Ewing – List of Ministers: U-V
Here there is the text of Ewing’s Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843-1900 followed by some Supplementary material. Information about this Supplementary material is available here. Subjects dealt with include Abbreviations, the way place names are recorded: Recording Locations and Publications.
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URE, NEIL SHAW
Text of Ewing’s Annals, Vol.1, p.348
Born in Renfrewshire, 1828. Studied at the University, Glasgow, and New College, Edinburgh. Ordained at Newcastleton, 1861. Deposed, 1875.
Supplementary Information
Background
He was born on 28th December, 1828, in Houston and Killellan, Renfrewshire, the son of William Ure, textile worker, and Margaret Brown. In 1841 he was described as a cotton worker.
Education
He matriculated at Glasgow University in 1851.
Marriage
He married Jessie Simpson on 28th December, 1877, at George Street, Largs, Ayrshire (Registration: 1877 602/ 41 Largs (Ayr)). She was then a school teacher. She was born (or baptised) on 7th December, 1845, in Largs, Ayrhsire, the daughter of Alexander Simpson, draper, and Ann Williamson.
Ministry
He was licensed by the Free Presbytery of Lanark on 4th August, 1858; and served in Newcastleton, Roxburghshire. Four elders and two deacons of his congregation presented a petition to their Presbytery alleging that there was a fama against him. The matter came to the General Assembly in 1875. He then submitted his resignation, which was accepted by the Presbytery. But he was declared to be no longer a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. Thereafter he became a draper first in Manchester, Lancashire, England, and then in Largs, Ayrshire.
Death
He died on 5th October, 1884, in Largs, Ayrshire. His wife died there in 1882.
Family
They had issue including:
(1) William Simpson Ure born in the 1st quarter of 1879 in Chorlton, Lancashire, England. He married Johanna Houston in 1906 in Largs, Ayrshire. He was chief officer on the Baron Blythswood when it was attacked and sunk by U-99 on the morning of 21st September, 1940. He died in the attack. The ship was part of a large convoy which sailed from different ports in the Americas. It was attacked about 500 miles west of Ireland. The Baron Blythswood was carrying iron ore and sank within 40 seconds of being hit.
(2) Annie Williamson Ure born in the 1st quarter of 1881 in Chorlton, Lancashire, England. She died in 1884 in Largs, Ayrshire.
Publication – about him
Inventories, Wills, etc.: 31/1/1885, Draper, Largs, d. 05/10/1884 at Largs, intestate, Ayr Sheriff Court, NRS SC6/44/46
Sources
Uboat.net; Ntlworld; The Dundee Courier & Argus, 24th May, 1875; The Aberdeen Journal, 4th August, 1875
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URE, WALTER MACLEAN
Text of Ewing’s Annals, Vol.1, p.348
Born at Garelochhead, 1859. Studied at the University, Glasgow, and New College, Edinburgh. Ordained at Clackmannan, 1894. Married, 1900, Jane S. Gray.
Supplementary Information
Life and Ministry
In the Free Church, he served in Clackmannan. This ministry was continued in the United Free Church (Fasti of the United Free Church (FUFC), p.308, where a short biography is given). He died on 27th January, 1907.
Family
He married Jane (Jean) Stewart Gray in Campbeltown, Argyll, on 26th December, 1900. She was born there in 1879, the daughter of David Gray, farmer, and Isabella Steele. She died in Edinburgh in 1962.
They had issue in Clackmannan, including:
(1) William Archibald Ure born in 1902. He died in Edinburgh in 1974. He funded the Jane Stewart Ure Memorial Fund for St Catherine’s Argyll Church of Scotland.
(2) Isabella Steele Ure born in 1904. She married William Morris Beveridge. She died in Edinburgh in 1953. William Morris Beveridge was the son of William Wightman Beveridge – a minister of the Secession Church. In 1957, he was awarded an O.B.E. “for services to education in the Gold Coast.”
