South Leith Parish Church from Constitution Street

William Wishart (1660–1729) was a Church of Scotland minister and the

Principal of Edinburgh University Principals of the University of Edinburgh * 1586 Robert Rollock (Regent from 1583 to 1586) * 1599 Henry Charteris * 1620 Patrick Sands * 1622 Robert Boyd * 1623 John Adamson (died in office in 1652 but the original successor, William Colvi ...

from 1716 to 1728. He is not to be confused with his son

William Wishart (secundus) William Wishart (secundus) (1691/92–1753) was a Scottish clergyman who served as the Principal of Edinburgh University from 1736 to 1753. He served as Moderator of the General Assembly for the Church of Scotland in 1745. Life He was born in L ...

, who was subsequently the Principal of Edinburgh University from 1736 to 1754.

Life

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 Linlithgow (; gd, Gleann Iucha, sco, Lithgae) is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It was historically West Lothian's county town, reflected in the county's historical name of Linlithgowshire. An ancient town, it lies in the Central Belt on a ...

. He was the grandson of Sir John Wishart (1570-1607) and Jean (Douglas) Wishart, the daughter of

William Douglas, 9th Earl of Angus William Douglas, 9th Earl of Angus (1533 – 1 July 1591, at Glenbervie) was a Scottish nobleman and zealous supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots. Biography Douglas was the eldest son of Sir Archibald Douglas of Glenbervie, Knt., by his spouse Agnes, ...

and his wife, Agnes Keith, daughter of

William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal William is a male given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norm ...

. His brothers included Admiral Sir James Wishart and Sir George Wishart of Cliftonhall. William was privately tutored, then studied divinity at

Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1582 ...

, graduating MA in 1680. He did further studies at the

University of Utrecht Utrecht University (UU; nl, Universiteit Utrecht, formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2018, it had an enrollme ...

and returned to Scotland in 1684. He was imprisoned as a

Covenanter Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from ''Covenan ...

but released the following year. In January 1688 he was ordained as minister of a Presbyterian meeting house (known as the John Knox Church) on Sheriff Brae in

Leith Leith (; gd, Lìte) is a port area in the north of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith. In 2021, it was ranked by '' Time Out'' as one of the top five neighbourhoods to live in the world. The earliest ...

in place of Rev John Knox who had been banished to

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

as a slave on a plantation. In 1692 he received patronage to become minister of

South Leith Parish Church South Leith Parish Church, originally the Kirk of Our Lady, St Mary, is a congregation of the Church of Scotland. It is the principal church and congregation in Leith, in Edinburgh. Its kirkyard is the burial place for John Home (author of ''D ...

. He was minister of South Leith for his first term as Moderator in 1706. In September 1707 he was translated to be minister of the

Tron Kirk The Tron Kirk is a former principal parish church in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is a well-known landmark on the Royal Mile. It was built in the 17th century and closed as a church in 1952. Having stood empty for over fifty years, it was used ...

on the

Royal Mile The Royal Mile () is a succession of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland. The term was first used descriptively in W. M. Gilbert's ''Edinburgh in the Nineteenth Century'' (1901), des ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

in place of the Very Rev William Crichton who retired due to age (77).Fasti Ecclesiastae Scoticana by Hew Scott He was five times

Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the ministers and elders of the Church of Scotland, minister or elder chosen to moderate (chair) the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week i ...

: 1706, 1713, 1718, 1724 and 1728. Edinburgh University granted him an honorary Doctor of Divinity (DD) in 1728. He died on 11 June 1729. His position at the Tron was filled by his son

George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...

. He is buried in the section of

Greyfriars Kirkyard Greyfriars Kirkyard is the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at the southern edge of the Old Town, adjacent to George Heriot's School. Burials have been taking place since the late 16th century, and a num ...

known as the "Covenanters Prison" (rarely open to public).

Publications

*''Theologia, or Discourses on God'' (1702) *''A Discourse of Suppressing Vice'' (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

and Rev George Wishart (1703–1785),

in 1748. He was probably the grandson of Rev William Wishart of South Leith who called for the execution of

Marion Mure Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) * Marion (surname) * Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" * Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * M ...

for witchcraft in 1632, the trial overseen by

William Struthers William Struther(s) (1578–1633) was a high-ranking Scottish church minister and poet. He was involved in an infamous witch trial in Edinburgh. He was renowned for his "spiced sermons". His huge endowment in his will created the Struthers Bursa ...

of St Giles.Witchcraft in Scotland by B P Levack

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wishart, William (Primus) 1660 births 1729 deaths 17th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland 18th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Principals of the University of Edinburgh Burials at Greyfriars Kirkyard