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- [S1429] Cuyler Reynolds editor, Schenectady County Public Library, SCHENECTADY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE (http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/index.html : accessed ), ., visited; 4 June 2011; http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/families/hmgfm/mcleod-1.html.
Harvey Smith
, sixth child of Hubert and Experience Oaks (Dickinson) McLeod, was born March 31, 1843. He was educated in the public schools, and on arriving at man's estate engaged in the hardware business at Phelps, New York, continuing for about eighteen months. The civil war, then raging, claimed him, and August 15, 1862, he enlisted in Company C, 148th New York Volunteer Infantry, and was promoted second lieutenant of Company E, same regiment, November, 1863. His regiment was one of the hard fought ones, participating in twenty-six engagements. He was honorably discharged in 1864 on account of ill health, and did not recover from this breakdown until many years later. He spent a year at New Orleans, Louisiana, in the government commissary department, and in 1866 located in Troy, where for sixteen years he was engaged in the retail stove and cornice business. In 1882 he purchased the interests of Bacon & Henry, firebrick manufacturers of Troy (established 1825), and in association with Mr. Henry, of the old firm, continued the making of firebrick until 1887. In that year the firm was incorporated as the McLeod & Henry Company, with Mr. McLeod as president and treasurer. The business of the company includes the manufacture of all kinds of steam boiler equipment, and is large and prosperous. He is a most active, energetic business man and has many outside interests. He is a director of the City National Bank, trustee Troy Savings Bank, director Queens Run Fire Brick Company, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, director Gleasenton Fire Brick Company, of Gleasenton, Pennsylvania, and vice-president of the Park Villa Realty Company, Troy, New York. He has not given his life to the pursuit of money getting, but has devoted much of his time to enterprises purely philanthropic and educational. For many years he has been president of the board of trustees of the Y. M. C. A., and for twenty years has been actively interested and useful in the work of the Mohawk and Hudson Humane Society, which he now serves as vice-president. He is a trustee of the Emma Willard school, and vice-president of the Troy Boys' Club. Perhaps in the latter institution his deepest interest lies. The club is an incorporated body whose object is the "maintenance of a club for the benefit, assistance and improvement of indigent and homeless boys." It is supported by voluntary contributions and gives "industrial, mental, physical, social and business training" to boys between ages of eight and fourteen years. Mr. McLeod has written many pamphlets and leaflets in the interest of the boys' club, besides giving generous financial assistance. He is a member of the Second Presbyterian Church of Troy, and has for several years been an elder of the same. He is active in church work, and served the Men's Brotherhood Association as president. For the past fifty years he has systematically given one-tenth of his income from all sources to all forms of charitable work, public and private, keeping an accurate account in a specially prepared book. This practice he kept up when in the army on his soldier's wages of thirteen dollars per month. His record books, carefully kept since 1865, form a small library in themselves. His example has been followed by about five hundred persons of whom he has personal knowledge, devoting one-tenth of their income to good works in his systematic way. The pledge written in his account books reveals the true spirit of the man and is most beautiful in expression: "Knowing as I do that my ability to labor and get reward therefor is a gift from God, and believing that I should show my appreciation of this fact, I have decided to set aside at least one-tenth of my income to be used to aid those not as fortunate as myself, and to spread at home and abroad the wonderful story of Christ's mission to our world, and to tell the glad story that He can now be retained as advocate by those who may desire him to plead their cause at His Father's Throne, when they are called to give an account of their life work. I have this book that I may keep a strict account of this trust fund." Systematic giving is particularly dear to his heart, and he has written and lectured frequently before audiences on this subject. He is a remarkably quiet and unostentatious gentleman, rarely seen at church or society conventions, but many a lad has received an education from his "trust fund" or been given a business start from the same source. This is practical Christianity, and is given notice here to show one man's method of expressing his gratitude for the "ability to labor and receive reward therefrom," and perhaps help some one else to decide upon a similar plan. He is a Republican in politics, and strongly in favor of a purely business administration of public affairs, national, state and civic. He is a member of the Loyal Legion (military order), and is past commander of Griswold Post, Grand Army Republic. His social club is the Troy. He married, January 18, 1872, Mary C., died April 26, 1891, daughter of Franklin and Mary (Goldsmith) Field.
- [S1429] Cuyler Reynolds editor, Schenectady County Public Library, SCHENECTADY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE (http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/index.html : accessed ), ., visited; 4 June 2011; http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/families/hmgfm/mcleod-1.html.
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1843 - Yes, date unknown
d. 22 Feb 1861, Phelps, Ontario, NY 