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URQUHART, ALEXANDER
Text of Ewing’s Annals, Vol.1, p.348
Born at Alford, 1817. Studied at Marischal College and Divinity Hall, Aberdeen. He signed the Probationers’ Resolutions, 1843. The same year ordained at Sanday. Translated to Old Deer, 1845. Married, the same year, Mary Taylor. Became senior minister, 1884. [Vol. 2 says his ministry terminated 1897.]
Supplementary Information
Background
He was born on 6th and baptized on 22nd August, 1817, in Alford, Aberdeenshire, the son of Robert Urquhart, surgeon, and Jane Brown.
Education
He matriculated at Marischal College, Aberdeen, in 1831 and graduated M.A..
Marriage
He married Mary Taylor on 5th March, 1845, in Old Machar, Aberdeen. She was born (or baptised) on 7th April, 1821, in Cabrach, Aberdeenshire, the daughter of James Taylor, sheep farmer, and Jane Simpson.
Ministry
“Alex. Urquhart, Cross and Burness, Orkney” was a name on the Roll of Probationers adhering to the Free Church. In the Free Church, he served in Sanday, Orkney. He was called to “Stuartfield”, that is, Old Deer, Aberdeenshire, on 12 September, 1844, and was translated there on 16th January, 1845. John M. Skinner was elected as his colleague and successor in 1884.
Death
He moved to Caberfeidh House, Longside, Aberdeenshire, and he died there on 14th November, 1901 (Registration: 1901 218/ 36 Longside). His wife died there on 9th April, 1898 (Registration: 1898 218/ 20 Longside).
Family
They had issue including:
(1) Robert Urquhart born on 10th December, 1845, and baptized on 4th January, 1846, in Old Deer, Aberdeenshire. He became a Free Church minister.
(2) Alexander Urquhart born on 18th December, 1849, and baptized on 10th February, 1850, in Old Deer, Aberdeenshire.
(3) Mary-Jane Urquhart born on 14th April and baptized on 11th May, 1851, in Old Deer, Aberdeenshire.
(4) Helen Harper Urquhart born on 17th December, 1854, and baptized on 21st January, 1855, in Old Deer, Aberdeenshire. She died there in 1871.
(5) Anne Hall Urquhart born on 4th December, 1857, in Old Deer, Aberdeenshire. She married William Webster, a woolen warehouseman, in 1888 in Old Deer, Aberdeenshire.
(6) John Ferguson Urquhart born on 10th September, 1859, in Old Deer, Aberdeenshire. He married Flora Lawson in 1884 in Newtown, New South Wales. He died in 1886 in Manly, New South Wales.
(7) Isabella Eliza Urquhart born on 28th September, 1861, in Old Deer, Aberdeenshire. She died in 1955 in Kincardine O’Neil, Aberdeenshire.
(8) Margaret Littlejohn Urquhart born on 4th July, 1864, in Old Deer, Aberdeenshire. She died in 1919 in Newington, Edinburgh.
Publication – about him
Inventories, Wills, etc.: 10/3/1902, F.C. Old Deer, latterly Caberfeigh, Parish of Longside, d. 14/11/1901 at Caberfeigh, testate, Aberdeen Sheriff Court Inventories, NRS SC1/36/145; Aberdeen Sheriff Court Wills, NRS SC1/37/123
Source
Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 3rd May, 1895
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URQUHART, ALEXANDER
Text of Ewing’s Annals, Vol.1, p.348
Born at Killearnan, 1821. Studied at the University and New College, Edinburgh. Ordained, 1856, at Tarbat. Married, 1857, Margaret Wood. Translated, 1865, to Glasgow, Hope Street. Died, 1886.
Supplementary Information
Background
There is good reason to think that he was born on 1st and baptized on 14th May, 1821, in Killearnan, Ross and Cromarty; that he was the son of George Urquhart and Jane Gray; and that this George Gray was a catechist, latterly in Kingussie, Inverness-shire.
