Can anyone please help me to establish where & when Alexander MacGregor was born? He was the son of the Glasgow banker & merchant John MacGregor (1766-1802) and Annatje Tremper. John & Annatje were married in Kingston, Ulster, New York, USA on the 27th Aug 1798.
Alexander MacGregor was born in 1801, but as his father John, had residences in both New York and at Govan Bank in Glasgow, Scotland, it is not clear which side of the Atlantic he was born. His father died on the 19th August 1802, at Govan Bank whilst on a visit from New York.
I don’t know what happened to his mother, but he was “adopted” by his uncle who was also called Alexander MacGregor (senior) who was also a merchant in Liverpool & New York.
There is some confusion over Alexander’s exact date of birth. A letter dated the 28th May 1813, from his uncle Alexander MacGregor senior to Sir John Murray MacGregor gives him as aged twelve, therefore born 1801. Meanwhile, the census information gives conflicting information regarding Alexander’s date of birth. The 1851 census gives his age as 58; born 1793 and the 1861 census gives his age as 78; born 1783. Why he lied about his age is not clear, perhaps it was to avoid the attentions of the offers of the court of Chancery. He became embarrassed by his creditors & fled abroad in about 1839ish returning to Liverpool in 1844.
As his father, also named John, had residences in both New York and at Govan Bank in Glasgow, Scotland; it is not clear which side of the Atlantic he was born.