John Maclean (1851–1928) was a Scottish-born Wesleyan Methodist pastor, author, and editor who spent much of his life working in the Canadian Northwest. Born in Kilmarnock, Scotland, Maclean later immigrated to Canada, where he dedicated his career to ministry and the study of the region's Indigenous populations. He served in various pastorates across western Canada, including a tenure in Port Arthur, Ontario, from 1892 to 1896, and eventually settled in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he passed away.
Throughout his ministry, Maclean developed a deep interest in the languages, customs, and cultures of the Indigenous peoples he encountered, particularly the Ojibwe and Cree. This firsthand engagement informed a prolific writing career. He published several ethnographical and biographical works, including The Indians of Canada (1892) and Life among the Ojibwa and Cree Indians (1903), as well as a biography of James Evans, the inventor of the Cree syllabic writing system.
In addition to his books, Maclean was an active figure within his denomination. He edited the publication the Wesleyan from 1902 to 1906 and attained multiple high-ranking offices within the Methodist church. His writings remain historical records of the missionary perspective on Indigenous cultures in late 19th and early 20th-century Canada.
