William Wishart (primus)

William Wishart (1660–1729) was a Church of Scotland minister and the Principal of Edinburgh University from 1716 to 1728.[1] He is not to be confused with his son William Wishart (secundus), who was subsequently the Principal of Edinburgh University from 1736 to 1754.

For other people with the same name, see William Wishart (disambiguation).

Life
Engraving of the kirk as it looked before 1785

He was born the son of Rev William Wishart (1621–1692), minister of Kinneil and his wife Christian Burne, Daughter of Richard Burne of Linlithgow. He was the grandson of Sir John Wishart (1570-1607) and Jean (Douglas) Wishart, the daughter of William Douglas, 9th Earl of Angus and his wife, Agnes Keith, daughter of William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal. His brothers included Admiral Sir James Wishart[2] and Sir George Wishart of Cliftonhall.

William was privately tutored, then studied divinity at Edinburgh University, graduating MA in 1680. He did further studies at the University of Utrecht and returned to Scotland in 1684. He was imprisoned as a Covenanter but released the following year. Prior to ordination he preached in a meeting-house on Sherrif Brae in Leith. He was ordained in January 1688. In 1692 he received patronage to become minister of South Leith Parish Church. He was minister of South Leith for his first term as Moderator in 1706.[3]

In September 1707 he was translated to be minister of the Tron Kirk on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.

He was five times Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland: 1706, 1713, 1718, 1724 and 1728.[4]

He died on 11 June 1729.[2]

Publications
  • Theologia, or Discourses on God (1702)

Family

He was married to Janet Murray (died 1744) daughter of Major William Murray of Touchadam, the son of Sir William Murray of Touchadam and Polmaise, and of Janet, daughter of Sir William Nisbet of Dean (1569-1639). Their children included Rev William Wishart who succeeded him as minister of the Tron Kirk and Rev George Wishart (1703–1785), Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1748.[5]

Notes
  1. Jinkins, Michael. "Wishart, William". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/64381. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. "William Wishart, Min. of Tron Parish, Edinburgh (1660 - 1729) - Genealogy". geni.com. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  3. "Notable Wisharts : William Wishart (minister)". wishartconnections.org. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  4. "Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland". geni.com. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  5. "George Wishart, Min. of Tron Parish, Edinburgh (1703 - 1785) - Genealogy". geni.com. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
Preceded by
William Carstares		 Principals of Edinburgh University
1716–1728		 Succeeded by
William Hamilton


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