Peter Gordon MacGregor (bef. 1822 - 1886)

Born before 26 Nov 1822 in East River, Pictou, Nova Scotia, British Colonial America

Descendants

Died 5 Feb 1886 after age 63 in Halifax, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Biography

Birth

A formal birth record for Peter Gordon MacGregor has not been found; however, he was 13 years old in 1830 when his father died, and thus was born in approximately 1817. ^[1] His parents were Rev. James Drummond MacGregor and his second wife Janet Auld Gordon MacGregor. Peter was named for his mother's late first husband Rev. Peter Gordon, who was an esteemed professional colleague of her second husband.

Life

Early Years

Marriage of Parents

placeholder for marriage of parents

Siblings

1. Elizabeth Gordon (half sibling, daughter of Rev. Peter Gordon) - (1807-1854)
2. Mary Gordon (half sibling, daughter of Rev. Peter Gordon) - (1809-yyyy)
3. Christy Anne MacGregor (half sibling, daughter of Ann Mackay) - (1798-yyyy)
4. James (half sibling, son of Ann Mackay) - (1800-yyyy)
5. Roderick (half sibling, son of Ann Mackay) - (1802-yyyy)
6. Janet Jessie (half sibling, daughter of Ann Mackay) - (1804-yyyy)
7. Sarah (half sibling, daughter of Ann Mackay) - (1806-yyyy)
8. Robert (half sibling, son of Ann Mackay) - (1808-yyyy)
9. Annabelle - (1813-yyyy)
10. Mary - (1815-yyyy)
11. Peter Gordon - (1817-1886)

Death of James MacGregor

Peter's father Rev. James Drummond MacGregor died on 3 March 1830. He was 70 years old, and Peter was 13 years old. ^[2]

Later Years

Minister

Peter G. MacGregor "...studied Theology under Dr. McCulloch. In 1843 he was called to Poplar Grove Church, Halifax, where he was minister for twenty-five years." ^[3]

Marriage

Rev. Peter Gordon MacGregor, a Minister in Halifax, was about 32 years old when he married Caroline McColl on 1 June 1849 at St. Mary's Church in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, British Colonial America. The witnesses who signed the marriage bond were Rev. George Patterson, a nephew of the groom through his half-sister Christiann (MacGregor) Patterson, and J. W. Carmichael, a future brother-in-law of the bride. ^[4]

Caroline McColl, born and raised in a large house above the wharf at Guysborough Harbour, was 24 years old when she married Rev. Peter Gordon MacGregor. The officiant for their wedding was Rev. John Campbell, Minister of the local congregation at St. Mary's in Guysborough; Rev. Campbell was a brother-in-law of the groom, married to Peter's older sister Isabella (MacGregor) Campbell. ^[5]

Children

1. Jessie MacGregor - (1850-1934)
2. James Gordon MacGregor - (1852-1913)
3. Caroline McColl MacGregor - (1854-1868)
4. Duncan MacGregor - (1856-deceased)
5. Helen MacGregor - (1857-1919)
6. Anna McColl MacGregor - (1859-unknown)
7. Elizabeth H. MacGregor - (1862-1931)
8. Mary Cameron MacGregor - (1864-1928)
9. Charlotte Geddie MacGregor - (1865-unknown)
10. Isabella Forman MacGregor - (1867-1947)

1868 Death of Caroline MacGregor

Their third child Caroline McColl MacGregor died at 14 years old in Halifax on 6 August 1868. ^[6]

1871 Canada Census

The 1871 Census marked the first regularly scheduled collection of national statistics in Canada. It officially began April 2, 1871. ^[7]

In the 1871 census Caroline McColl was counted as a member of her husband's twelve person household in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. All nine of her children were at home. ^[8]

