher & Eager ; but he withdrew from the firm and substantially from his law practice, in the city of New York, shortly after his second marriage in 1857, He came from St. Louis to New York, having begun his early practice in that western city. His reputation then was brilliant and promising, both as a good lawyer and an eloquent speaker. During the time he was associated with me his practice was successful and lucrative, and he gave promise of soon reaching the front rank of his profession. Mr. Eager married a second time in 1857, and his second wife was a lovely lady. Soon after this marriage Mr. Eager was much absent from New York, travelling and visiting, and, as I have heard, his practice diminished. Not many years afterward I heard that coming to New York, he had died of some sudden illness at a hotel in that city. Mr. Eager was gifted with natural abilities of a high order, and his acquirements and legal training made him, while I knew him, the pride of his friends and the accomplished man."
In addition to his ability as a lawyer and advocate, Mr. Eager was the author of many pieces in prose and verse, which had a wide circulation, and weregreatly admired. Among these may especially be named his short poem entitled "Greenwood in Winter," originally published in '"Harper's Weekly." It was written a few days before his death.
Mr. Eager married; 1st, Miss Jane Maria Fish, July 26, 1843. She was a daughter of Mr. Thomas Fish, a retired merchant of Newburgh, N. Y. She died in New York City, Nov. 16, 1855. He married; 2d, Miss Margaret Campbell McLaren, Oct. 14, 1857, daughter of the Rev. Malcom N. McLaren, D. D., deceased, then pastor of a church in Newburgh, afterwards of Auburn, N. Y. She still lives, and is now Mrs. Robert Nelson, of Auburn, N. Y. He left two children by each wife. They are — i. Mrs. Maria Louise Finnall, widow of M. S. Finnall, residing at Los Angeles, Cal. ;— 2. Mary Elizabeth Nyhart, wife of Alpheus F. Nyhart, of Casselton, Cass Co., Dakota ;— 3. John McAuley Eager, M. D., of Baltimore, Md. ; and— 4. Susan McLaren Eager, residing at Auburn, N. Y.
Mr. Eager died suddenly of apoplexy at French's Hotel, in New York City, March 4, 1869, and was buried in St George's Cemetery at Newburgh. The lady who was the second Mrs. Eager writes of him : " As a husband and father he was most devoted; as a friend he was sincere. For several years he attended the church of which the Rev. Samuel D. Alexander (his college classmate) was pastor ; for the last twelve years of his life the Collegiate Dutch Church on Fifth Avenue, New York. I can truly say of him that he was kept unspotted from the world."
JOHN McAULEY EAGER, A. M., ESQ.
John McAuley Eager was born at Newburgh, N. Y., Oct. 13, 1817. His parents were Samuel Watkins Eager, and Mrs. Catharine (McAuley) Eager. His father, Mr. Samuel Watkins Eager, was a lawyer in Newburgh, a graduate of Princeton College (class of 1809), a Representative in Congress, and died at Newburgh, Dec. 23, 1860. It was a singular fact that during the first year of his course in Princeton College the son John occupied the identical room that his father had occupied nearly thirty years before.
Mr. Eager was prepared for college under Mr. Jacob C. Tooker in the Academy at Montgomery, Orange Co., N. Y. He joined the Freshman Class in Princeton College in 1834, and became a member of the Whig Society. He was of about the average height, rather broadly built. His face was somewhat sharp-featured in its outline, and pleasing. He was not an earnest student, and his final grade was low. But he was a great reader, a ready and correct writer, and an earnest, graceful and impressive speaker. In conversation he was fluent and argumentative. Among his recollections of college life. Dr. Lewis McKnight gives the following: "Eager and Wall were strong politicians of antagonistic parties, and they often met in Wall's room which was the northwest corner of the upper floor of Old North College, while mine was the southeast corner, and as they would get excited in their discussions, one could hear them all over that floor, and they were often notified that they were a nuisance." Nevertheless, Eager excelled, and was popular as a public speaker, and was more than once chosen to represent the college or the Whig Society on public occasions.
