George Hamilton

George Hamilton of Cairns (1635–1712) was a Church of Scotland minister who served as Moderator of the General Assembly in 1699.

Life

He was born in the manse at Pittenweem in 1635 the eldest son of Rev. George Hamilton (d. 1673), the local minister. His father apparently translated to Newburn, Fife in 1636 and in 1637 appears with Alexander Henderson of Leuchars and James Bruce of Kingsbarns as three Fife ministers petitioning regarding the changes in the Book of Common Prayer.

He studied at St Andrews University from 1649 graduating MA in 1653. In 1659 he was he ordained as a minister of the Church of Scotland, his first charge being Newburn in south Fife close to his birthplace.

In 1697 he translated to be minister of the High Church (St Giles) in Edinburgh. In January 1699 he was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, in place of Rev. George Meldrum.

He ceased preaching in January 1710 and appears to have stood unsuccessfully as a candidate as MP for Pittenweem against Sir John Anstruther.

He died on 26 May 1712.

Family

He firstly married Margaret Boyd, daughter of John Boyd of Trochrig. They had two daughters: Margaret Hamilton who married Rev. Robert Clelland of Kilrenny (near Pittenweem) and Sophia Hamilton who married Thomas Spence, an Edinburgh lawyer.

He secondly married Elizabeth Hay (d. 1708), sister of Dr. John Hay of Cousland.