Genealogy Chat

My 4 x Great Grandfather was minister for Dryfesdale parish in Dumfriesshire, Scotland in the early 1800s. I was quite surprised to discover that his father was a 'humble' shoemaker. I had supposed that becoming a man of the cloth would have required substantial money and patronage.
I was wondering if anyone out there has an understanding of how common (or otherwise) it was for ministers to be sons of tradesmen. How big a hurdle was this to climb?

Stuart.

Hi, it may have been that your 4xgt grandfather had a 'calling' and worked extremely hard to get the training required. Or perhaps, he caught the eye of a benefactor who paid for him to undergo the training.

I have a relative who came from a line of labourers and who became a Methodist Lay Preacher.


You could always contact the church to see if they hold any records.


Cx

Hi Stuart,
2 of my 19th century ancestors, both sons of Scottish tradesmen, became Doctors of Divinity. Have you looked up your ancestor here, assuming he was of the Church of Scotland and not with the Free Church?

http://www.archive.org/details/fastiecclesiu02scotuoft

“Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae” for Merse (Kincardineshire) Teviotdale Dumfries Galloway (1917).

Michael