After his graduation, he studied law with his father at Newburgh. On receiving license to practice in 1841, he removed to St. Louis, Mo., where he practiced for eleven years. He was at one time District Attorney for St. Louis City and county. He returned to New York City in 1852, where he lived and practiced until his death. After his death the New York Tribune said of him, " He was a well-read lawyer, a fine scholar, an eloquent advocate and a graceful writer. His addresses during the war, in this city and elsewhere, will be remembered with pleasure by all who heard them." We can- not here do better than to give a portion of a letter very kindly sent to the writer by Judge E. L. Fancher, of New York City, President of The American Bible Society, who knew Mr. Eager intimately. He says :
In 1856 and 1857, Mr. Eager was my law partner, and we pursued the practice of the law under the name of Fancher & Eager ; but he withdrew from the firm and substantially from his law practice, in the city of New York, shortly after his second marriage in 1857, He came from St. Louis to New York, having begun his early practice in that western city. His reputation then was brilliant and promising, both as a good lawyer and an eloquent speaker. During the time he was associated with me his practice was successful and lucrative, and he gave promise of soon reaching the front rank of his profession. Mr. Eager married a second time in 1857, and his second wife was a lovely lady. Soon after this marriage Mr. Eager was much absent from New York, travelling and visiting, and, as I have heard, his practice diminished. Not many years afterward I heard that coming to New York, he had died of some sudden illness at a hotel in that city. Mr. Eager was gifted with natural abilities of a high order, and his acquirements and legal training made him, while I knew him, the pride of his friends and the accomplished man."
In addition to his ability as a lawyer and advocate, Mr. Eager was the author of many pieces in prose and verse, which had a wide circulation, and weregreatly admired. Among these may especially be named his short poem entitled "Greenwood in Winter," originally published in '"Harper's Weekly." It was written a few days before his death.
Mr. Eager married; 1st, Miss Jane Maria Fish, July 26, 1843. She was a daughter of Mr. Thomas Fish, a retired merchant of Newburgh, N. Y. She died in New York City, Nov. 16, 1855. He married; 2d, Miss Margaret Campbell McLaren, Oct. 14, 1857, daughter of the Rev. Malcom N. McLaren, D. D., deceased, then pastor of a church in Newburgh, afterwards of Auburn, N. Y. She still lives, and is now Mrs. Robert Nelson, of Auburn, N. Y. He left two children by each wife. They are — i. Mrs. Maria Louise Finnall, widow of M. S. Finnall, residing at Los Angeles, Cal. ;— 2. Mary Elizabeth Nyhart, wife of Alpheus F. Nyhart, of Casselton, Cass Co., Dakota ;— 3. John McAuley Eager, M. D., of Baltimore, Md. ; and— 4. Susan McLaren Eager, residing at Auburn, N. Y.
Mr. Eager died suddenly of apoplexy at French's Hotel, in New York City, March 4, 1869, and was buried in St George's Cemetery at Newburgh. The lady who was the second Mrs. Eager writes of him : " As a husband and father he was most devoted; as a friend he was sincere. For several years he attended the church of which the Rev. Samuel D. Alexander (his college classmate) was pastor ; for the last twelve years of his life the Collegiate Dutch Church on Fifth Avenue, New York. I can truly say of him that he was kept unspotted from the world."
From BIOGRAPHY OF THE CLASS OF 1838 OF Princeton College. (1889)
JOHN McAULEY EAGER, A. M., ESQ.
John McAuley Eager was born at Newburgh, N. Y., Oct. 13, 1817. His parents were Samuel Watkins Eager, and Mrs. Catharine (McAuley) Eager. His father, Mr. Samuel Watkins Eager, was a lawyer in Newburgh, a graduate of Princeton College (class of 1809), a Representative in Congress, and died at Newburgh, Dec. 23, 1860. It was a singular fact that during the first year of his course in Princeton College the son John occupied the identical room that his father had occupied nearly thirty years before.
Mr. Eager was prepared for college under Mr. Jacob C. Tooker in the Academy at Montgomery, Orange Co., N. Y. He joined the Freshman Class in Princeton College in 1834, and became a member of the Whig Society. He was of about the average height, rather broadly built. His face was somewhat sharp-featured in its outline, and pleasing. He was not an earnest student, and his final grade was low. But he was a great reader, a ready and correct writer, and an earnest, graceful and impressive speaker. In conversation he was fluent and argumentative. Among his recollections of college life. Dr. Lewis McKnight gives the following: "Eager and Wall were strong politicians of antagonistic parties, and they often met in Wall's room which was the northwest corner of the upper floor of Old North College, while mine was the southeast corner, and as they would get excited in their discussions, one could hear them all over that floor, and they were often notified that they were a nuisance." Nevertheless, Eager excelled, and was popular as a public speaker, and was more than once chosen to represent the college or the Whig Society on public occasions.
