Guthrie, William (1620-03-25 - 1665-10-10)

Guthrie was the eldest son of James Guthrie, of Pitforthie, Forfarshire. His mother was the daughter of Lyon of Easter-Ogle. He graduated M.A. from St Andrews on the 5 June 1638, where he studied under his cousin James Guthrie (the martyr). He was licensed as a preacher in August 1642 and became the tutor to the eldest son of John Cambell, the Lord High Chancellor of Scotland. He was called as minister to the newly created parish of Fenwick after parishoners heard him preach at a Fast-day service in Galston Kirk. He was ordained at Fenwick on the 7 November 1644. He was appointed shortly afterwards as army chaplain, and was present at the battle at Mauchline Moor in June 1648. In 1651 he joined the Protestors. He was appointed by the English Council to supervise the admission of ministers into his own Synod on the 8 August 1654. On July 24 1664 he was deprived of his living after refusing to submit to the Episcopacy. He retired to his property at Pitforthie, and died the next year in the manse of his brother-in-law Laurence Skinner, at Brechin, following a period of ill health. During his life he refused calls to Renfrew, Linlithgow, Stirling, Glasgow and Edinburgh. He was described by Dr. John Owen as "one of the greatest divines that ever wrote". He was married in August 1645 to Agnes Campell of Skeldon, Dalrymple. They had 6 children, 2 surviving to majority: Agnes (born 1652) and Mary (born 1654).