Education
He enrolled in New College, Edinburgh, 1849-53.
Marriage
He married Margaret Wood on 15th December, 1857, at the bride’s home, 28 Victoria Street, Aberdeen (Registration: 1857 168/2 196 Old Machar Aberdeen Burgh). She was born about 1821 in Old Machar, Aberdeen, the daughter of Joseph Wood, merchant, and Margaret Gray.
In 1863 he conducted the marriage of Joseph Wood to Rachel Mackenzie. It is all but certain that this Joseph Wood was his brother-in-law. Rachel Mackenzie was the daughter of George Mackenzie, minister of Skene. For him, see the General Index of Scottish Presbyterian ministers here and scroll up to “MacKenzie, George: 1824, Skene”.
Ministry
In the Free Church, he served in Tarbat, Ross and Cromarty. On 21st September, 1865, he was translated to Hope Street, Glasgow. In 1875 he was called to Oban and in 1884 he was elected by the congregation of North Ballachulish, but he remained in Hope Street.
Death
He died at 6 Clifton Place, Glasgow, on 16th March, 1886. His wife died on 22nd November, 1899, at 31 Lansdowne Crescent, Glasgow.
Family
They had issue including:
(1) Margaret Jane Urquhart born on 23rd October, 1858, in Tarbat, Ross and Cromarty. She married James Macmichael on 27th September, 1883, at 6 Clifton Place, Glasgow. She died in 1931 in Hillhead, Glasgow.
(2) Jemima Stewart Urquhart born on 31st August, 1860, in Tarbat, Ross and Cromarty. She died on 18th June, 1933, at a nursing home in Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire.
Publications – about him
Inventories, Wills, etc.: 29/6/1886, Minister, Hope Street Gaelic Free Church, Glasgow, residing at 6 Clifton Place there, d. 16/03/1886 at Glasgow, testate, Glasgow Sheriff Court Inventories, NRS SC36/48/115; Will, Glasgow Sheriff Court Wills, NRS SC36/51/93
Inventories, Wills, etc.: Urquhart or Wood, Margaret, 5/2/1900, 31 Lansdowne Crescent, Glasgow, widow, d. 22/11/1899 at Glasgow, testate, Glasgow Sheriff Court Inventories, NRS SC36/48/169; Will, Glasgow Sheriff Court Wills, NRS SC36/51/123
Court of Session: Unextracted processes: Reverend Alexander Urquhart and others (Trustees of Hope Street Gaelic Free Church, Glasgow): Petition to sell, 1881, NRS CS243/7401; Warrants of the Register of Acts and Decreets: Interim decree in petition and application of The Rev Alexander Urquhart and others, trustees for behalf of the Congregation of Hope Street Gaelic Free Church, Glasgow, for authority to sell, Mar 1882, NRS CS46/1882/3/54
Sources
Glasgow Herald, 12th June, 1863; 23rd November, 1899; The Dundee Courier & Argus, 3rd October, 1883; The Scotsman, Edinburgh, 20th June, 1933, p.16
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URQUHART, ANDREW, M.A., J.P.
Text of Ewing’s Annals, Vol.1, p.348
Born, 1805. Son of Rev. R. Urquhart, Kilbirnie. Studied at the University, Glasgow. Ordained at Portpatrick, 1832. Married, 1836, Martha Hawthorn; and, 1851, Mary H. Minot. Signed the Act of Separation and Deed of Demission. Became senior minister, 1885. Died, 1890.
Supplementary Information
Life and Ministry
1832, Portpatrick, FES, Vol.2, p.351; FES, Vol.8, p.191. In the Free Church, he served in Portpatrick, Wigtownshire.
Family
His first wife, Mary Hawthorn, was the daughter of John Hawthorn of Jamaica, and was born in Jamaica. His second wife was Mary Hawthorn Minot the daughter of John Sutton Minot and Eliza Hawthorn and was born in Portland, Jamaica. It is not yet known if his two wives were related. See Legacies of British Slave-ownership: John Hawthorn and Mary Minot.