After his graduation, he studied law with his father at Newburgh. On receiving license to practice in 1841, he removed to St. Louis, Mo., where he practiced for eleven years. He was at one time District Attorney for St. Louis City and county. He returned to New York City in 1852, where he lived and practiced until his death. After his death the New York Tribune said of him, " He was a well-read lawyer, a fine scholar, an eloquent advocate and a graceful writer. His addresses during the war, in this city and elsewhere, will be remembered with pleasure by all who heard them." We can- not here do better than to give a portion of a letter very kindly sent to the writer by Judge E. L. Fancher, of New York City, President of The American Bible Society, who knew Mr. Eager intimately. He says :
In 1856 and 1857, Mr. Eager was my law partner, and we pursued the practice of the law under the name of Fancher & Eager ; but he withdrew from the firm and substantially from his law practice, in the city of New York, shortly after his second marriage in 1857, He came from St. Louis to New York, having begun his early practice in that western city. His reputation then was brilliant and promising, both as a good lawyer and an eloquent speaker. During the time he was associated with me his practice was successful and lucrative, and he gave promise of soon reaching the front rank of his profession. Mr. Eager married a second time in 1857, and his second wife was a lovely lady. Soon after this marriage Mr. Eager was much absent from New York, travelling and visiting, and, as I have heard, his practice diminished. Not many years afterward I heard that coming to New York, he had died of some sudden illness at a hotel in that city. Mr. Eager was gifted with natural abilities of a high order, and his acquirements and legal training made him, while I knew him, the pride of his friends and the accomplished man."
In addition to his ability as a lawyer and advocate, Mr. Eager was the author of many pieces in prose and verse, which had a wide circulation, and weregreatly admired. Among these may especially be named his short poem entitled "Greenwood in Winter," originally published in '"Harper's Weekly." It was written a few days before his death.
Mr. Eager married; 1st, Miss Jane Maria Fish, July 26, 1843. She was a daughter of Mr. Thomas Fish, a retired merchant of Newburgh, N. Y. She died in New York City, Nov. 16, 1855. He married; 2d, Miss Margaret Campbell McLaren, Oct. 14, 1857, daughter of the Rev. Malcom N. McLaren, D. D., deceased, then pastor of a church in Newburgh, afterwards of Auburn, N. Y. She still lives, and is now Mrs. Robert Nelson, of Auburn, N. Y. He left two children by each wife. They are — i. Mrs. Maria Louise Finnall, widow of M. S. Finnall, residing at Los Angeles, Cal. ;— 2. Mary Elizabeth Nyhart, wife of Alpheus F. Nyhart, of Casselton, Cass Co., Dakota ;— 3. John McAuley Eager, M. D., of Baltimore, Md. ; and— 4. Susan McLaren Eager, residing at Auburn, N. Y.
Mr. Eager died suddenly of apoplexy at French's Hotel, in New York City, March 4, 1869, and was buried in St George's Cemetery at Newburgh. The lady who was the second Mrs. Eager writes of him : " As a husband and father he was most devoted; as a friend he was sincere. For several years he attended the church of which the Rev. Samuel D. Alexander (his college classmate) was pastor ; for the last twelve years of his life the Collegiate Dutch Church on Fifth Avenue, New York. I can truly say of him that he was kept unspotted from the world."
JOHN McAULEY EAGER, A. M., ESQ.
John McAuley Eager was born at Newburgh, N. Y., Oct. 13, 1817. His parents were Samuel Watkins Eager, and Mrs. Catharine (McAuley) Eager. His father, Mr. Samuel Watkins Eager, was a lawyer in Newburgh, a graduate of Princeton College (class of 1809), a Representative in Congress, and died at Newburgh, Dec. 23, 1860. It was a singular fact that during the first year of his course in Princeton College the son John occupied the identical room that his father had occupied nearly thirty years before.
