Rev Dr John Scott of the Mid Parish, Greenock

John Scott became the minister of the Mid Parish Church (or the New Church) in Cathcart Square, Greenock in May 1793 as successor to Rev Dr John Adam.  (The Mid Parish Church is now called Wellpark Mid Kirk.)

Rev Dr John Scott - notice picture of Mid Parish Church in background.

Born in Logierait, Perthshire in 1763, he was educated locally before attending the University of Glasgow.  He was licenced to preach by the Presbytery of Glasgow in 1787.  Like many newly qualified young ministers, his first job was as a tutor to the large family of John Wallace, father of the well known Greenockian, Robert Wallace. He was ordained in 1793 and became minister of the Mid Parish Church in Greenock. In 1803 he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity by the University of Glasgow.

In 1796 he married Susan Fisher and the couple had several children.  Unfortunately only one son, Alexander John Scott (1805-1866) and a daughter, Margaret lived to adulthood.  Their other children died very young - three of them dying in 1811.

George Williamson in “Old Greenock” describes  him as “an eloquent and evangelical preacher, a very presentable person, dignified and formal in manner.  He was among the last of the town ministers who wore long black silk stockings, and short trousers buttoned or tied with silk ribbon at the knee.  In the pulpit he wore black gloves, silk or leather, in conformity with ministerial etiquette, and it used to be remarked that the glove of the forefinger of the right hand had a small slit near the end, to admit of his easily turning the leaves of his Bible or manuscript while reading or preaching.  His congregation stood in considerable awe of him.”

Mid Parish Church, Cathcart Square, Greenock

He was appointed chaplain in the early days of the Loyal Greenock Volunteers and was instrumental in the setting up of the Ann Street Charity School for the free education of children who were "orphans, fatherless or had no prospect of being educated elsewhere."

In 1813 the Scott family moved to their new manse in Houston Street (at the corner of Kelly Street) in Greenock.  Previously the manse had been near to the church, just to the west in the appropriately named, Manse Lane.  In 1829 Susan Scott died and in the same year John Scott suffered from a stroke while attended the General Assembly in Edinburgh.

Rev Dr John Scott died in Greenock in 1836 and was buried with his family in Inverkip Street Cemetery.  The inscription on the gravestone reads - 

John Scott DD aged 43 minister New Parish died 26.3.1836.  Wife Susan Fisher died 1.11.1829.  Daughter Susan Hutchison born and died 1801.  Mary died 7.3.1811 aged 14 y 4 m.  Jean died Gourock Bay 18.9.1811 aged 7.  John died Gourock Bay 21.10.1811 aged 12.

In his later years in Greenock from 1831-1834 he had an assistant, Rev William Cunningham who later went on to become one of the leaders of the Free Church movement which led to the "Disruption" of 1843.