Publications – by him
New Statistical Account, December, 1838, Portpatrick, Vol.4, Wigtown, p.129
He contributed to the Disruption Manuscripts. His work is used in Thomas Brown’s, Annals of the Disruption – see footnotes 633 and 635. (Note these links take you to the end of the quote.)
Miscellaneous small collections of family, business and other papers: ‘Social Survey and Register of all households in the Village and Parish of Portpatrick’ by Rev. Andrew Urquhart, minister at Portpatrick, grandson of (GD1/335/1) Andrew Urquhart, 1832, NRS GD1/335/2; Register of population in the parish of Portpatrick prepared by Rev. Andrew Urquhart; details of church membership are included, 1844-1852, NRS GD1/335/3
Breadalbane Muniments, Ecclesiastical Documents, Letters with Petitions to Ormelie [that is, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane] and Others, Against Maynooth grant and sabbath travel, 28th April, 1845, NRS GD112/51/186
The Urquhart censuses of Portpatrick 1832-1853, edited by N. L. Tranter, Edinburgh, Scottish Record Society, 1980
Publications – about him
Obituary notice on this web site: Andrew Urquhart.
Inventories, Wills, etc.: 16/5/1890, Minister of the Gospel, Portpatrick, d. 10/03/1890 at Portpatrick, testate, Wigtown Sheriff Court, NRS SC19/41/19
Inventories, Wills, etc.: Urquhart or Minot, Mary Hawthorn, 22/8/1890, residing in Portpatrick, widow of Rev. Andrew Urquhart, F.C. Minister, Portpatrick, d. 11/04/1890 at Portpatrick, testate, Wigtown Sheriff Court, NRS SC19/41/19
Hugh Gibson, schoolmaster, Answers made by Schoolmasters in Scotland, p.308 [See here Parochial Schools – Queries to which these Answers are a response]
Third Report of the Commissioners of Religious Instruction: Teinds, Appendix 1, Table 1, p.6
31st August, 1836, Seventh Report of the Commissioners of Religious Instruction, p.386 [For the questions which are being answered, see Queries]
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URQUHART, JOHN
Text of Ewing’s Annals, Vol.1, p.348
Born at Langholm, 1858. Studied at the University and New College, Edinburgh. Ordained at Leslie, 1889. Married, the same year, Jane M. Robin. Translated, 1892, to Glasgow, Chalmers’ Church; and, 1899, to Rothesay, West. [Vol. 2, under Glasgow- Chalmers says he was translated 1899.]
Supplementary Information
Life and Ministry
In the Free Church, he served in Leslie, Fife; Chalmers’, Glasgow; and West, Rothesay, Bute. This ministry was continued in the United Free Church (Fasti of the United Free Church (FUFC), p.282). Thereafter he served in Hamilton St John’s from 1906 (FUFC, p.188, where a short biography is given). He retired in 1920 and died on 3rd February, 1933.
Family
He married Jane McDhui Robin in Edinburgh on 11th December, 1889. She was born in Glasgow on 14th September, 1866, the daughter of George Robin, wine and spirit merchant, and Elizabeth Brown. She died in Newton Mearns, Renfrewshire, in 1939.
They had issue, including:
(1) William Hannah Urquhart born in Leslie in 1890. He married Helen McWhinnie, in Alberta, Canada, about 1924. He died in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on 17th July, 1947,
(2) Elizabeth Brown born in Leslie in 1892. She died in Glasgow that same year.
(3) Helen Hannah Urquhart born in Glasgow in 1894. She married Gilbert Wilkie Elliott, minister, in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, in 1915. She died in Kilbride, Isle of Arran, Bute, in 1951, and was buried in Kilbride Old Churchyard there.
