Reverend Mr. Alexander Dickson of Wester Bynnie

REVEREND MR. ALEXANDER DICKSON OF WESTER BYNNIE

Professor of Hebrew at Edinburgh University

Reverend Mr. Alexander Dickson is the second son of the Reverend Mr. David Dickson of Busble and his wife Margaret Roberton. Fasti I: 64

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

                   1

6 February 1663: Act of curatory in favour of Mr Alexander and Mr Archibald Dickson and others as curators of David and Margaret Dickson, children of umquhile Mr John Dickson of Busbie. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Henderson Family of Fordell, reference GD172/2485

                   2

1663-66: Factories by Margaret Roberton relict and executrix of Mr David Dickson of Busbie, professor of divinity in College of Edinburgh, to Mr Alexander Dickson of Wester Bynnie, professor of Hebrew in said College, her son, and by Mr Archibald Dickson his brother, to him to manage specified affairs. Related papers. (7 items). National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Henderson Family of Fordell, reference GD172/24856

Genealogy

Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae: the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation, Vol. I, page 64

GEDCOM Note

Category:Irvine, Ayrshire
Category:Professors

Biography

Alexander was born sometime between 1623 and 1628 (see note) at Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland. He was the son of Master David Dickson and Margaret Roberton≤ref name="fasti1915">Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. Vol I. Digitised on Internet Archive Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1915. Page 65. Accessed 23 Aug 2021≤/ref>.
He was educated at the University of Glasgow, obtaining his M.A. in 1644≤ref>Scott, Hew. Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. Vol VII. Digitised on Internet Archive Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1928. Page 385. Accessed 23 Aug 2021≤/ref>. He was ordained to the parish of Newbattle on 7 October 1653. He was transferred and admitted to the Chair of Hebrew and Semitic Languages at Edinburgh University on 11 September 1656 and deprived of that position in 1679.
He married Sarah (Sara) Hamilton about 1654. They had at least eight children.#Patrick (1655≤ref>Scotlands People (digital database), Church registers - Old Parish Registers Births and baptisms. Accessed 26 Mar 2022:DICKSON, PATRICK Father=ALEXANDER DICKSON/ Sex=M DOB=25/07/1655 Ref=695/ 10 85 Parish=Newbattle≤/ref> - 1710)#Margaret (1657≤ref>Scotlands People (digital database), Church registers - Old Parish Registers Births and baptisms. Accessed 26 Mar 2022:DICKSONE, MARGARET Parents=ALEXANDER DICKSONE/SARAH HAMMILTOUN FR1623(FR1623) Sex=F DOB=24/09/1657 Ref=685/1 60 41 Parish=Edinburgh≤/ref> - )#David (1662≤ref>Scotlands People (digital database), Church registers - Old Parish Registers Births and baptisms. Accessed 26 Mar 2022:DICKSON, DAVID Parents=ALEXANDER DICKSON/SARAH HAMMILTOUN FR1736 (FR1736) Sex=M DOB=01/06/1662 Ref=685/1 60 263 Parish=Edinburgh≤/ref> - )#Elizabeth (1664≤ref>Scotlands People (digital database), Church registers - Old Parish Registers Births and baptisms. Accessed 26 Mar 2022:DICKSON, ELIZABETH ALEXANDER DICKSON/SARAH HAMILTON FR1789 (FR1789) Sex=F DOB=24/06/1664 Ref=685/1 60 369 Parish=Edinburgh≤/ref> - )#Anna (1667≤ref>Scotlands People (digital database), Church registers - Old Parish Registers Births and baptisms. Accessed 26 Mar 2022:DICKSON, ANNA Parents=ALEXANDER DICKSON/SARAH HAMMILTON FR1875 (FR1875) Sex=F DOB=14/02/1667 Ref=685/1 60 540 Parish=Edinburgh≤/ref>#Catherine (1668≤ref>Scotlands People (digital database), Church registers - Old Parish Registers Births and baptisms. Accessed 26 Mar 2022:DICKSON, CATHARINE Parents=ALEXANDER DICKSON/SARAH HAMILTOUN FR1925 (FR1925) Sex=F DOB=20/05/1668 Ref=685/1 60 639 Edinburgh≤/ref> - )#Walter (1670≤ref>Scotlands People (digital database), Church registers - Old Parish Registers Births and baptisms. Accessed 26 Mar 2022:DICKSON, WALTER Parents=ALEXANDER DICKSON/SARAH HAMMILTON FR2034 (FR2034) Sex=M DOB=23/08/1670 Ref=685/1 70 135 Parish=Edinburgh≤/ref> - )#Sarah (1673≤ref>Scotlands People (digital database), Church registers - Old Parish Registers Births and baptisms. Accessed 26 Mar 2022:DICKSON, SARAH Parents=ALEXANDER DICKSON/SARAH HAMMILTON FR2140 (FR2140) Sex=F DOB=11/02/1673 Ref=685/1 70 343 Parish=Edinburgh≤/ref> - )
There was a sasine in favour of his wife of "two part of the lands of West Binning in barony of Binning and sheriffdom of Linlithgow" on 3l December 1663≤ref>National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh. Accessed 27 Mar 2022;Reference: GD172/2487; Title: Instrument of sasine in favour of Sara Hamilton, spouse of Mr Alexander Dickson of West Binning, of two part of the lands of West Binning in barony of Binning and sheriffdom of Linlithgow in liferent, following on an obligation by Dickson dated 3l December 1663; Dates: 1/10/1664≤/ref>.
His mother, after she was widowed, gave him and his brother Archibald "Factories" to administer specified affairs between 1663 and 1666≤ref>National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh. Accessed 26 Mar 2022:Reference: GD172/2486; Title: Factories by Margaret Roberton relict and executrix of Mr David Dickson of Busbie, professor of divinity in College of Edinburgh, to Mr Alexander Dickson of Wester Bynnie, professor of Hebrew in said College, her son, and by Mr Archibald Dickson hisbrother, to him to manage specified affairs. Related papers. (7 items); Dates: 1663-1666≤/ref>.
While he was living in Edinburgh, he was sent a letter written by his brother Archibald on 23 March 1681 at Tourlands, describing the treatment prescribed for the distemper on his child's eyes≤ref>National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh. Accessed 27 Mar 2022:Reference: GD172/2495; Title: Letter to Mr Alexander Dickson of West Binning, living in Edinburgh, from Mr Archibald Dickson, his brother, Dated at Tourlands; Dates: 23 Mar 1681≤/ref>.

Alexander died after 1681.

Research Notes==The date of Alexander's birth is given in various places in different years, none confirmed by original references. The Fasti of 1915≤ref name="fasti1915"/> lists him as the fourth son, but that source omits his brother Archibald who should be the second son by Scottish naming pattern and is listed as so in some sources≤ref>Maidment, James. Analecta scotica: collections illustrative of the civil, ecclesiastical, and literary history of Scotland. Digitised on InternetArchive Edinburgh: Thomas G. Stevenson, 1837. Chapter XIX. page 59. Accessed 22 Aug 2021≤/ref>. That implies a later date. But his graduation in 1644 implies an earlier date. This is a matter yet to be resolved.

There is a gap in the births of his children between Margaret and David, so there may have been a child who died young or was stillborn.
His date and place of death have not been confirmed as a will has not been found for him. It is stated that he went to Ireland and died there≤ref>Dewey, Emily McKay. Dickson - Scotch-Irish. New York; 1953, downloaded from Library Books page 9. Accessed 27 Mar 2022≤/ref>. If so, it was after 1681.

Sources

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• Biography written by Margaret Bailey Allison