Jock (Captain) (John) ("Scotch Jock") McGREGOR was born on 10 June 1813 in Balhousie, East Church Parish, Perth, SCT.
1,2,3 He and
Isabella Lockhart were married in 1840 in Wanganui, NZ, see obit. He died on 1 October 1882, at age 69, in "Royston", River Bank, Wanganui, WAN, NZL, 2 October 1882 in Royston House River Band, Wanganui, New Zealand.
Of Ruapeke Island, Foveaux Strait
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..lived a freebooting existance cruising the South Island Coast. He exchanged muskets and general trade goods with Maori for pigs and potatoes which he then sold to deep sea whalers...PakehaMaori Book
will signed 31 oct 1883 Wanganui Herald
Wanganui Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5203, 31 October 1883, Page 2 and other dates onwards
DISPUTED WILL CASE. MCGREGOR v. BOYD.
... The late Mr Jno. McGregor was born in Scotland in 1813, and died in Wanganui on the 1st October, 1882, and was therefore nearly 70 years of age. He appears to hare been a sailor, and came to New Zealand, where he used to conduct a coasting trade. They allege that as a sailor he received certain injuries to his head which, made him , eccentric and liable to a sudden fit of temper. In the year 1840 he married Miss Isabella Lockhart, and settled down in Wanganui, After a time there was an arrangement between himself and his wife, and they never lived together after 1853. In that year he went to Scotland and adopted a young orphan child, who is now the wife of Mr John McGregor . She was of tender years, and lived with him till 1871, when she married Mr McGregor. This marriage was with the full consent of the late Mr McGregor. Mr McGregor, of Cherry Bank, was always treated by the late Mr Jno. McGregor with the greatest confidence, which he would be prepared to show, and the late Mr McGregor always expressed his intention of leaving him his property. The intimacy and friendship continued to 1876, when the late Mr McGregor went to England. On the marriage of Miss Elizabeth Boyd (sister of defendant), he gave Mr Jno McGregor, of Cherry Bank, a power of attorney, to manage his estate in his absence while in England. He went Home and returned in 1877, and after his return it is alleged that he began to show signs of increased eccentricity...
OBIT
THE LATE JOHN MoGREGOR.
Last night was added another to the list of old settlers who have passed to their long home. We refer to the late John Mcgregor, who was one of the earliest settlers in this then almost unknown, but how flourish? ing colony, .whose career is one of the most eventful experienced by the early colonist. Mr McGregor was born in 1813 in Perthshire, where his father owned a farm known as Cherry Rank. Eager for adventure, at an early age he went to sea, and having joined a whaler he visited the southern seas. While the vessel was lying off the East Coast of what ia now the northern part of the Otago Provincial District he went ashore, landing at Waikouaiti. This was in 1838. He settled there, and having built a small schooner, trsd?dwith other parts of the colony, and principally with the ports of the North Island. In 1840 he arrived in Wanganui, and having disposed of his sohooner, resolved to settle here. But his adventurous disposition' rfould not allow him to be at ease, and soon another schooner was in the slips. This vessel will be remembered by some of the old settlers as the Black Warrior. Having resumed trade with the new schooner he did a splendid, business, principally with the Southern ports, as freight was at a maximum and'the period of our history was that known as "the good old times/ Shortly afterwards Mr McGregor sold the " Black Warrior,' Vand bought another vessel with which he traded to the neighboring colonies, and undertook several adventurous voyages. For a time he also kept -a public house .on the opposite bank of the river at Porirua, and some of the " old identities" speak with joyful hearts of the past as they recount the many adventures of their±ldcomrade,and the many happy x?hats they had in the rooms of old but popular publichouse kept by their "old friend John.". There will yet be fresh in the memory of many of our readers the feat known ias "McGregor's leap," frequently recounted by the newspapers of bygone days, and the innumerable publications progressing to give- a history of the Maori War. At that 'time Mr McGregor was the owner, of Cherry Bank, and having some stock over there wished to bring them to town. Relations between natives and whites were then most unfriendly, and the natives hald threatened vengeance on any " pakeha" seen on their side of the river. Wanganui ? was ' full of soldiers, and a party was in command of the Œ old 'Stockades on the Rutland Hill? fitting memorials of that dreadful past. Mf McGregor was warned not to attempt to carry out his purpose, but 1 he wasalways courageous and determined -and he made the venture. The hilt behind Shakespeare* Cliff was then a mass of busb.and Mr McGregor had not gone takf- Before 1 *he Natives Œ discovered ' him and, made chase. One fellow overtook him,and Mc- Gregor levelled at his head a pistol which 1 he. c±Wied,butitfailed to go off. The Nativecame dashing- p"ast, and struck at him with a large tomahawk, but missed the blow. The other Natives were coming up and McGregor ran for'aspur of Shakespear's cliff, over which, he threw himself. He landed injthe river and swimming up to a hole got undercover for shelter. The Natives tolled over stones,; to endeavour to destroy him, while the soldiers ke|)t up a 1 heavy fire from'jthe town for the purpose of protecting him, while several others 'went over in a- boat and rescued himfrom hisperillouS position when rescued he was found to have a shot* wound through his cheek, the .bullet having come Œ out at the mouth and carried away some teeth of the lower jaw. This is only one adventure' of the many whichMr McGregor has undergone'and serves to-show the cool daring of the' man;' In 1876 Mr McGregor took atrip to his na- r tive land via Melbourne, and after an absence of two years returned to his adopted home, where he^ has since remained; He was token ill about eight months ago, but had since' much improved. During the time, however, he has been Bubjeot to apoplectic fits, and was seiaed with the fatal one on Friday evening,at half-past six o'clock. It lasted 14 hours, and during the time he endured much agony, while he suffered considerably up to 'the 1 time of his death. He however passedcalmiy away at 11.3Olaafc night, closing a long and adventurous career. .' The funeral will take place on Wednesday, and will doubtless be attended by many of his old comrades ifr .the settlement of the district in which' he ias ended hia days. Jock (Captain) (John) ("Scotch Jock") McGREGOR was a worked at Preservation Inlet whaling station in 1838.
1 He resided in Ruapuke Island, Foveaux Strait, on 17 March 1840 Embarked with three women slaves belonging to a chief sailed north for Wanganui where the slaves came from. The schooner called in at Port Nicholson and was surprised to find a settlement of over 1000 people. It is believed this is the reason for naming the schooner Surprise. (NZ Shipwrecks) 1841. He was a Hotel keeper Location: The Rob Roy Hotel, near Shakespeare Cliff, Wanganui, WAN, NZL in 1841.
4 He was a Captain of the "Surprise" between Wellington and Wanganui in October 1841.
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