James MacPherson in Pensacola

When Governor George Johnston arrived in Pensacola, West Florida, in 1764, accompanying him was James MacPherson, whose published Ossian ballads and books, would dominate American libraries and homes and influence countless Americans and Englishmen including Thomas Jefferson.   An excellent account is Valentina Bold's "Rude Bard of the North" published in the Journal of American Folklore, v. 114, no. 454 (Autumn 2001), pp. 464-477.   Personality-wise, he was not popular and David Hume wrote that when he left Pensacola in 1765, Hume hoped the trip would go through the lands of the Chickasaws and Creeks so that the Indians could "tame and civilize him." (!)

Bibliography of West Florida Update

The Bibliography of West Florida was created by the University Libraries as a tool to annotate and describe published materials (books, journal articles, etc.) about all aspects of West Florida.   Volumes 1-4 covering 1535 through 1981 were edited by James A. Servies, and published in 1981.

I am happy to announce the latest update to the Bibliography which covers new discoveries before 1981, and new items from 1981 to the present.   This is online in our Publications section of our LibGuide and can be searched.

Dean