Scott writes quite a bit about John and Hugh McLean in his chapter on early (1817-1822) Columbia: "The stage carrying the fast mail, took two days and part of two nights betweeen Camden and Augusta. The line was owned by John McLean, of Fayetteville, N.C., who from being a stage driver, became a contractor for carrying the mails, and, at one time owned, I believe,the entire route from Washington to New Orleans. This required a large outlay and considerable financial capacity for its successful management. He was assisted by his brothers, Hugh, Daniel and Niel, with Gilbert Stalker, a steady old Scotchman, in the Columbia office, which became his headquarters, and was at Adam Edgar's Hotel, opposite Dr. McGregor's present drug store. McLean must have made large profits by his contracts. He was the sole owner of the street railroad, worked by horse power, from Cotton Town through the middle of Main and Bridge Streets to the basin on the canal, where Alexander Herbemont kept a warehouse for storing goods and produce. But, like Judge Gantt's constable, he couldn't bear promotion, and began to play the gentleman, a character so happily drawm by Dr. Franklin, who probably had more worldly wisdom than any other man our country has produced. The Doctor said that soon after going to England he asked his negro servant what he thought of the country, and got this answer "Massa, everybody work here;man work, woman work, child work, horse work, cow work,all work but hog; hog walk about and do nothing, just like a gentleman." To maintain his character as a gentleman he kept race horses and made a match race of four mile heats for $5,000 or $10,000 a side with Colonel Crowell, Indian agent in Georgia, to run his horse, Duke of Argyle, against John Bascom at Augusta. So confident of winning was he that he went to Augusta in a couch and four, taking along a number of carrier pigeons to convey the news of the results to Columbia in the least possible time, and when some of his friends who had come all the way from Kentucky begged a share in the bet, he refused. Never was disappointment greater than when the race came off, for Argyle was distanced in the first heat. His backers charged trickery on the other party, asserting that they had obtained access to Argyle's stable the night before and bled him nearly to death. However that might be, they lost their money and their horse never ran another race. McLean,in walking up town one morning,accosted Robert Waddell in his store, where Agnew now keeps, with the question whether he had heard of the good fortune just experienced by their mutual friend, Colonel Preston, to which Waddell replied in the negative. McLean then stated that by the death of a relative Colonel Preston had fallen heir to a very large estate, and then continued on his way. Waddell went home immediately, put on his best suit and betook himself to Colonel Preston's, whom he greeted with his heartiest congratulations. Preston asked what he meant, and being told, said "Mr. Waddell. has it not occurred to you that this is the first of April?" Thoroughly disgusted and discomfited, Waddell went home, resumed his work day clothing, and returning to the store, armed himself with an axe-handle, and awaited McLean's reappearance, who called out to him at a distance of twenty yards:"Well, Waddell, have you found out that this is the first of April?" Waddell replied, shaking the stick at him, "It's well for you that you got the first word, or I'd have given you a taste of this shilelah." Hugh McLean delighted in such jokes and in running rigs upon his friends." Later Scott writes: "Dr. F.W. Green's wife was a daughter of William Briggs, builder of the Columbia Bridge, and her sister was first married to Hugh McLean, and later to Henry Davis." Blanche