William McGeorge was born on 13th May, 1804 in Bridgestone Parish, Galloway, Scotland. He attended the grammar school of Dumfries, where he took classics under the instruction of the rector and in 1824 went on to the University of Glasgow to study. He took classes in Logic, 1824-1825 and Greek, 1825-1826 . In 1828-1830 he studied Ethics before going on to take classes in Physics and Latin in 1830-1831 . McGeorge concluded his studies at University by taking Theology in 1831-1832 . McGeorge was employed as a teacher in Maxwelltown, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, from c.1826-1829 , where he taught Reading, English, English Grammar, Writing, Arithmetic and Book-keeping, Latin and Greek. He went on to teach at Troqueer from May 1831 , where he was also an elder of the Parish Church. In May 1833 he emigrated to America, and the journey to New York lasted forty-five days, and he landed in June 1833. McGeorge began teaching at Harsimus, Bergen County in New Jersey for nine months, and then taught in Tomkinsville, Staten Island for eighteen months. He then moved on to teach in New York University for eight months, before going back to New Jersey to teach in Kingston for four years. He finished his career teaching at Poughkeepsie on the Hudson river. McGeorge married Isabella Craig on the 10th of March, 1824 and they went on to have fourteen children, four of which died in infancy.
From the guide to the Papers of William McGeorge, b.1804, school teacher, c.1830-2000, (Glasgow University Archives Service)