(4) Jenny Robin Urquhart born in Glasgow in 1897. She married John Donald Barr on 21st August, 1929, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She died in East Neuk, Fife, in 1995, and was buried in Kilconquhar Parish Churchyard, Fife.
(5) Margaret Robin Urquhart born in Rothesay on 8th February, 1903. She married Kenneth Wilson Dalgl(e)ish, chartered accountant, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on 27th October, 1926. She died on 8th Februaray, 1987, and was buried in Mount Royal Cemetery, Outremont, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
(6) John Urquhart born in Rothesay in 1905. He died in Eastwood and Mearns, Renfrewshire, in 1980.
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URQUHART, JOHN
Text of Ewing’s Annals, Vol.1, p.348
Studied at the University, Glasgow, and New College, Edinburgh. Ordained at Glenluce, Wilson Memorial, 1898.
Supplementary Information
Background
He was born in Aberdeenshire about 1871. There is no record that he studied at New College, Edinburgh.
Marriage
He married Jean (Jane) Robertson in St Rollox, Glasgow, in 1893. She was born in Glasgow on 22nd September, 1870, the daughter of Henry Robertson, wine and spirit merchant, and Elizabeth Pollock.
Ministry
In the Free Church, he served in Glenluce, Wigtownshire. This ministry was continued in the United Free Church (Fasti of the United Free Church (FUFC), p.116). He was deposed in 1911.
Death
His wife died in Frankston, Victoria, Australia in 1951, and was buried there (Findagrave).
Family
They had issue, including:
(1) Roderick Robertson Urquhart born in Partick, Glasgow, in 1894. He died in Maryhill, Glasgow, in 1902.
(2) Elizabeth Pollock Urquhart born in Partick in 1896.
(3) Grace Robertson Urquhart born in Glenluce in 1901. She married Henry Claude Ray. in Victoria in 1941. She died in Brighton, Victoria, on 1st December, 1974, and was buried in Frankston Cemetery, Victoria (Findagrave).
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URQUHART, ROBERT, M.A.
Text of Ewing’s Annals, Vol.1, p.348
Born, 1845. Son of Rev. A. Urquhart, Old Deer. Studied at the University and Free Church College, Aberdeen. Ordained at Botriphnie, 1869. Married, 1871, Mary J. Spence; and, 1879, Helen Ritchie. Translated to Woolston, Southampton, 1874; and to Old Meldrum, 1879.
Supplementary Information
Life and Ministry
In the Free Church, he served in Botriphnie, Banffshire; and Old Meldrum, Aberdeenshire. This ministry was continued in the United Free Church (Fasti of the United Free Church (FUFC), p.437, where a short biography is given). He continued as minister in the united congregation until his retirement in 1910. He died on 28th November, 1921, and was buried in Meldrum Churchyard.
Family
He married (1) Mary Jane Spence in Aberdeen in 1871. She was born on 20th September, 1847, the daughter of Alexander Spence, a Free Church minister, and Janet Simpson Gibb. (See there for further ministerial connections.) She died in South Stoneham, Hampshire, England, on 9th October, 1877.
He married (2) Helen Ritchie in Southampton, Hampshire, England, in 1879. She was born in England on 21st March, 1853, the daughter of Robert Ritchie, superintendent engineer, and Catherine Stewart. She died in Kincardine O’Neil, Aberdeenshire, on 20th April, 1923, and was buried in Meldrum Churchyard.
Family
He was the son of Alexander Urquhart, a Free Church minister.
He had issue by his first wife including:
(1) Alexander Urquhart born in Botriphnie in 1872.
(2) Robert Urquhart born in Botriphnie on 7th November, 1873. He died in Old Meldrum on 25th September, 1883, and was buried in Meldrum Churchyard.
(3) William Spence Urquhart born in South Stoneham, Hampshire, in 1877. He was a minister of the United Free Church: Fasti of the United Free Church (FUFC), p.537. He died on 16th July, 1964, and was buried in Torphins Cemetery, Aberdeenshire.