1. Peter G. MacGregor, male, age 50 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, religion Presbyterian, occupation clergyman, married.
2. Caroline MacGregor, female, age 44 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, religion Presbyterian, married.
3. Jessie MacGregor, female, age 20 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, religion Presbyterian.
4. James G. MacGregor, male, age 19 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, religion Presbyterian, occupation student.
5. Duncan M. MacGregor, male, age 16 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, religion Presbyterian, occupation clerk.
6. Helen M. MacGregor, female, age 14 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, religion Presbyterian.
7. Anna M. MacGregor, female, age 12 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, religion Presbyterian.
8. Elizabeth H. MacGregor, female, age 10 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, religion Presbyterian.
9. Mary MacGregor, female, age 8 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, religion Presbyterian.
10. Charlotte G. MacGregor, female, age 6 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, religion Presbyterian.
11. Isabella F. MacGregor, female, age 4 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, religion Presbyterian.
12. Elizabeth Bishop, female, age 19 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, religion Baptist, occupation servant.

NOTES: At the time of the 1871 census Caroline McColl MacGregor was 46 years old, 2 years older than reported in the census. Her husband Rev. MacGregor was reported to be 50 years old, three years younger than his actual age.

1877 - Jessie MacGregor marriage

Caroline's oldest child Jessie MacGregor was 27 years old when she married Herbert Read in Halifax on 3 September 1877. Dr. Read was a physician, 37 years old, and a widower with a 10 year old daughter. The officiant was Rev. Allan Simpson, and the witnesses were Arthur Whitman and Duncan MacGregor. ^[9]

1881 - Canada Census

The 1881 Canada Census marked the second regularly scheduled collection of national statistics in Canada. It officially began April 4, 1881. ^[10]

In the 1881 census Caroline McColl was counted as a member of her husband's twelve person household in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. ^[11]

1. Peter G. MacGregor, male, 65 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, occupation clergyman, married.
2. Caroline MacGregor, female, 55 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, married.
3. Helen MacGregor, female, 21 years, birthplace Nova Scotia.
4. Anna MacGregor, female, 19 years, birthplace Nova Scotia.
5. Elizabeth MacGregor, female, 18 years, birthplace Nova Scotia.
6. Mary MacGregor, female, 15 years, birthplace Nova Scotia.
7. Charlotte MacGregor, female, 13 years, birthplace Nova Scotia.
8. Isabel MacGregor, female, 12 years, birthplace Nova Scotia.
9. James G. MacGregor, male, 29 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, occupation Professor science.
10. Duncan MacGregor, male, 25 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, occupation broker.
11. Mary MacKenzie, female, 29 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, occupation servant.
12. Mary McD<illegible>, female, 20 years, birthplace Nova Scotia, occupation servant.

NOTES: At the time of the 1881 census Caroline McColl MacGregor was 56 years old, 1 year older than reported in the census. Rev. MacGregor was reported to be 65 years old, which was two years older than his actual age.

Death and Legacy

Rev. Peter Gordon MacGregor died on 5 February 1886. He was 68 years old. ^{[12] [13]} He was buried at Camp Hill Cemetery, Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Death of Caroline (McColl) MacGregor

Caroline (McColl) MacGregor, a widow, died on 31 July 1886. She was buried beside her husband at Camp Hill Cemetery. ^[14]

Monument inscription at Camp Hill Cemetery

Research Notes

1. FamilySearch ID - L7G8-VW7
2. Prior Narrative: Peter was born before November 26, 1822. ^[15]
3. In Rev. James MacGregor's January 26, 1829 will, Peter was named as the youngest son by his second wife Janet.^[16]

