William Maxwell Napier was born on 25 November 1827. His mother Charlotte Dewar Napier was a young widow. His father James Napier had been employed as a King’s Trumpeter when he was killed on duty. William’s family was musical on both sides: his maternal grandfather James Dewar had been the ‘Leader of the late Neil Gow’s band’.
Robert Sym Wilson, William’s cautioner and Secretary to the Royal Bank of Scotland, reported on his circumstances:
I beg leave most strongly to recommend, this Boy to the Notice of the Trustees of John Watson’s fund, because it is well known to me that his Father was a very excellent young man. – that he was killed while he was accompanying the Judges of Justiciary near Stirling as King’s Trumpeter some years ago, previous to the birth of the boy for whom I now use the liberty of applying – that his Widow has conducted herself at all times with the greatest propriety, & that if her Boy were provided for, she would probably be able to get into some situation which might be useful both to herself and to her Orphan – Both the widow and the Boy are totally destitute – and any casual relief from the Court of Exchequer hitherto received being now at an end.
William’s father’s tragic death was reported in the Glasgow Herald on 24 April 1826:
FATAL ACCIDENT. – On Wednesday last, while the Judges were entering Stirling to open the Circuit Court there, Mr. William Maxwell Napier, of Edinburgh, who accompanied the Judges as trumpeter, was thrown from his horse, and pitching upon his head, his skull was severely fractured. He was taken to Edinburgh on Thursday evening, and died on Friday morning, leaving a very young widow. He never spoke after the accident.
Edinburgh’s musical community rallied round to help his widow, putting on a benefit concert on 10 May 1826, advertised in the Caledonian Mercury on 4 May 1826:
THE EDINBURGH PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY of MUSICIANS beg leave to inform the Public, that, on WEDNESDAY the 10th of May 1826, they propose giving a CONCERT of VOCAL and INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC in the Theatre-Royal, (the free use of which has been granted by Mrs. H. Siddons), For the BENEFIT of the WIDOW of the late Mr WILLIAM MAXWELL NAPIER, who was recently killed by a fall from his horse at Stirling, whilst on duty there as Trumpeter to the Circuit Court of Justiciary. The Concert will be followed by a variety of Theatrical Entertainments, in which the Performers of this Theatre have most kindly promised their assistance in raising a small fund for the immediate relief of the young widow who as thus calamitously visited at a period when, of all others, she most required support of which she has been so suddenly and awfully deprived. The performances will commence with A CONCERT OF VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC. After which, THE WEDDING DAY. Lady Contest by Mrs H. Siddons. To conclude with the National Opera of GUY MANNERING….Tickets and places for the boxes to be had of Mr DUN, Treasurer to the Society, 30, Hanover Street; at the Music Shops; and at the Box Office.
William’s birth was reported in the Caledonian Mercury on 30 November 1826: ‘At No. 7, South Hanover Street, on the 25th current, Mrs Napier, widow of William Maxwell Napier, late one of his Majesty’s trumpeters for Scotland, of a son.’
William’s application for admission to John Watson’s Institution was accompanied by his certificates of birth and health and testimonials from Lord Meadowbank and Sir John Hope. He was admitted in 1834.
William married Jane Richmond Inglis on 2 January 1855 at 11 Nicholson Square, Edinburgh, giving his profession as compositor and his usual address as 1 Hatfield Cottages, Hatfield Street, Blackfriars Road, London. Their daughter Charlotte Dewar Napier was born at 162 Rose Street, Edinburgh, on 12 May 1857.
William moved back to London with his family by 1861 where the Census finds him with Jane, a newborn son William and daughters Jane (5) – both born in London – and Charlotte (3). The younger William died in 1861. Another daughter, Mary Ann, was born on 12 July 1862 in London.
William and his family moved to New York before 1870. The 1870 Census return for Brooklyn lists William as a printer with Jane ‘Keeping House’ and Jane (14), Charlotte (13), Mary Ann (8), and James (6) all ‘At School’.
In the 1875 Census for Brooklyn, William is a compositor in New York with Jane keeping house. Daughter Jane is an ‘Operator’ and Charlotte is a ‘Carpet Sewer’ with their younger siblings not yet at work. Jane (‘Jennie’) married on 1 July 1875 and Charlotte married on 24 December 1876.
The 1880 Census for Brooklyn lists William as a compositor with Jane keeping house, Mary Ann (17) working as a seamstress and James (16) working in the Brooklyn Public Library. James married on 21 February 1890.
William Maxwell Napier died in Brooklyn on 3 March 1892. His wife Jane lived until 1923 when her death at the home of her daughter Mrs Mary Ann Quillian of 158 Park Avenue was noted by the Times Union newspaper.
application
Certificate of health
Certificate of Birth
Letter of Recommendation (1)
Letter of recommendation (2)
