Scottish Colonial Schemes 1620 - 1686

Scottish Colonial Schemes 1620 - 1686

George Pratt Insh, M.A., D. Litt.

 We often hear of the 17th century exploits of early English, French, and Spanish adventurers to the coasts of North America. But what of another brand of intrepid settlers that ventured to the west during the same period – the Scots? Eager to colonize and gain a stonghold in New World locales, they too set forth and established themselves in areas as diverse as Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New Galloway (Cape Breton Island), East New Jersey and Stuart’s Town, South Carolina. This is the story of those people and the events that motivated their activities - their successes, failures, and eventual legacy.

 Based on a wealth of primary source material, this meticulous study was compiled by George Pratt Insh, the well-respected Scottish scholar and historian, in the early 1920’s. He treats each colonial venture in a separate chapter, providing details and commentary formed from a lifetime of study into the motivations and aspirations of those men and women who sailed across the ocean in search of riches, prestige, or a more secure life. Drawing frequently from obscure source material now lost or unobtainable, this work has often been quoted as a source within itself, given Insh’s obvious scholarship and attention to detail. His unique and warm style, as fresh now as when it was written, makes this book a delight to read for any historian, genealogist or general reader. In addition, the substantial appendices contain numerous transcriptions of governmental communication, and more interestingly, letters from settlers to their relatives back home. The reader will delight in discovering the universal themes expressed in these letters, and will perhaps realize the timelessness of human motivation and inspiration.

 reWe are delighted to present this volume as addenda to any study of 17th century Scottish or American culture, in hope that it will once again be discovered as a vital source of information and reference. The contributions of the Scottish people were substantial and long lasting, and deserve to be recognized in the context in which they were formed. It is our hope that Insh’s work will once again become a standard reference for early Scottish ventures on the North American continent.

Specifications

Format: 6" x 9" perfect bound paperback on acid-free creme paper with glossy laminate cover
Pages: 283, including preface, table of contents, introduction, and complete index.
Originally Published: Glasgow, Scotland 1922
Illustrations: Historical images, engravings, line drawings, maps
ISBN  13: 978-0-9753667-1-4
ISBN 10:  0-9753667-1-8
 Price: $22.95

About the Author

George Pratt Insh [1883-1956] was Principal Lecturer in History at Jordanhill Training College in Glasgow, from 1923-1945. He also authored "Papers Relating to the Ships and Voyages of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies 1696-1707" [1924], "School Life in Old Scotland From Contemporary Sources" [1925], "The Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies" [1932], and "The Scottish Jacobite Movement, a Study in Economic and Social Forces" [1952].