John Osborne (1690–1748) was a

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...

minister who served as principal of

Marischal College Marischal College ( ) is a large granite building on Broad Street in the centre of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland, and since 2011 has acted as the headquarters of Aberdeen City Council. However, the building was constructed for and is on long- ...

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

from 1728 to 1748.

Life

He was born in 1690 in or near

and educated at

graduating MA in 1708. He trained as a

minister and was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Aberdeen in February 1713 but had to wait three years for his first charge, as third charge in Aberdeen in April 1716.''Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae''; vol. 7; by Hew Scott In June 1728 he took on the additional role as principal of

succeeding Thomas Blackwell. He died in Aberdeen on 19 August 1748. He is buried in the churchyard of the

Kirk of St Nicholas The Kirk of St Nicholas is a historic church located in the city centre of Aberdeen, Scotland. Up until the dissolution of the congregation on 31 December 2020, it was known as the ''"Kirk of St Nicholas Uniting"''. It is also known as ''"The Mit ...

in the city centre. His position as principal was filled by Thomas Blackwell, son of his predecessor.

Family

In August 1718 he married Margaret Mitchell (d.1752). They had four daughters and three sons, including Alexander Osborne, comptroller of customs in Aberdeen, and Jane Osborne (d.1786) who married William Mowat of Colpnay,

Provost of Aberdeen The Lord Provost of Aberdeen is the convener of the Aberdeen City local authority in Scotland. They are elected by the city council and serve not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city. They are equivalent in m ...

Artistic recognition

His portrait (artist unknown) is held by the

Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen is an ancient society of craftsmen in Aberdeen, Scotland. Their home is Trinity Hall on the city's Holburn Street. Composition The society comprises seven trades: * Hammermen (1519) * Bakers (1398) * Wrig ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Osborne, John 1690 births 1748 deaths Alumni of the University of Aberdeen academics of the University of Aberdeen 18th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland