Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Grant, James (1706-1778)
GRANT, JAMES (1706–1778), Scotch catholic prelate, born at Wester Boggs, in the Enzie, Banffshire, in July 1706, was admitted into the Scotch College at Rome 16 Jan. 1725-6, and ordained priest in 1733. On his return to Scotland in 1734 he was appointed to the mission at Brae-Lochaber, to assist the Rev. John Macdonald. Afterwards he was removed to the Isle of Barra. In the spring of 1746 some ships of war landed some men there who threatened to desolate the whole island if the priest were not delivered up to them. Grant surrendered himself and was carried prisoner to Mingarry Castle, on the western coast, where he was detained for some weeks. He was then conveyed to the prison at Inverness, and for several weeks was chained by the leg to an Irish officer in the service of Spain, who had come over to help the Pretender. In 1747 he was liberated on bail, and in the following year he was stationed at Rathven, Banffshire. Afterwards he was appointed coadjutor to Bishop Alexander Smith, vicar-apostolic of the lowland district; papal briefs nominating him bishop of Sinita in partibus were issued 21 Feb. 1755, and he was consecrated at Edinburgh on 13 Nov. in that year. On the death of Bishop Smith in 1766, he became, jure successionis, vicar-apostolic of the lowland district. He died at Aberdeen on 3 Dec. 1778.
[Brady's Episcopal Succession, iii. 460; Gordon's Catholic Mission in Scotland, p. 11; London and Dublin Orthodox Journal, 1837, iv. 84.]