Sources

1. ↑ Alan Wilson, "Highland Shepherd: James MacGregor, Father of the Scottish Enlightenment in Nova Scotia," quote from page 197, total 256 pages, University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Ontario, 2015.
2. ↑ See source citation above for estimated birth year of Peter MacGregor, who was 13 years old when his father died.
3. ↑ J. P. MacPhie, Pictonians at home and abroad, page 67, Pinkham Press, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 1914, Internet Archive, digital image of printed book, https://archive.org/details/pictoniansathome00macpuoft/page/n95/mode/2up, accessed 20 October 2022.
4. ↑ Two years later in 1851 Caroline McColl's sister Maria Jane McColl married J. W. Carmichael.
5. ↑ Marriage Bond, Rev. Peter G. MacGregor, bachelor, from Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, British Colonial America, and Hiram Blanchard, from Guysborough, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, pledge £100 payable to Queen Victoria, date 1 June 1849, groom Peter G. McGregor, bachelor, bride Caroline McColl of Guysborough, Guysborough County, spinster, officiant John Campbell, Minister at St. Mary's, Guysborough, witnesses George Patterson, J. W. Carmichael, registration year 1849, number 9776, Nova Scotia Archives, digital image of paper document, https://archives.novascotia.ca/images/vital-statistics/marriages/1800/1800-09776.jpg, accessed 30 December 2021.
6. ↑ Caroline McColl McGregor death registration, female, age 14 years, parents Rev. P. G. & Caroline McGregor, date of death 6 August 1868, location Halifax, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, cause of death Brain Disease, informant D.N.M. Parker, M.D., date registered 13 August 1868, Halifax County Death Registration Year 1868, book 1808, page 164, number 977, Nova Scotia Archives, digital image of paper record, https://archives.novascotia.ca/images/vital-statistics/deaths/1808/1808-00164.jpg, accessed 20 October 2022.
7. ↑ "How the Census was Collected," Library and Archives Canada, https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1871/Pages/about-census.aspx, accessed 18 November 2021.
8. ↑ Peter G. McGregor household, Canada Census 1871, Nova Scotia District 196, West Halifax, Sub-district F, Ward 5, Schedule No. 1, Nominal Return of the Living, page 3, lines 9-20, digital image of handwritten enumeration page, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, document name 4396324_00301.jpeg, https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca, accessed 31 December 2021.
9. ↑ Hubert H. Read and Jessie MacGregor marriage, 3 September 1877, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; groom age 37 years, widower, occupation physician, residence Halifax, birthplace Cumberland County, groom's parents Joseph and Abigail, groom's father's occupation merchant; bride age 27 years, spinster, residence Halifax, birthplace Halifax, bride's parents Peter and Caroline, bride's father's occupation Presbyterian minister; officiant Rev. Allan Simpson, witnesses Arthur Whitman, Duncan MacGregor; Halifax County marriage register, year 1877, book 1816, page 200, marriage number 296, Nova Scotia Archives, https://archives.novascotia.ca/images/vital-statistics/marriages/1816/1816-00200.jpg, accessed 21 November 2021.
10. ↑ "How the Census Was Collected," Library and Archives Canada, https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1881/Pages/about-census.aspx, accessed 13 September 2021.
11. ↑ Peter G. MacGregor household, Canada Census 1881, District City of Halifax, Halifax County, Sub-district Ward Two, Section Two, Subdivision1, page 120, Schedule No. 1, Nominal Return of the Living, lines 14-25, digital image of handwritten enumeration page, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, document name e008117609.jpeg, https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca, accessed 31 December 2021.
12. ↑ Date of death engraved on his monument at Camp Hill Cemetery, Halifax, photo viewable (free registration required) at https://billiongraves.com/grave/Peter-Gordon-Macgregor/12957083, accessed 20 October 2022.
13. ↑ John Peter McPhie, Pictonians at home and abroad, page 67, Pinkham Press, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 1914, digital image of printed book, https://archive.org/details/pictoniansathome00macpuoft/page/67/mode/1up, accessed 20 September 2022.
14. ↑ Date of death engraved on her monument at Camp Hill Cemetery, Halifax, photo viewable (free registration required) at https://billiongraves.com/grave/Caroline-McColl-MacGregor/12957084, accessed 20 October 2022.
15. ↑ Memoir of the Rev. MacGregor, pp. 456-459, letter from James MacGregor, dated November 26, 1822, East River of Pictou.
16. ↑ Pictou County, Estate Papers, no. 158 "Rev James MacGregor", [https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9ZR-VK1L?i=205&cc=2134302&cat=209526 will of James MacGregor.

• Patterson, Rev. George. Memoir of the Rev. James MacGregor, D. D. (Philadelphia: J.M. Wilson, 1859)