Highland Shepherd

In Wilson's hands, MacGregor, long heroized as Pictou's Presbyterian patriarch, proves to be a compelling and charismatic figure, bold and brilliant, who involved himself in all facets of community life and mellowed under the influences of family and frontier. The fact that Wilson is able to navigate the dense forest of Maritime Canada's early Presbyterian history without losing his readers in the underbrush of detail is a testament to his skill as a writer and storyteller. -- Laurie Stanley-Blackwell, Department of History, Saint Francis Xavier University Highland Shepherd is a fine portrait of the struggles and triumphs of an important minister in colonial Nova Scotia. It is an evocative and sensitive re-creation of MacGregor's character and circumstance and an important contribution to the literature on the influence of Scottish thought, institutions, and culture within early Canadian society. -- David Marshall, Department of History, University of Calgary

Alan Wilson brings MacGregor and his surroundings to life, detailing his numerous achievements and establishing his importance to the social, religious, and intellectual history of the Maritimes.

In 1786, the Reverend James MacGregor (1759–1830) was dispatched across the North Atlantic to establish a dissenting Presbyterian church in Pictou, Nova Scotia. The decision dismayed MacGregor, who had hoped for a post in the Scottish Highlands. Yet it led to a remarkable career in what was still the backwoods of colonial North America. Industrious and erudite, MacGregor established the progressive Pictou Academy, opposed slavery, and promoted scientific education, agriculture, and industry. Poet and translator, fluent in nine languages, he encouraged the preservation of the Gaelic language and promoted Scottish culture in Nova Scotia.

Highland Shepherd finally bestows on MacGregor the recognition that he so richly deserves. Alan Wilson brings MacGregor and his surroundings to life, detailing his numerous achievements and establishing his importance to the social, religious, and intellectual history of the Maritimes.