Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-08

Shall flourish forever
When Jack" Bowie came to the end Of
the great clan song. THE McGregors'
Gathering in the National Hotel this
morning a hundred American descendants
Of Scottish Highlanders stood up and
sheered. The occasion was the gathering
II the Gregors. the MacGregors, the Greg
orys. the Magruders the MacGruthers
and all the rest of the clan Gregor to or
ganize an American society of the great
clan
The movement was started by DR.. Jesse
Magruder Dwell OF Ruckersville. Va, last
spring. In June meeting was held at
Charlottesville Va, when a temporary
organization was perfected, with DR.. E.
NJ. Magruder of Charlottesville pres
ddent. The organization called the meet
ing that opened at the National Hotel this
morning for the purpose of establishing a
permanent society.
Review of Clans History.
DR.. Magruder. who presided today, gave
an interesting review of the history of
the Gregor clan. which was an outlaw
clan in Scotland from the time of Robert
Bruce to the reign of George III. period
covering nearly 800 years. In the first
place they were involved in the opposi-
ton to Robert Bruce in the fourteenth
century, and he. partly for this reason
and partly because he was jealous of the
Gregors on account of their claims to
royal lineage, prosecuted them persistent
1y. Roberts persecution was followed by
his son. David II, who gave the Gregor
property to the Campbells.
The GregorS, or MacGregors, as they
came to be called, went into the noun
tains and waged continual warfare, usu-
ally with disastrous results to themselves
IF q.
pealed the acts under which their perse-
cution had been carried on. History
shows nothing. DR.. Magruder said, to
equal the trials Of the MacGregors.
Among the things they were prohibited
to do was to gather in parties Of more
than four; to carry any weapon but
blunt knife. or to defend themselves from
attacks. Many Of their severest suffer
ings were at the hands OF the Stuarts,
but the MacGregors asked no quarter and
fought to the end.
Causes Of Trouble.
Three causes. DIR. Magruder told his
audience, were responsible for the trou-
bles Of the MacGregors. The jealousy Of
Robert Bruce was the first cause, he de-
clared. Then came the killing, by three
MacGregors of government forester
named Drummond. whom they believed
to be a trespa sser. The clan met and,
over the dead body of Drummond, swore
to make a clan cause of the affair, etery
MacGregor assuming responsibility FOR the
deed.
Again. at the battle OF Glen Fruin. 200
MacGregors met to fight the allied forces
of the Buchanans and Calhouns. number
ing 800. Before the battle body of stu
dents came on the scene as spectators.
Fearing they would join the allied forces,
the MacGregor chief ordered them bound
and taken to nearby church until after
the fight, when he intended to release
70 Nd hayvN
got weary and. drawing his dagger, de-
liberately murdered all the students.
This act was not sanctioned by the
MacGregor clan. In fact the chief, Alex
the MacGregors would live to rue the day
il happened. In the Glen Fruin fight the
MacGregors utterly routed their adversa-
ries and killed 200 of them, losing only
In spite of the hardships they went
through. the MacGregors f1ourished. They
were Of tough fiber, as they had to be to
withstand the prosecutions OF 500 years.
Sir Malcolm Sends Greetings.
DR.. Magruder said that he had received
a letter from Sir Malcolm MacGregor,
who is now the head of the clan, encour-
aging the American movement and giving
many valuable points on clan etiquette.
The American organization cannot be
called a clan. for there is but one clan.
For this reason the name to be selected
will probably be THE American Society
of the Clan MacGregor.' The head off,
Ger will not be called chief, but president
The society membership will be open to
women and descendants in the feminine
line, as all those who discussed the mat
ter at this mornings meeting were
against the organization of a society for
direct descendants in the male line only.
Other speakers today were DR.. Jesse
Magrnder Ewell and C. c. Magruder, ST.,
OF Annapolis. and the Rev Ivan NJ Green
of Clifton Forge, Va, who delivered the
opening prayer and also participated in
the general discussion
Objects Of the Society.
The objects of the society will be to
assist members Of the clan to trace their
geneaology
Among the addresses that will be heard
this evening and tomorrow are: Sketch
of Clan Gregor.' by Maj. Edward NJ Tut
wiler Of Birmingham. Ala: The Gregories
Of Virginia by George c. Gregory Of
Richmond, Va; The Magruders in Scot
land and America" by Henry Latham
Magruder of Chicago, H.; Alexander
MacGruther and the Clan Gregor in
America" by John Read Magruder Of
Annapolis, Md. and ''Magruder Wills
Counties" by Caleb c. Magruder, jr., Of
Washington. D. c.
At all the sessions immune rable Scotch
songs and stories will be heard. The
musical program is in charge of Jack
Bowie of Washington.
---4--
TRAINS CRASH TOGETHER.