Reverend Mr. Patrick Patrick Simson, minister of the Gospel at Renfrew

REVEREND MR. PATRICK SIMSON

Minister of the Gospel at Renfrew: Burgess and Guild Brother of Glasgow

The Reverend Mr. Patrick Simson was enrolled as a burgess and guild brother of Glasgow on 16 June 1691: "Mr. Patrick Simson, minister at Renrew, burgess and guild brother, wife [as marriage to Jonat, lawful daughter of the deceased James Peadie, merchant, burgess and guild brother, notwithstanding her previous marriage with [Robert Culane, merchant] any children of the said marriage being dead, act of council dated 13 April]"
The Burgesses and Guild Brethren of Glasgow, 1573-1750, p. 224

Biographical Summary

"Patrick Simson, born 2nd Oct. 1628, son of Adam S., min. of New Abbey ; educated under his cousin, George Gillespie, min. of St Giles', Edinburgh, and was four years tutor in the family of Archibald, Marquess of Argyll ; ord. 11th Nov. 1653; deprived by Act of Parliament 11th June, and Decreet of the Privy Council 1st Oct. 1662 ; was granted an indulgence at Kilmalcolm in 1672. In Nov. 1678 he was cited before the Privy Council for holding conventicles out of the parish to which he had been confined, and not compearing, was denounced a rebel. He returned at the Toleration ; was at the meeting of Synod 30th Aug. 1687, and was restored by Act of Parliament 25th April 1690. He became Dean of Faculty in the Univ. of Glasgow 11th Dec. that year, and was re-elected annually till 1696; Moderator of the General Assembly 20th Dec. 1695; died Father of the Church 24th Oct. 1715. Wodrow speaks of him as the " last of the antediluvian Presbyterian ministers in this church. I never knew one more pleasant and profitable in conversation and of a sweeter temper. He had one of the clearest judgments, and the most exact and tenacious memory that I ever knew. He was the most digested and distinct master of the Scriptures that I ever met with." He marr.

(1) 30th Aug. 1654, Elizabeth (died 31st March 1662), daugh. of John Hay, min. of this parish, and had issue—

• Sarah, born 1655, died 26th Nov. that year
• George, born 19th Sept. 1657, died 8th Aug. 16—
• Patrick, born April 1659, died in West Indies 1688
• Agnes, born 25th March 1662 (marr. John Simson of Kirktonhall, West Kilbride, merchant, Glasgow) [of this marriage there were seventeen sons and no daughs. ; one of the sons was Robert Simson, Professor of Mathematics in Univ. of Glasgow, translator of Euclid]
• Elizabeth (twin), born 25th March, died 16th June 1662

(2) 30th June 1664, Janet (died 19th Sept. 1714, aged 79), daugh. of James Peadie, merchant, Glasgow, and widow of Robert Cullen, merchant, Glasgow, and had issue-

• James, born 26th May 1665, died 18th Oct. 1667
• John, Professor of Divinity, Glasgow Univ. (q.v.)
• Margaret, born 27th April 1669 (marr. James Montgomerie), buried 8th Nov. 1758
• Matthew, min. of Pencaitland
• Anna, born 8th May 1674 (marr. John Paisley, min. of Lochwinnoch)
• a son, still-born 11th Feb. 1677
• Mary, born 13th June 1679."

SOURCE: Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae: the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation, Vol. III, page 186