J. P. (John Patterson) MacLean

John Patterson MacLean (1848–1939) was an American Universalist minister, archaeologist, and historian. Born in Franklin, Ohio, he became known not only for his religious work but also for his energetic writing on Native American earthworks, local and regional history, and family lineage.

He developed a lasting scholarly interest in the Shakers, especially the Ohio communities, and his studies helped preserve material that might otherwise have been lost to later readers. He also wrote on Scottish clan history, including works connected with the MacLean family, showing how comfortably he moved between American historical subjects and questions of heritage.

MacLean’s bibliography reflects a restless, wide-ranging mind: one book might explore the mound builders of the Ohio and Mississippi valleys, while another turns to early documents, settlement history, or Shaker biography. That mix of minister, researcher, and historical storyteller gives his work a distinctive place among late 19th- and early 20th-century American nonfiction writers.