Thomas McCulloch
Thomas McCulloch was a notable Canadian Presbyterian minister, educator, and historical writer, born in 1776 in Renfrewshire, Scotland. He initially studied medicine at the University of Glasgow before receiving theological training. In 1803, McCulloch was ordained and assigned to ministry in Prince Edward Island, but he settled in Pictou, Nova Scotia, where he became a community doctor and minister. He played a crucial role in education, establishing a school in his home due to the lack of formal institutions, which later evolved into the Pictou Academy—Nova Scotia's first secular college that welcomed students of all faiths. Despite facing political and financial challenges, the academy gained a reputation for academic excellence. McCulloch was also an avid naturalist, known for his extensive collection of bird specimens. He documented his experiences in "Letters of Mephibosheth Stepsure," which was positively received during his time. Later in life, he became the first president of Dalhousie College in Halifax, where he taught until his death in 1843. McCulloch's contributions to education and natural history remain significant in Nova Scotian history.
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Thomas McCulloch
Nonfiction Writer
- Born: 1776
- Birthplace: Neilston Parish, Renfrewshire, Scotland
- Died: September 9, 1843
- Place of death: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Biography
Thomas McCulloch, a Canadian Presbyterian minister, educator, and historical writer, was born in Neilston Parish, Renfrewshire, Scotland, in 1776. His father was a prosperous textile merchant and could afford the best education for his children. McCulloch studied medicine at the University of Glasgow. He was received a theological education from a professor of divinity at the Secessionist Church.
In 1803, after being ordained a minister of the Presbyterian Church, McCulloch was assigned to a ministry in Prince Edward Island, Canada. McCulloch and his family landed at Pictou, Nova Scotia, and an early winter forced them to remain in Pictou until they could to proceed to Prince Edward Island in the spring. The residents of Pictou, who were in great need of a doctor, were excited by McColloch’s arrival. Throughout the winter, they worked to convince McCulloch to remain in their settlement. McCulloch did decide to stay and in June,1804, he was inducted as the minister of Pictou’s First Presbyterian Church.
McCulloch would remain in Pictou for the next thirty-five years, serving as a country doctor, minister, and prominent educator. In McCulloch’s early days in Pictou, there was an influx of immigrants and with them came sickness and disease. McCulloch skills were in great demand and he spent his time walking the countryside providing medical care. He rarely received payment for his services.
In the early 1800’s, there were no formal formal primary or secondary schools in Pictou. For this reason, McCulloch set up a school in his home to educate his own children as well as other children in the area. As word spread of his teaching excellence, students from throughout Nova Scotia traveled to Pictou to be educated at McCulloch’s school. McCulloch built a log schoolhouse on his property to accommodate this influx of students.
During this period of Nova Scotian history, Kings College was the only college in the province. The college would only admit students who were faithful to the Church of England. McCulloch, seeing a need for secular education, began plans for establishing a college which would educate pupils of all creeds. In 1816, with the help of E. Mortimer, a leading merchant, and Sir John Sherbrooke, the provincial governor, McCulloch established and became president of the Pictou Academy.
The Pictou Academy’s policy of accepting students from all religions created much controversy throughout Nova Scotia. The opponents of the academy attempted to reduce the institute to primary school status. For years, the academy struggled under financial and political pressure. Despite the controversy, Pictou Academy was academically successful and established a reputation as one of the finest educational institutions in Nova Scotia.
Although McCulloch was primarily remembered as the pioneer of Nova Scotia’s educational system, he was also a renowned naturalist. He assembled one of the largest collections of bird specimens in Canada. This collection, displayed at the Pictou Academy, was visited and admired by the famous American naturalist John James Audubon.
McCulloch chronicled his experiences as a minister and educator in Pictou in Letters of Mephibosheth Stepsure (1862). This accurately detailed work was well received among his contemporaries and cultivated respect and admiration for McCulloch’s achievements. In 1838, at the age of sixty-two, McCulloch grew tired of the political and social struggles in Pictou. He moved to Halifax, where he became the first president of Dalhousie College. There, he spent several years teaching logic, moral philosophy, and rhetoric. McCulloch lived in Halifax until his death in 1843.