John MacGregor

John MacGregor (1797–1857) was a Scottish statistician and politician. Early life MacGregor was born at Drynie, near Stornoway, on the Western Isles, Scotland, the eldest son of Janet (née Ross) and David MacGregor. The family emigrated to Canada in 1803, sailing to Pictou, Nova Scotia. In 1806, they moved to Covehead on Prince Edward Island. As a young man MacGregor set up as a merchant in Charlottetown. In 1822, he served in the office of high sheriff; he was dismissed as a result of involvement in the dealings of Charles Douglass Smith. Put on trial at Smith's behest, he became popular and in 1824 a member of the House of Assembly. He left Canada, travelling through North America, collecting statistics. Return to the UK Returning to the UK, MacGregor set up as a commission agent in Liverpool, in 1827. In 1836, MacGregor reported to the Board of Trade on the Zollverein. In 1839 he represented the British government in the negotiations with the Kingdom of Naples for a revision of the commercial treaty of 1816. In 1840 he succeeded James Deacon Hume as one of the joint secretaries of the Board of Trade. A strong free-trader, he prompted Joseph Hume's motion for a select committee on import duties, and gave evidence before the committee (July 1840), against protectionism.