South Leith Parish Church from Constitution Street

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

Principal of the University of Edinburgh 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 Co ...

from 1716 to 1728. He is not to be confused with his son William Wishart (secundus), who was subsequently the Principal of the University of Edinburgh 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 ( ; ; ) 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 historic route between Edi ...

. 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 Agne ...

and his wife, Agnes Keith, daughter of

William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is ...

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

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

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

University of Utrecht Utrecht University (UU; , formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2023, it had an enrollment of 39,769 students, a ...

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

Covenanter Covenanters 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. It originated in disputes with James VI and his son C ...

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 (; ) is a port area in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is home to the Port of Leith. The earliest surviving historical references are in the royal charter authorising the construction of ...

in place of Rev John Knox who had been banished to

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

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

South Leith Parish Church North and South Leith Parish Church, originally the Kirk of Our Lady, St Mary, is a congregation of the Church of Scotland. Prior to the union with the former North Leith Parish Church in 2024, the building was known as South Leith Parish Churc ...

. 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 the nickname of a series of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. The term originated in the early 20th century and has since entered popular usage. The Royal ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

in place of the Very Rev William Crichton who retired due to age (77).''Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae''; 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 minister or elder chosen to moderate (chair) the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week in Edinburgh every year. After chairing the Ass ...

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

George George may refer to: Names * George (given name) * George (surname) People * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Papagheorghe, also known as Jorge / GEØRGE * George, stage name of Gior ...

. 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, Edinburgh, Old Town, adjacent to George Heriot's School. Burials have been taking place since the late 1 ...

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 for witchcraft in 1632, the trial overseen by William Struthers 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 17th-century Scottish Presbyterian ministers 18th-century ministers of the Church of Scotland 18th-century Scottish Presbyterian ministers Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Principals of the University of Edinburgh Burials at Greyfriars Kirkyard