Scottish American Writers

John Lawson (c. 1658-1711), Surveyor-General of North Carolina, a native of Aberdeen, published "A New Voyage to Carolina," in 1709, reprinted 1714, 1718, 1737, 1860, and twice translated into German (1712, 1722). Lawson was cruelly murdered by the Tuscaroras. Hugh Henry Brackenridge (1748-1816), born near Campbeltown, Argyllshire, Judge of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, was author of a political satire, "Modern Chivalry," a work now extremely rare. David Ramsay (1749-1815), physician and patriot, of Ulster Scot descent, Delegate to the Continental Congress, was author of historical works relating to the Revolution and to South Carolina. Gilbert Imlay, born about 1755 in New Jersey of Scottish parents, was the first Kentucky novelist, author of "The History of an Expatriated Family" (1793), etc. Robert Dinsmoor (1757-1836), poet, was brother of Governor Dinsmoor of New Hampshire. Hugh McCall (1767-1824), author of the first "History of Georgia," (published in 2 v., 1811-16), was of Scottish descent. His ancestor emigrated from Dumbartonshire to Ulster along with the ancestor of J.C. Calhoun. The ancestors of both remained two generations in Ulster before coming to America. The greatest name in American literature is that of the son of the Orcadian farmer, Washington Irving (1783-1859). He was the first who won international honors for American literature. John Mellish or Melish (1771-1822), born in Perthshire, died in Philadelphia, traveled extensively in the United States and published several volumes of his travels and also published many topographical and military maps. James Murdock (1776-1856), of Ulster Scot descent, translated and edited Mosheim's "Institutes of Ecclesiastical History," Milman's "History of Christianity," etc. Henry Marie Brackenridge (1786-1871), author and jurist, was son of the author of "Modern Chivalry." Thomas F. Gordon (1789-1860), lawyer and historian of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, etc., was of Scottish ancestry. Augustus Baldwin Longstreet (1790-1870), lawyer, newspaper editor, author of "Georgia Scenes" (1840), etc., was son of the inventor. Lydia (Huntley) Sigourney (1791-1865), poet and miscellaneous writer, was partly of Scots descent. Hew Ainslie (1792-1878), author of a "Pilgrimage to the Land of Burns," etc., was born in Ayrshire. David Paul Brown (1795-1872), born in Philadelphia of Scottish parents, was author of "The Forum; or Forty Years of Practice at the Philadelphia Bar." James Lawson (1799-1880), newspaper editor and dramatist, was born in Glasgow and died in Yonkers. Angus Umphraville of Missouri, the unknown author of "Missourian Lays" (St. Louis, 1821), was most probably a Scot. His verses are described as "simply wonderful." Maria J. McIntosh (1803-78), authoress, was descended from the McIntoshes of Georgia. George Washington Bethune (1805-62) of New York, a graceful poet and eloquent orator, was the son of Divie Bethune, a native of Dingwall. Robert Shelton Mackenzie (1808-80), born in Dublin of Scottish parentage, was editor of the standard edition of "Noctes Ambrosianæ," and in 1834 became the first regular salaried correspondent of an American newspaper, the New York "Evening Star." Rev. Robert Turnbull (1809-77), born at Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, edited the "Christian Review" for many years and was author of several works. James C. Moffat (1811-90), orientalist, poet, and Professor of Classics in Lafayette College, author of "Comparative History of Religions," etc., was born in Glencree, Wigtownshire. Robert Macfarlane (1812-83), Editor of the "Scientific American," and author of two or three technical treatises, was born in Rutherglen. John Milton Mackie (1813-94), of Scottish ancestry, was author of several important biographical works. William Secular (1814-72), born in Kilbarchan, Editor of the Lowell "Courier" (1841-47), published the "History of Massachusetts in the Civil War" (1868-71). Arthur MacArthur (1815-96), Jurist and Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin (1856-58), born in Glasgow, was author of "Education in Relation to Manual Industry" (1884) and "Biography of the English Language" (1889). William Ross Wallace (1819-81), author of "Perdita," etc., was described by Bryant as "a born poet." Donald Macleod (1821-65), son of the Rev. Alexander Macleod of Mull, Professor of Rhetoric in Mount St. Mary's College, Ohio, was author of historical and other works. His brother, Xavier Donald Macleod, was a poet and miscellaneous writer. Donald Grant Mitchell (1822-1908), "Ik Marvel," was of Scottish descent, and so was General Lew Wallace (1827-1905), author of "Ben Hur," etc. James Grant Wilson (1832-1914), son of the poet publisher, William Wilson, of Poughkeepsie, was born in Edinburgh, and attained the rank of General in the Civil War. He was afterwards author of several important biographical and historical works. William Swinton (1833-92), journalist, was correspondent of New York "Times" (1862-64), and author, was born in Haddingtonshire. He "produced many educational works which were widely adopted in both private and public schools throughout the country." Henry Ward Beecher called him the "American Napier" from the vividness of his historical descriptions. David Gray (1836-88), editor of the Buffalo "Courier" and poet, was born in Edinburgh. John Clark Ridpath (1841-1900), educator, historian, and author, was decended from the old Border family of Redpath. He was the author of "Great Races of Mankind" (1893), "History of the World" (1898), etc. Katherine Margaret Brownlee (b. 1841), a descendant of the Brownlees of Torwood, was author of several volumes of poetry. Leonard Allison Morrison (b. 1843) of New Hampshire, was a descendant of John Morrison who went from Scotland to Londonderry and thence to Londonderry, New Hampshire, in 1723. Always devoted to literary studies, as a historical and genealogical writer he has earned an enviable reputation. James Morrison Steele Mackaye (1842-94), actor and dramatist, was grandson of William Kay who came from Scotland about 1800. His son, Percy Wallace Mackaye (b. 1875) is a distinguished dramatist and poet. Wallace Bruce (b. 1844), poet and essayist, was descended from George Bruce who came from Scotland in 1635. While United States Consul at Edinburgh (1889-93) he secured the erection of a statue of Lincoln in the Calton Burial Ground, to commemorate the services of Scottish-American soldiers in the Civil War. James Kennedy, born at Aberlemno, Forfarshire, in 1850, is a well-known poet, author, and lecturer. John D. Ross, born in Edinburgh in 1853, is author of several literary works particularly relating to Scotland. Francis Marion Crawford (1854-1909), the novelist, son of Thomas Crawford the sculptor, was also of Scottish descent. Henry Morse Stephens, the historian, was born in Edinburgh in 1857. Ernest Evan Seton-Thompson (b. 1860), artist, author, and naturalist, and Charles William Wallace (b. 1865), philologist and Shakespearean scholar, are both of Scottish descent. John Hanson Thomas McPherson (b. 1865), historian and educator, author of "History of Liberia" (1891), is a descendant of Robert McPherson who came from Scotland in 1738. George Barr McCutcheon (b. 1866), author of many widely read works of fiction ("Graustark," "Brewster's Millions," etc.) is a descendant of John McCutcheon who emigrated from Scotland in 1730. Mary Johnston (b. 1870), author of "Prisoners of Hope" (1898), "To have and to hold" (1899), etc., is a descendant of Peter Johnston who emigrated to Virginia in 1727.

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