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Monument Inscription
IN MEMORY OF
THE
REVD GEORGE McLATCHIE D.D.
late Minister
of the Parish of Mearns
He was ordained Assistant
and successor to the
REVD ALEXANDER CRUIKSHANKS
in this Parish
on the 11th April 1788
Succeeded him on his death
the 22nd January 1791
And died on the 13th August
1833
Aged 76 years
He was beloved as a Pastor
and regretted by all who knew him.
This is erected by his friend
NIEL C HUTCHISON
Anno 1836
IN MARCH 1834 Dr McLATCHIE
WAS SUCCEEDED BY THE REV DONALD MAKELLAR
WHO CONTINUED MINISTER OF THIS PARISH
TILL HIS DEATH ON 6TH JANY 1868
Family History
Three Ministers of Mearns Kirk who are commemorated on this gravestone served the parish for a total of 116 years. They were the Rev. Alexander Cruikshanks, minister from 1752 until 1791, the Rev. Dr George McLatchie minister from 1788 until 1833, and the Rev. Donald Mackellar, minister from 1834 until 1868.
Alexander Cruikshanks was born in Aberdeenshire in 1724 and received his education at Marischal College, Aberdeen and at the University of Glasgow. He was licensed on 5th January 1748 and ordained on 26th September 1752 when he succeeded the Rev. George MacVey who had been minister for the previous nineteen years.
George McLatchie was born on 5th April 1757. Graduating M.A. from the University of Glasgow in 1774 he was licensed by the Presbytery of Glasgow on 2nd December 1778. He was assistant minister to the above Rev. Alexander Cruikshanks at Mearns until he succeeded him on his death in 1791. He was the author of the First Statistical Account published in 1796. He was awarded a Doctorate of Divinity at the University of Glasgow in 1808. Dr McLatchie was the eldest son of Robert McLatchie, a schoolmaster, and he himself tutored sons of the gentry, the most notable of whom was John Wilson (1785-1854), the son of a wealthy Paisley manufacturer. He was appointed Professor of Moral Philosophy in Edinburgh in 1820. He was widely read and admired for the satirical articles he contributed to Blackwood’s Magazine using the pen name Christopher North.
Donald Mackellar, born in Knapdale on 5th April 1757, was the second son of Neil Mackellar, a merchant. Educated at the University of Glasgow, he was licensed by the Presbytery of Haddington in December 1826. He was not initially welcomed in Mearns. William Allison of Malletsheugh Farm, who was ordained an elder in Mearns Kirk in 1830, wrote in his diary “After the death of Dr McLatchie (August 13th 1833) it was expected that the parish would have had their choice of minister as at the late election for Parliament the electors exerted themselves much in returning Sir Michael Stewart, the patron, in return for which he promised to give them the first favour in his power. Regardless of all however he presented Mr McKellar to the Presbetry to be minister of the gospel at Mearns Kirk: this ungrateful conduct excited several disgust however Mr. McKellar was well approved by the Presbetry & generally approved by the parish in his trial sermon & consequently received peacefully & of course on Feb20 s he was ordained at Mearns Kirk.”
William Allison (1787-1866) and his wife Ann Bennie (1797-1863) lived at Malletsheugh Farm from 1830 until 1836 when they moved to Thorn Farm, East Kilpatrick. The above extract from his diary, written at Malletsheugh Farm, is printed here with the kind permission of the William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch.