McGREGOR, JOHN JAMES (1775–1834), historian and topographer, born at Limerick on 24 Feb. 1775, was brought up among the methodists, and became an ardent supporter of their religious principles. At an early age he became editor of the 'Munster Telegraph,' published at Waterford. Subsequently he removed to Dublin, where he became editor of the 'Church Methodist Magazine,' a quarterly publication, and in 1829 he was appointed literary assistant to the Kildare Place Education Society. He died in Dublin on 24 Aug. 1834.
His principal works are: 1. 'History of the French Revolution, and of the Wars resulting from that event,' 11 vols, in 12, Waterford and Dublin, 1816-27, 8vo. 2. 'Narrative of the Loss of the Sea Horse Transport, Captain Gibbs, in the Bay of Tramore . . . Also some Account of the Wreck of the Lord Melville and Boadicea Transports,' Waterford, 1816, 8vo. 3. 'New Picture of Dublin,' with map and views, Dublin, 1821, 12mo. 4. 'The History, Topography, and Antiquities of the County and City of Limerick, with a View of the History and Antiquities of Ireland,' 2 vols. Dublin, 1826-7, 8vo (conjointly with the Rev. P. Fitzgerald, vicar of Cahercornev). 5. 'True Stories from the History of Ireland,' Dublin, 1829-33, 3 vols. 12mo, in the manner of Sir Walter Scott's ' Tales of a Grandfather.' His portrait has been engraved by S. Freeman from a miniature by Purcell.
[Memoir by his son, John James McGregor, M.D., Dublin, 1840; Lowndes's Bibl. Man. (Bohn), p. 1437 ; Gent: Mag. new ser. iii. 111.]
MACGREGOR or Campbell, ROBERT, commonly called Rob Roy (1671–1734), highland freebooter, the younger son of Donald MacGregor, by his wife Margaret, daughter of Campbell of Gleneaves, and sister possibly to Robert Campbell, who commanded at the massacre of Glencoe, was born in 1671 (register of baptism, 7 March 1671, in Buchanan parish, quoted in Scottish Antiquary, vii. 37). One consequence of the ill-fortune that overtook the Argyll family at the Restoration was the repeal in 1661 of the penal acts against the MacGregors, but as they were not restored to their territories possibly the only result of the clemency was to encourage their old freebooting propensities. The father was younger brother of the chief of the clan, Gregor MacGregor, and a member of the Gregor Dhu branch to which the chiefship had fallen on the extinction of the direct male line. The father's name figures as Lieutenant-colonel MacGregor in the bond of association signed at the castle of Blair, 24 Aug. 1689, the number of the men whom he brought to support King James being one hundred (Acts of the Scottish Parliament, ix. App. p. 60). He probably owed his rank to James's nomination after the revolution. He is no doubt identical with ‘the great robber Lieutenant-colonel MacGregor’ who on 11 Jan. 1690 was brought a prisoner to Edinburgh by a party of Lord Kenmure's men (Leven and Melville Papers, p. 369), and shortly afterwards obtained his liberty on promising to induce Macdonald of Keppoch and Macdonald of Glengarry [see Macdonell, Alestair Dubh] to come to terms with the government (ib. p. 394). The freebooting instincts of Rob Roy were thus strengthened by paternal instruction. The family held in Rob's youth a farm ‘in Balquhidder in feu of the Duke of Atholl’ (Appendix to Burt, Letters, ii. 348); but although nominally a grazier Rob's principal income was derived from the self-appointed duty of protecting those who purchased his goodwill, he himself being perhaps the most formidable robber against whom he afforded protection. In 1691 he or his father was the leader of an exceptionally daring raid called the ‘Her'ship [herryship or robbery] of Kippen,’ in which the cattle were lifted from the byres of Kippen because the villagers had attempted to prevent the capture of the drove of Lord Livingstone. But MacGregor had some tincture of modern civilisation; his letters show that he had received a good education, and he possessed many of the best characteristics of the highland gentleman. His personal appearance is best described by Sir Walter Scott: ‘His stature was not of the tallest, but his person was uncommonly strong and compact. The greatest peculiarities of his frame were the breadth of his shoulders and the great and almost disproportioned length of his arms, so remarkable, indeed, that it was said he could, without stooping, tie the garters of his highland hose, which are placed two inches below the knee. … His hair was dark red, thick, and frizzled, and curled short around the face. His fashion of dress showed of course the knees and upper part of the leg, which was described to me as resembling that of a highland bull, hirsute, with red hair, and evincing muscular strength similar to that animal.’
The part taken by the MacGregors at the revolution, and possibly their ‘activity in scenes of plunder,’ led to the renewal in 1693 of the penal acts against the clan. Rob therefore adopted Campbell as his surname, and during his most active freebooting period contented himself with the signature ‘Rob
