Request for Question Clarification by
hummer-ga
on
19 Apr 2003 12:26 PDT
Hi wr,
We have been researching your question and it has turned out to be
quite the challenge, partly due to the various spellings of the name
M'Gregor (the spelling is not significant - libraries show all three
spellings for the same person) AND he also went by the name of Rev.
Dr. James Drummond! However, searching all of the sites where the book
should be listed (such as the National Library of Canada) and using
all known variations of his name, we've not been to find a book as you
describe attributed to him. I am going to post a few links - please
have a look at them and confirm that this is at least the right
fellow. By the way, we've also tried searching under his son Peter and
grandson James with no luck.
1. Minister's Name Outlawed?
"If it were not for the difficult, dangerous times that followed the
Battle of Culloden in Scotland, it would have been Rev. James Drummond
who came to Pictou in July 1786.
If it weren't for the Battle of Culloden, perhaps the Highlanders
would not have emigrated to Pictou County. But it did, they did, and
he did.
Clan warfare and oppression being what it was after Culloden, the name
Drummond was outlawed and the family took the name of McGregor.
So it was Rev. Dr. James McGregor who arrived at Pictou on July 22,
1786, to spend his life preaching the Gospel in Pictou County and
beyond.
Grandson James Drummond McGregor (appointed Lieutenant Governor of
Nova Scotia in 1910) bore both family names proudly."
["The MacKay Times of New Scotland," Spring/Summer 1995]
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Heritage/FSCNS/Scots_NS/Thr_Yrs/Seen_Heard_Clans.html
2. MacGregor of the Verses": Reverend Doctor James 'Drummond'
MacGregor
" He was referred to as "MacGregor of the verses" for his keen mind
and his poetic abilities. He wrote a history of "The MacGregors of
Roro" and he wrote a book of Gaelic poems, which he published in
Scotland in 1818. Many of his creations were sung in Gaelic by his
congregations, (as most could not read or write in English). He
travelled constantly, often stopping only for a quick meal and a
sermon. He once preached 37 sermons in three weeks. He was the only
Protestant preacher in the Pictou area for twenty years."
http://members.tripod.com/~Hal_MacGregor/gregor/NovaScot.html
3. Pictonians at Home and Abroad Electronic Edition Editors:
Claire Smith & Richard MacNeil
CHAPTER II THE RELIGIOUS HISTORY OF THE COUNTY
"Dr. McGregor was born in Perthshire, Scotland in 1759. He arrived in
Nova Scotia in July 11, 1786, when he was 27 years of age. He had had
some experience in ministerial work in Scotland. He was a good scholar
and a sound theologian. His knowledge of Gaelic was accurate and his
mastery of the language complete, as may be seen from his "Gaelic
Poems and Hymns," which are still in demand among Highlanders."
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nspictou/elect_text/Pictonians_ch_2.htm
4. FAMOUS (& OUTSTANDING ) MacGREGORS:
"MacGregor, Reverend Dr. James Drummond (1759-1830) This singular man
was born in Portmore, near Loch Earn when the MacGregor name was still
proscribed, hence the alias of 'Drummond.' While studying at
University in Edinburgh, he legally changed his surname to the
original "MacGregor". He studied Gaelic, became fluent, and impressed
his seniors so that he was chosen by the Scottish Presbyterian Synod
to preach to the exclusively Gaelic-speaking highland settlers in
Pictou, Nova Scotia - and subsequently landed there in July of 1786.
He quickly became a father figure to all the Protestant Highlanders
in northern Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick, and Prince Edward
Island. He was revered by all his parishioners and was the only
preacher in northern Nova Scotia for over twenty years. He was known
as 'MacGregor of the verses' for his keen mind and his poetic
abilities. He wrote an authoritative history of the "MacGregors of
Roro", and a book of Gaelic Poems", which was published in Scotland in
1818."
http://members.tripod.com/~Hal_MacGregor/gregor/famous.html
Just three sites that we searched for the book:
1. Novanet, a consortium of ten Nova Scotia Libraries:
http://venus.novanet.ns.ca:8080/html/geaclogin.html
2. National Library of Canada: Amicus:
http://amicus.nlc-bnc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/rqst_sb?sessionKey=1050765445040_216_209_243_112&l=0&lvl=1&v=0&rv=1&r=4&i=NA&hdg=2270114&bc=26&t=%22+MacGregor,+James,+1759-1830%22&dt=%22+MacGregor,+James,+1759-1830%22&spi=-&rt=1&bill=1
3. Angus L. Macdonald Library - St. Francis Xavier University
http://libmain.stfx.ca/newlib/
Suggested Reading: The Canadian Encyclopedia Online:
Roland H. Sherwood, "Pictou's Pioneer Minister," Nova Scotia
Historical Quarterly 5, 4 (1975): 337-352; Peter Bush, "James Drummond
MacGregor," in Called to Witness: profiles of Canadian Presbyterians,
1-9 III (1991).
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&TCE_Version=A&ArticleId=A0004908&MenuClosed=0
So to end, please confirm that this is the person you are referring
to. I've emailed several libraries and associations, but due to the
holidays, I probably won't hear back from anyone until Tuesday or
beyond. As things stand now, either your book is so totally obscure
that noone knows about it, or, there was never actually a book
published on that topic but rather just a chapter or two in some other
publication. Where did you hear about it and what biography are you
referring to?
Will look forward to hearing from you,
hummer
