mcqueen grew up in eutaw, alabama, and received his early education in private schools under the well known educators daniel collier and joseph a. taylor. at age 16, he began work as a clerk in a bank in eutaw. in 1884, he began work for the alabama great southern railroad and served as agent at eutaw, tuscaloosa and other points along the line until 1890, when he moved to birmingham, alabama as train dispatcher.