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VAN ANDELL, ADRIAN
Text of Ewing’s Annals, Vol.1, p.348
After acting for seven years as superintendent of the Jewish Mission School at Budapest he was admitted to the Free Church, 1863, and appointed missionary at Prague. In 1871 he was transferred to Amsterdam, where he remained till 1878.
Supplementary Information
Adrian Van Andel
Background
He was a Dutchman.
Marriage
He married Eliza Howlett Turpin. They are said to have married in Hamburg, Germany, on 9th March, 1844.
Ministry
He was doing gospel work in Bremen and Hamburg, Germany, about 1855 as a Methodist lay worker. While he was superintendent of the Jewish Mission School in Budapest, Hungary, he was also acting as a pastor there. He was ordained on 29th October, 1860, at a meeting of the Evangelical Alliance in England. There was conflict in the church situation in Budapest; a delegation from Scotland visited to assess the situation; and eventually he was removed to Prague in 1863.
Family
A Rev. Adrian Van Andel officiated at the wedding of his son in Edinburgh in 1875. We assume that there were not two ministers with Scottish connections about the same time and with the same unusual name. Hence Adrian van Andel had issue, including:
(1) Gerard A. Edward van Andel born about 1845 in Hamburg, Germany. He married Mary Anderson on 15th July, 1875, in Newington, Edinburgh (Registration: 1875 685/5 325 Newington). He was a teacher of modern languages. He died in the 3rd quarter of 1937 in North East Surrey, England.
(2) There is also said to be a daughter: Elizabeth Helena Adelaide Van Andel, who married a John Brebner in South Africa. Certainly an Elizabeth H.A. Van Andel or Brebner died in Edinburgh in 1934, aged 85.
Sources
The Origins of the Baptist Movement among the Hungarians: A History of the Baptists in the Kingdom of Hungary from 1846 to 1893; Edinburgh Evening News, 16th July, 1875; Elihu Burritt’s Bond of brotherhood; Glasgow Herald, 4th October, 1860
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VERNON, EDWARD THOMSON, M.A.
Text of Ewing’s Annals, Vol.1, p.348
Born at Edinburgh, 1853. Studied at the University and New College, Edinburgh. Ordained at Arbirlot, 1879. Married, 1880, Elizabeth Shirra-Gibb.
Supplementary Information
Life and Ministry
In the Free Church, he served in Arbirlot, Angus. This ministry was continued in the United Free Church (Fasti of the United Free Church (FUFC), p.394, where a short biography is given). He retired in 1915. He died in Edzell, Angus, in 1937, and was buried in Arbirlot Kirkyard.
Family
He married Elizabeth Shirra Gibb in Edinburgh on 17th August, 1880. She was born in Yetholm, Roxburghshire. She died in Edzell on 15th November, 1941, and was buried with her husband.
They had issue in Arbirlot, including:
(1) John Walter Vernon born in 1881. He died in Arbirlot in 1885.
(2) George Shirra Vernon born in 1884. He died in Edinburgh on 22nd July, 1959, and was buried in Blairgowrie Cemetery, Perthshire. He was an author.
(3) Marguerita Vernon born in 1887. She married James Fairlie in Arbirlot in 1914. She died in Oxford, England, in 1961. James Fairlie was “a heavy-drinking editor on Fleet Street”.
(4) Edward Thomson Vernon born in 1890. He died in West Kilbride in 1967. He was a minister.
(5) Frank Mudie Vernon born in 1892. He served in WW1. He married Isabella Patullo in Monifieth, Angus, in 1922. He died in Brechin, Angus, in 1941.
(6) Harold Russell Vernon born on 1st April, 1899. He married Katharine Jane MacGregor in Kinloch Rannoch, Perthshire, in 1924. He died in Honiton, Devon, England, on 12th November, 1989. He was a medical practitioner, and the father of Gavin Harold Russell Vernon.
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