Cumberland County, Maine - Colonel George F. McQuillan
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Biography 
Colonel George F. McQuillan 
Biographical Review 
Cumberland County, Maine 
Boston 
Biographical Review Publishing Company 
1896 
Page 259-260


Colonel George F. McQuillan, attorney and counsellor-at-law, 98
Exchange Street, Portland, Me., was born in Naples, Me., April 18,
1849, son of the Rev. Hugh and Elvira (Wight) McQuillan, both natives
of Maine.  He is a descendant of the McQuillans who entered Ireland
with the earliest English adventurers, and were the ancient lords of
the northern coast and the surrounding district, from Dunseverick
Castle, in County Antrim, near the Giant's Causeway, to Dunluce
Castle. Dunseverick, which tradition says was built by the McQuillans,
is now a heap of ruins; and Dunluce, though dismantled and crumbling
with age, is still recognizable as a once strong and beautiful
fortress. The McQuillans were lords of this part of Ireland as late as
the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Their downfall dates from the marriage
of the daughter of McQuillan, Lord of Dunluce, with MacDonnell, a
chieftain from the opposite Scottish Highlands. MacDonnell
subsequently took possession of the Antrim territory, and got King
James I. to confirm him as the owner, since which the MacDonnells have
been Earls of Antrim. The McQuillans, deprived of their possessions,
became scattered through the northern part of the country, and thence
to other parts of the world. John McQuillan, grandfather of Colonel
McQuillan, was born in the north of Ireland. A man of fine form and
good physique, he entered the English navy, and in time became a
subordinate officer. He left the service of the English government at
Portland, Me., and afterward settled in Gorham, marrying Olive
Edwards, a-native of that town, who was his second wife. John
McQuillan died in Gorham in 1807, and his wife died there in 1820.

The Rev. Hugh McQuillan, the second son of John and Olive (Edwards)
McQuillan, was born in Gorham, Me., July 18, 1803. After the death of
his father he lived with and was educated by a gentleman in Windham,
Me., until he was twenty-one years of age. He was ordained a minister
in the denomination of Christian Baptists, and, was engaged in
evangelical work up to the time of his death, which occurred in Casco,
Me., April 14, 1861. He was married in Naples, Me., in 1842 to Elvira
Wight, who was born in Otisfield, Me., April 16, 1807, and was a
member of an old family who settled in Dedham, Norfolk County, Mass.,
as early as 1636. Mrs. McQuillan was. a noble woman, and after her
husband's death kept her little family together, and gave them the
best educational advantages within her means. She died in Yarmouth,
Me., November 27, 1881.  Hugh and Elvira (Wight) McQuillan had three
children - Rufus H., Liza A., and George F. Rufus H. was born in
Naples Me., November 18, 1844. When a youth of seventeen he enlisted
as a private, joining Company G, First Regiment, United States
Infantry, May 24, 1862, and shared in the second battle of Bull Run,
Antietam, South Mountain, the first battle of Fredericksburg, and the
siege of Vicksburg, from May 19 to July 4, 1863. During the last year
he served as Orderly to the general commanding at New Orleans. He was
discharged at New Orleans, May 24, 1865. On leaving the army he
engaged in the lumber business, having charge at different times of
various lumber mills in the West. He went to Yarmouth, Me., to reside
in 1880, where he engaged in the lumber business and opened up a large
hardware store. In politics he was a Republican, and was Deputy
Sheriff at Yarmouth under Sheriff Benjamin True for two years. He
always took great interest in Grand Army affairs, and was the first
Commander of the Post at Yarmouth. He was a business man of the
strictest integrity, and was one of the best-known and most highly
respected citizens of Yarmouth. March 17, 1874, he married Alma B.
Sawyer in Raymond, Me. He died April 23, 1896, at Yarmouth, after a
ten days' illness of pneumonia, leaving her and three children - Hugh
D., George H., and Rufus Leroy. Liza A. McQuillan was born in Naples,
Me. She resides in Portland, and is unmarried.

Colonel George F. McQuillan passed his boyhood days in the town of
Raymond. He attended the common schools, and fitted for college at
North Bridgton Academy. He graduated from Bowdoin in the class of
1875, his expenses having been partly paid by his mother and partly
covered by what he earned by teaching school. , His college course was
marked by good fellowship. Everybody liked "Mac," as he was familiarly
called. He took quite an interest in boating, being one year a member
of the University crew. After graduating from college he taught in
high schools in the northern part of Cumberland County for two years.
He then took up the study of law with the Hon. Bion Bradbury, of
Portland. He was admitted to the bar October 14, 1879, and practiced
one year at Casco. He moved to Portland in October, 1880, where he has
since been in active practice. Besides being a member of the bar of
the State court and the United States Circuit Court, Colonel McQuillan
was admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1892 at
Washington, D.C. He has been for a number of years attorney for
several towns in Cumberland County, and is well known as an able,
conscientious, and reliable lawyer. In politics a Democrat, he was
appointed June 6, 1881,Judge Advocate-General on the staff of
Governor Plaisted, with the rank of Colonel, and served in that
capacity till January 3, 1883. He has been the Democratic candidate
for Clerk of Courts of Cumberland County, and ran well on the ticket,
getting his party's full support. In 1892 he was the Democratic
candidate for judge of the Probate Court for Cumberland County. On
December 1, 1892, the law firm of Bradbury & McQuillan was formed,
consisting of Colonel Albert W. Bradbury and the subject of this
sketch, and was continued till May 28, 1894, when Colonel Bradbury was
appointed United States District Attorney. Since that time Colonel
McQuillan has been without an associate in his legal work.

In 1891 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary F. Robie, daughter of
ex- Governor Frederick Robie and his wife, Mary Olivia (Priest) Robie.
Colonel and Mrs. McQuillan have one child, Harriet R., who was born
March 14, 1894. Colonel McQuillan is a man of scholarly attainments,
whose judgment in educational matters was recognized even before he
entered on his legal career. While at college he was appointed
Supervisor of Schools at Raymond. He also served as Supervisor of
Schools at Casco, and as Town Clerk in 187980. He has a substantial
residence on Carleton Street, Portland.