John Witherspoon

Born on this day, famous Scottish minister, John Witherspoon (5th Feb 1723 – 15th Nov 1794).

John Witherspoon, born in Gifford near Haddington was a Church of Scotland minister and educator who became a key figure in American history. He studied at the University of Edinburgh and was ordained in 1743. During the 1745 Jacobite uprising, Witherspoon, a staunch Presbyterian, opposed the Jacobites and was imprisoned in Doune Castle where he and others took part in a daring escape. (Doune Castle is a great stop on our tours).

In 1768 he left Scotland for America upon accepting a request to become president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), revitalizing its academics and finances. He strongly supported American independence, signing the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the only active clergyman to do so.

He remained active in education, politics, and theology and was a strong advocate for Scottish emigration to America. He died in Princeton in 1794.