author
James Croil
1821–1916
A Scottish-born Canadian writer and historian, he turned a life of farming, church work, and journalism into books that preserved local history and the story of Presbyterian life in Canada.
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About the author
Born in Glasgow in 1821, he was educated at the University of Glasgow and emigrated to Canada in 1841. Over the course of a long life, he worked as a farmer, church agent, author, historian, and journal editor, eventually settling in Montreal.
His writing is closely tied to Canadian history and Presbyterian institutions. He is known for works including Dundas; or, a Sketch of Canadian History, a history of Dundas County, and Steam Navigation and Its Relation to the Commerce of Canada and the United States. He also prepared a historical and statistical report on the Presbyterian Church in Canada and served as editor of the Presbyterian Record.
Croil died in Montreal in 1916. His career stands out for the way it linked everyday Canadian life with careful historical record-keeping, leaving behind books that are still useful to readers interested in local history, religion, and the development of Canada.