Rev. James A. Macdonald

Notes:

From Wikipedia:

He was born in East Williams Township, Upper Canada, the son of John Alexander Macdonald and Jane Grant, and was educated there, in Hamilton, in Toronto and at the University of Toronto. Macdonald continued his studies at Knox College, where he became editor of the Knox College Monthly. After graduating in 1887, he continued to be editor and also served as college librarian. In 1890, Macdonald married Grace Lumsden Christian. He was ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1891 and assigned to Knox Presbyterian Church in St. Thomas. In 1896, Macdonald was named principal of Presbyterian Ladies' College in Toronto. He also became editor of a new Presbyterian monthly, the Westminster. In 1902, Macdonald also became editor of a new weekly Presbyterian. In 1903, he became editor of the Globe, continuing in that role until 1915. Macdonald also served as a director of the Canadian Associated Press and for the University of Toronto, as a trustee for the Toronto General Hospital. A pacifist, he was a director of the World Peace Foundation and participated in rallies against American involvement in World War I. Later concluding that German aggression needed to be stopped, Macdonald emphasized that the intent of war should be to restore peace. He died in Toronto at the age of 61.

Macdonald published two collections of essays, Democracy and the Nations in 1915 and The North American Idea in 1917, proposing closer ties between Canada and the United States. In the latter year he suffered from both physical and mental breakdowns. These events caused his retirement.

From the Dictionary of Canadian Biography (citation details below):

MACDONALD, JAMES ALEXANDER, editor, Presbyterian minister, school principal, orator, social reformer, and author; b. 22 Jan. 1862 in East Williams Township, Upper Canada, son of John Alexander Macdonald, a farmer, and Jane Grant; m. 11 June 1890 Grace Lumsden Christian in Oil City, Ont., and they had two sons and a daughter; d. 14 May 1923 in Toronto.

James A. Macdonald traced his ancestry to Glen Urquhart in the Highlands of Scotland. His great-great-grandfather had survived the battle of Culloden in 1746, immigrated to North Carolina, and fought with his sons on the side of the British in the American revolution. The family subsequently moved to Pictou County, N.S., and then to East Williams. Gaelic was the first language for many in the community where Macdonald grew up.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: Abt 1819
• Alternate death: 22 Feb 1899, Middlesex, Middlesex, Ontario

Notes:

"London, Feb. 22. -- John A. McDonald, a pioneer of Middlesex county, and a cousin of Hon. Jas. McDonald, chief justice of Nova Scotia, and father of Rev. J. A. McDonald, a well known Presbyterian minister and editor of the Westminster Journal, died to-day aged 81." [Winnipeg Tribune, 23 Feb 1899, p. 5]

John married Jane Grant on 28 Dec 1848 in London, Middlesex, Ontario. Jane was born on 4 May 1825 in Pictou, Pictou, Nova Scotia; died on 12 Jul 1878 in Middlesex, Ontario; was buried in Nairn Cemetery, Nairn, Middlesex, Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: Abt 1820

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: Abt 1787, Nova Scotia

Donald married Margaret. Margaret was born in 1790 in Urquhart, Inverness, Scotland; died on 7 Nov 1869 in London, Middlesex, Ontario; was buried in St. George's United Church Cemetery, London, Middlesex, Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Served with his father, in North Carolina, in the 84th Royal Highland Regiment on the Loyalist side in the American Revolution. Sometimes called James "Deacon" Macdonald.

James married Mary Forbes about 1782. Mary was born in 1756; died in 1856. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Also called Iain MacEoghainn Oig; Iain Mac Iain Bhain.

He served with three of his sons, in North Carolina, in the 84th Royal Highland Regiment on the Loyalist side in the American Revolution. Relocated to Bridgeville, Nova Scotia in 1784.

Situated on the west side of the East River at Glencoe, Pictou County, a memorial cairn bears this inscription on its north face:

JOHN A. MACDONALD
AND HIS FOUR SONS
DUNCAN JAMES ALEXANDER EWEN
ALL OF THE 84th ROYAL HIGHLAND REGIMENT
WHO SERVED WITH THE LOYALISTS IN THE
REVOLUTIONARY WAR OF 1776

DESCENDANTS OF JOHN MACDONALD OF GLEN URQUHART, SCOTLAND

A SURVIVOR OF GLENCOE 1692

From Rawdon and Douglas: Two Loyalist Townships in Nova Scotia [citation details below]:

John (or Iain) MacDonald was born in Inverness-shire, Scotland. m. (1) Jannet, m. (2) Margaret Grant.

John McDonald (Iain MacEoghainn Oig) was born at Glenurquhart (about 1720-1723) and belonged to the Glencoe McDonalds. At the time of the Glencoe Massacre, 1692, one of the McDonalds fled to Glenurquhart and settled there. John McDonald was a grandson or great grandson of that man. He was about eight years in the Royal Highland Emigrant Regiment, and three of his sons fought with him in the Revolutionary War on the Loyalists' side. He was also reported to be a veteran of Culloden in 1746.

In the History of Bridgeville NS, it is written that 'Old' John was over 60 yrs of age when he finally settled in Bridgeville in 1784. According to an article by Rev. Alexander McLean Sinclair in the Eastern Chronicle 'He (Iain) settled in Strathbeg, or the Soldier's Grant, East River. Duncan, James and Ewen Mor settled near him.'

John married Margaret Grant. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]