Mr. Eager was prepared for college under Mr. Jacob C. Tooker in the Academy at Montgomery, Orange Co., N. Y. He joined the Freshman Class in Princeton College in 1834, and became a member of the Whig Society. He was of about the average height, rather broadly built. His face was somewhat sharp-featured in its outline, and pleasing. He was not an earnest student, and his final grade was low. But he was a great reader, a ready and correct writer, and an earnest, graceful and impressive speaker. In conversation he was fluent and argumentative. Among his recollections of college life. Dr. Lewis McKnight gives the following: "Eager and Wall were strong politicians of antagonistic parties, and they often met in Wall's room which was the northwest corner of the upper floor of Old North College, while mine was the southeast corner, and as they would get excited in their discussions, one could hear them all over that floor, and they were often notified that they were a nuisance." Nevertheless, Eager excelled, and was popular as a public speaker, and was more than once chosen to represent the college or the Whig Society on public occasions.
After his graduation, he studied law with his father at Newburgh. On receiving license to practice in 1841, he removed to St. Louis, Mo., where he practiced for eleven years. He was at one time District Attorney for St. Louis City and county. He returned to New York City in 1852, where he lived and practiced until his death. After his death the New York Tribune said of him, " He was a well-read lawyer, a fine scholar, an eloquent advocate and a graceful writer. His addresses during the war, in this city and elsewhere, will be remembered with pleasure by all who heard them." We can- not here do better than to give a portion of a letter very kindly sent to the writer by Judge E. L. Fancher, of New York City, President of The American Bible Society, who knew Mr. Eager intimately. He says :
In 1856 and 1857, Mr. Eager was my law partner, and we pursued the practice of the law under the name of Fancher & Eager ; but he withdrew from the firm and substantially from his law practice, in the city of New York, shortly after his second marriage in 1857, He came from St. Louis to New York, having begun his early practice in that western city. His reputation then was brilliant and promising, both as a good lawyer and an eloquent speaker. During the time he was associated with me his practice was successful and lucrative, and he gave promise of soon reaching the front rank of his profession. Mr. Eager married a second time in 1857, and his second wife was a lovely lady. Soon after this marriage Mr. Eager was much absent from New York, travelling and visiting, and, as I have heard, his practice diminished. Not many years afterward I heard that coming to New York, he had died of some sudden illness at a hotel in that city. Mr. Eager was gifted with natural abilities of a high order, and his acquirements and legal training made him, while I knew him, the pride of his friends and the accomplished man."
In addition to his ability as a lawyer and advocate, Mr. Eager was the author of many pieces in prose and verse, which had a wide circulation, and weregreatly admired. Among these may especially be named his short poem entitled "Greenwood in Winter," originally published in '"Harper's Weekly." It was written a few days before his death.
Mr. Eager married; 1st, Miss Jane Maria Fish, July 26, 1843. She was a daughter of Mr. Thomas Fish, a retired merchant of Newburgh, N. Y. She died in New York City, Nov. 16, 1855. He married; 2d, Miss Margaret Campbell McLaren, Oct. 14, 1857, daughter of the Rev. Malcom N. McLaren, D. D., deceased, then pastor of a church in Newburgh, afterwards of Auburn, N. Y. She still lives, and is now Mrs. Robert Nelson, of Auburn, N. Y. He left two children by each wife. They are — i. Mrs. Maria Louise Finnall, widow of M. S. Finnall, residing at Los Angeles, Cal. ;— 2. Mary Elizabeth Nyhart, wife of Alpheus F. Nyhart, of Casselton, Cass Co., Dakota ;— 3. John McAuley Eager, M. D., of Baltimore, Md. ; and— 4. Susan McLaren Eager, residing at Auburn, N. Y.
Mr. Eager died suddenly of apoplexy at French's Hotel, in New York City, March 4, 1869, and was buried in St George's Cemetery at Newburgh. The lady who was the second Mrs. Eager writes of him : " As a husband and father he was most devoted; as a friend he was sincere. For several years he attended the church of which the Rev. Samuel D. Alexander (his college classmate) was pastor ; for the last twelve years of his life the Collegiate Dutch Church on Fifth Avenue, New York. I can truly say of him that he was kept unspotted from the world."
Family Members
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
