A. Macready, was born in Scotland in 1821; was raised and educated in Glasgow, where he graduated in 1842; came to America in 1846, and located at Patterson, N.J., where he took the management of two spinning mills. Afterwards he was connected with the banking house of John Thompson, now Thompson Bros. He was then sent to Kentucky as agent of the Breckenridge coal oil companies, which made the first coal oil ever made. Mr. M. sold the first two barrels of oil ever sold in America, in the autumn of 1855. In 1856, he came to this city, where he brought a stock of goods, which he disposed of at Sergeant’s Bluffs, where he built the first business house erected in Woodbury County, outside of Sioux City. He was appointed by President Lincoln agent of the Omaha Agency; was the first postmaster of Dakota City, and was appointed receiver in the land office at that place. He opened the first stage route from Fort Randall to Fort Dodge. In 1871, he retired from business.
