William VEITCH

Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae, H Scott (1915) vol 2 p 265 St Michaels,
Dumfries,1694

WILLIAM VEITCH, born 27th April 1640, youngest son of -John V., min. of
Roberton, Lanarkshire; educated at Univ. of Glasgow; M.A. (1659); tutor in
the family of Sir Andrew Ker of Greenhead; licen. by Presb. of Lanark in
1664. Having identified himself with the Pentland Rising, he was outlawed,
and escaped to Newcastle, where he became chaplain in the family of the
Mayor. In 1671 he was ord. to a meeting-house at Fallowlees, a remote spot
among the Simonside Hills, Rothbury. From that he removed to Harnham, in
the same district, and afterwards to Seaton Hall, Longhorsly. Whilst
living at the latter place under the assumed name of William [or George] Johnston, he was arrested 16th .Jan., and sent to the Bass Rock 22nd Feb.
1679, but was liberated 17th July 1680, and returned to Newcastle. He
aided Archibald, Earl of Argyll, in his escape from Scotland in 1681. In
1683 he went to Holland, and in 1685 he was again in Northumberland acting
as an agent on behalf of Monmouth. Soon afterwards he was settled as min.
of a meeting-house at Beverley, Yorkshire. Having returned to Scotland, he
was called to Whitton Hall, Morebattle, April 1688. In 1690 he was min. of
Peebles, and in Sept. 1694, he was adm. to this charge; dem. 19th May1715
died 8th May1722. In 1705 he presented to the church two communion cups.

He marr. 23rd Nov. 1664, Marion Fairley, of the family of Braid,
Edinburgh. She died the day after her husband, and was buried in the same
grave within the church of Dumfries. They had issue William,of
Dumfries,educated at Utrecht, entered the army of the Prince of Orange,
captain in the Darien Expedition, died at sea, off Port Royal, Jamaica,
1699; Samuel (who adopted the spelling Vetch for his surname), first
Governor of Nova Scotia, born 1668, died 30th April 1732; Ebenezer, min.
of Ayr; Elizabeth (marr. 7th June 1710, David M’Culloch of Ardwall);
Sarah, born 7thNov. 1677 (marr. James Young of Gullyhill, Holywood); Agnes
(marr. John Somerville, min. of Caerlaverock); Janet, buried 27th March
1693; and three others, who died young.

A portrait of V. is in the possession of his descendant, E. Denholm Young,
W.S., Edinburgh.