Robert Kilgour (1714–1790) was a Scottish
clergyman
Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
who served in the
Scottish Episcopal Church
The Scottish Episcopal Church ( gd, Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba; sco, Scots Episcopal(ian) Kirk) is the ecclesiastical province of the Anglican Communion in Scotland.
A continuation of the Church of Scotland as intended by King James VI, and ...
as
Bishop of Aberdeen
The Bishop of Aberdeen (originally Bishop of Mortlach, in Latin Murthlacum) was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Aberdeen, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th-century cleric named Nech ...
from 1768 to 1786 and
Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
The Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, styled "The Most Reverend the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church", is the presiding bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The current Primus is the Most Revd. Mark Strange who became primus on ...
from 1782 to 1788. He was an outspoken supporter of the
Jacobite cause.
Early life and ministry
He was born at Waulkmill,
Cruden,
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland.
It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially differe ...
, and baptised there on 15 March 1714, the son of Robert Kilgour and Isobel Barron.
[, ''Scottish Episcopal Clergy'', p. 75.] He was educated at
King's College, Aberdeen
King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland, the full title of which is The University and King's College of Aberdeen (''Collegium Regium Abredonense''), is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and now an integral part of the Universi ...
from 1729 to 1733; graduating with a
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
degree on 29 March 1733.
[ He was ]ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...
deacon
A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Churc ...
in 1737 and presbyter
Presbyter () is an honorific title for Christian clergy. The word derives from the Greek ''presbyteros,'' which means elder or senior, although many in the Christian antiquity would understand ''presbyteros'' to refer to the bishop functioning as ...
at 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 ...
on 25 April 1738.[ He was appointed the Episcopal ]Incumbent
The incumbent is the current holder of an official, office or position, usually in relation to an election. In an election for president, the incumbent is the person holding or acting in the office of president before the election, whether seek ...
of Peterhead
Peterhead (; gd, Ceann Phàdraig, sco, Peterheid ) is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is Aberdeenshire's biggest settlement (the city of Aberdeen itself not being a part of the district), with a population of 18,537 at the 2011 Census. ...
in 1737.[ In 1758, he married Margaret Arbuthnot (1721–1805), and they had five daughters.][ One of their daughters, Christian, married Patrick Torry (later ]Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane
The Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane is the Ordinary (officer), Ordinary of the Scottish Episcopal Church, Scottish Episcopal Diocese of Saint Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane, Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane. The Episcopal see, ...
) in 1787.[
]
Episcopal career
He was consecrated as Bishop of Aberdeen
The Bishop of Aberdeen (originally Bishop of Mortlach, in Latin Murthlacum) was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Aberdeen, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th-century cleric named Nech ...
on 21 September 1768 by William Falconer, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
The Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, styled "The Most Reverend the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church", is the presiding bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The current Primus is the Most Revd. Mark Strange who became primus on ...
, James Rait
James Rait, MA (1689–1777) was an Anglican clergyman who served in the Scottish Episcopal Church as the Bishop of Brechin from 1742 to 1777.
Biography
He was consecrated the Bishop of the Diocese of Brechin on 4 October 1742 at Edinbur ...
, Bishop of Brechin
The Bishop of Brechin is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Brechin or angus, Scotland, Angus, based at Dundee. Brechin Cathedral, Brechin is a parish church of the established (presbyterian) Church of Scotland. The diocese had a long-es ...
, and John Alexander, Bishop of Dunkeld
The Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th-century cleric named Cormac. However, the first k ...
.[ Fourteen years later, Kilgour also became the ]Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
The Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, styled "The Most Reverend the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church", is the presiding bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The current Primus is the Most Revd. Mark Strange who became primus on ...
on 25 September 1782.[
Along with bishops Arthur Petrie and John Skinner, Kilgour consecrated ]Samuel Seabury
Samuel Seabury (November 30, 1729February 25, 1796) was the first American Episcopal bishop, the second Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and the first Bishop of Connecticut. He was a leading Loyalist ...
, an American Episcopal priest, as a bishop on 14 November 1784.[
He resigned as Bishop of Aberdeen in 1786, and as Primus in 1788, both post were succeeded by his ]Coadjutor The term coadjutor (or coadiutor, literally "co-assister" in Latin) is a title qualifier indicating that the holder shares the office with another person, with powers equal to the other in all but formal order of precedence.
These include:
* Coadj ...
, John Skinner.[ In 1789, he resigned as Incumbent of Peterhead and was succeeded by his son-in-law, Patrick Torry.][, ''Scottish Episcopal Clergy'', p. 553.]
He died at Peterhead on 23 March 1790, aged 76.[
]
Further reading
* MacKay, Adam. ''Distinguished Sons of Cruden: General Patrick Gordon, Bishop Robert Kilgour, Honourable Thomas Smith, Sir Hugh Gilzean-Reid, Doctor Alexander Bruce''. Peterhead: P. Scrogie, 1922.
* Mackay, Adam. ''The Right Reverend Robert Kilgour, M.A.: Bishop of Aberdeen and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church : Bi-Centenary of His Birth''. [Aberdeen, Scotland: s.n, 1914.
* Peterhead (Scotland : Parish), A. Strath Maxwell, and Robert Kilgour. ''The Register of Baptisms of the Episcopalian Congregation at Peterhead, Scotland, 1738 to 1788: Baptisms Performed by Robert Kilgour''. Aberdeen, Scotland: [s.n.], 1969.
References
Bibliography
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kilgour, Robert
1714 births
1790 deaths
Alumni of the University of Aberdeen
Primuses of the Scottish Episcopal Church
Bishops of Aberdeen
Protestant Jacobites
18th-century Scottish Episcopalian bishops
Nonjurors of the Glorious Revolution
People from Aberdeenshire