Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 5, 1897

THE CELTIC MONTHLY:
A MAGAZINE FOR HIGHLANDERS.
Edited by JOHN MACKAY, Glasgow.
No. 8. Vol. V.]
MAY, 1897
[Price Threepence.
JAMES GRANT, GLASGOW.
IprajHE (Jorrimouy branch of the (Jlau (iraut,
VC' which ranks in seniority next to the
^'^ Earls of Seafield, has perha[is given to
the world more distinguished men than any other
branch of that clan. To exemplify this, we need
only mention the names of .tames Grant, the
author of "The Romance of War," who was the
lineal head of the Corrimony family, and Lord
Glenelg, who attained a position as a statesman
which has not been equalled by any other
Highlander within recent times. James Grant,
whose portrait we present to our readers in this
issue, is descended from the same branch througli
a younger son of John IV. of Corrimony, by his
wife, Katharine Maedonald, of the family of
Sleat.
His ancestors have lived for over 450 years
in Glen Uriiuhait, where his father and mother,
who celebrated their golden wedding last August,
still reside, passing their declining years in
contentment and happiness, and in no home in
the Highlands are the old ideas of Highland
hospitality more faithfully observed than at
Oakbank, Glen Urquhart. This worthy couple
have had the satisfaction of seeing their family,
of whom there were sis sons and a daughter, all
prosper in the world. They have also the
satisfaction of hearing from their children the
acknowledgment that the success which has
attended them has been due, in a great measure,
to the influences for good which were e.xercised
by their parents over them as children. James
Grant, who is the eldest of the family, was born
at Glen Unjuhart on the I3th of April, 1847, so
that he has just completed his fiftieth birthday,
an event which was celebrated on that date by a
few of his intimate Highland friends, at a dinner
given to him in the Central Hotel, Glasgow, and
the present is thus a fitting opportunity for his
appearance in this magazine Coming to Glas-
g'ow about '21 j'ears ago, he entered the warehouse
of Messrs. Arthur & Co. Ltd., where he has
risen step by step, until he is now one of the
most respected and trusted representatives of
that large establishment. Mr. Grant is a large-
hearted man, and nothing pleases him better
than to do a service to his fellow-countiymen,
especially to young Highlanders who desire to
get a situation. 8o great is his reputation for
getting them employment that scarcely a day
passes without some person being recommended
to him for that puipose, and many a Highland
lad owes his advancement in the world to Mr.
• irant taking him in hand at the beginning of
his career. Mr. Grant is an euthusiastic High-
hinder, and is a member of several associations
in Loudon, Glasgow, and Inverness. He is
President of the Clan Grant Society, and of
the Glasgow luverness-shire Association. He
delig-hts in Highland music and Gaelic songs,
and his well-known appreciation of these makes
him a most welcome and popular chairman at
the Saturday Gaelic Concerts. His affabilit3',
frankness and modesty endear him to every
person with whom he comes in contact, and if,
as has been said, the respect in which a man is
held be the best tribute to his virtue and
character, the subject of our sketch has no reason
to be dissatisfied with him.self ; for we question
if he is Bot the most popular Highlander in
(jlasgow. Mr. Grant is fond of sports, and he
is never so much in his element as when playing
a well-contested game at golf. On the 24th
November, 188.5, Mr. Grant married Emily,