Captain John Robert Grant: From Strathspey to the Founding of Loyal Hill, Nova Scotia
- jasoncgrant
- Apr 19
- 3 min read
By Jason C. Grant
Captain John Robert Grant (1729–1790) remains a figure of significant historical interest within the Scottish diaspora of Atlantic Canada. A veteran of the Seven Years' War and a prominent United Empire Loyalist, Grant’s life exemplifies the transition of the Highland officer class into the landed gentry of the New World. While his military and civic achievements are well-documented in the annals of Nova Scotia, his specific genealogical origin within the Highlands remains a subject of active and sophisticated research.
The Military Record
John Robert Grant’s career was defined by his service in the 42nd Regiment of Foot (The Black Watch). According to British Army Lists and regimental histories, Grant was commissioned at an exceptionally young age—a common practice for sons of Highland cadet families. He saw significant action during the Seven Years' War, most notably at the Battle of Ticonderoga (1758). During this engagement, the 42nd suffered staggering losses in a frontal assault on French fortifications; Grant was among the wounded, an event that solidified his standing within the veteran officer corps.
Loyalist Settlement and 'Loyal Hill'
Following the American Revolution, during which he served as a Captain in the New York Militia, Grant joined the Loyalist exodus to Nova Scotia. On July 1, 1783, he arrived at Fort Edward (Windsor) and was subsequently granted 3,000 acres in Summerville, Hants County. This tract, which he named Loyal Hill, was the largest individual land grant in the township. Grant’s arrival was not merely a personal relocation but a significant transplanting of a Highland household, as he arrived with his wife, Sarah Bergen, their children, and several dependants to establish what would become a regional landmark.
The Tullochgorum Inquiry
A central focus for Clan Grant historians is confirming John Robert’s paternal line. Traditional accounts, supported by the research of the late George Hill and regional historians, place him within the Grants of Tullochgorum (Tribe Phadrig). This branch descends from the 1st Laird of Freuchie, linking the Loyal Hill Grants to the chiefly house of Clan Grant.
While the "paper trail" identifies his father as Alexander Grant (b. c. 1699), the specific primary record linking Alexander to a particular Laird of Tullochgorum in Strathspey is the current frontier of our research. To move beyond traditional attribution, the Grant DNA Project is utilizing Y-SNP testing to find a definitive match.
A Call for Scientific Verification
We have established a genetic benchmark for the Tullochgorum line (notably through markers such as FT225499). However, to definitively place the "Loyal Hill" branch within the Tullochgorum tree, we require Y-DNA samples from documented male-line descendants of Captain John Robert Grant—specifically through his son, Michael Bergen Grant.
The Clan Grant Society of Canada encourages any descendants who can trace their paternal lineage to Loyal Hill to contact our research team. By combining traditional genealogy with modern genetic science, we aim to formally preserve Captain Grant’s rightful place in the history of our Clan.
Further reading and photos credited to the West Hants Historical Society, Nova Scotia.
Military Service: Army List, War Office Records (UK). (Commission and 42nd Foot service).
Land Grant: Nova Scotia Land Papers, Vol. 13 (1784). (The 3,000-acre grant at Summerville).
Family Records: The Bergen Family: Descendants of Hans Hansen Bergen by Teunis G. Bergen (1876).
DNA Benchmarking: Grant DNA Project, FamilyTreeDNA (Kit 82582 and related Tullochgorum SNP results).
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