Scottish Roots in the Black Dirt

Recently the Drowned Lands Historical Society was donated an 1825 map copied by a member of the Wilcox family, showing lot owner names. The lots were sold by someone named "Alexander McGregor", which was a name unfamiliar to me. The total acreage owned was enormous, around 4,000 acres supposedly, so this was a puzzle.

While looking for information we discovered and were able to contact a 4th great granddaughter of Alexander McGregor, in England: Janella Horne. We've found some interesting information; he apparently never lived in the black dirt area, but had made efforts to drain the land, and had raised hemp on it. Indeed, in the land titles, the land was described as "The Drowned Lands, or Hemp Lands".

Copied below is some of the information we have been able to glean:

1. Excerpt from :"THE CHEECHUNK AND DROWNED LANDS, The Outlet Ditch or Canal Which
Changed the Course of the Wallkill" by Frances E. Borland-Wilcox

"Miss Nettie H. Wilcox, granddaughter, has in her possession an old
map, dated Feb. 31. 1825, which is a copy of the original deed made
in Liverpool, England. The inscription at the top of the map reads,
"Plan of Hemp-lands in Goshen in the State of New York, North
America, distance from the city 60 miles. About 3804-1/2 acres, the
property of A. MacGregor, Esq. of Liverpool."

Portions of this land were sold by A. MacGregor to the following as
marked on this map: Benj. Davis, Caleb Smith, Robert Ferrier, Heirs
of Kortright, J. and N. Wheeler, Wm. Finn, Robert Carr, Heirs of
Armstrong, Wm. Rainer, George D. Wickham, Jonathan Burrell and
daughters, Heirs of James VanHorn, John Fergerson (sic), Hannah
Forgerson, Samuel Kimbers, John Wisner, Israel Owen, Nathaniel Roe,
Samuel Knapp, Peter Bertholf, Wm. Swan, Benj. Sammon, Inman Walling,
Dr. Gillespie, Hez. Lorrings, A. MacGregor."


2. from "Laws of the State of New York":

Chap. 243.

AN ACT for the Relief of Alexander MacGregor.

Passed April 17, 1826.

WHEREAS Alexander MacGregor, late of the city of New
York, merchant, now of Liverpool, in Great Britain, a citizen of the
United States of America, has by his petition represented, that he is
tbe owner of a dwelling-house and certain lots of ground in Riving-
ton-street, in the city of New- York, and also of about four thousand
acres of the Drowned lands or Hemp lands in the county of Orange,
upon which he has recently expended a large sum of money in drain-
ing, ditching and improving the same, and that all his children now
living are natives of Great Britain, and praying that upon his de-
cease his said children may be permitted to take and held the said
real estate as if they were citizens : Therefore,
That from and after the decease of the said Alexander MacGregor, It shall and may be lawful for his
heirs or devisees to take and In^d (the dwelling-house, lots of ground,
lands and premises above mentioned, with the hereditaments and
appurtenances, to them respectively, and to their' heirs and assigns
for ever, and to have and dispose of the same and of the rents,
issues and profits thereof, in like manner, and as fully, to all
intents and purposes, as they might or could do if they were naturally
born citizens of this state : Providently That no alienation of the
said premises shall be good and effectual in law, other than to a
citizen of the United States : And provided also, That nothing here*
in contained shall be taken to bar, preclude, or in any wise to affect
the title which any citizen of the United States may have to
the said premises.

3. Biographical register of Saint Andrew's society of the state of New York .. (1922)

Author: MacBean, William M. (William Munro), 1852-1924
Volume: 2
p. 338

#607 ALEXANDER MacGREGOR.

Alexander MacGregor was one of four brothers who came to this country
from Thornhill, Perthshire. Mr. William Wood, however, in his Autobiography.
states that he believed that MacGregor was a native of Kirkintilloch, Dumbartonshire. Mr. MacGregor engaged in the dry goods business in New York as junior
partner in the firm of Thomson & MacGregor, and this firm dissolved September
1, 1797. In 1798, his brother John and he formed the firm of John & Alexander
MacGregor, at 190 Pearl Street, carrying on there a large wholesale dry goods
business. In December, 1802, he advertised that he was "intending for Europe"
and offered for sale houses in Greenwich and Gold Streets and a country house
within a mile and a half of the Coffee House. His store, then in Pine Street, was
four stories in height and fire-proof. He left New York and went to Liverpool,
where he became a great cotton merchant. He joined the house of J. & A.
Dennistoun, the senior partner, James Dennistoun, of Golfhill, near Glasgow, being
the grandfather of William Wood, our future president. In 1823 Mr. MacGregor
lived in one of the pleasantest villas erected about 1801 on the hill south of St.
George's Street, forming the tongue of land at the junction of St. George's Hill
and Netherfield Road. MacGregor Street commemorates the name of the quondam
proprietor. About 1826 Mr. MacGregor became manager of the branch of the
Bank of England. Mr. Wood states that the word picture of Osbaldistone and
Tresham in Rob Roy might have been drawn from Alexander MacGregor. He
was an overbearing and disagreeable man but a clever merchant. He married
Helen I'lnlay, widow of Major Finlay of the Engineers, military secretary to the
Duke of Richmond. They lived in good style on their estate at Everton, near
Liverpool. Mr. MacGregor died in Manchester, England, December 6, 1828. His
will was probated in New York, December 18, 1828. Alexander MacGregor,
Junior, his nephew, and Andrew Foster, were the New York executors.