Samuel Semple
Church of Scotland minister and historian
About Samuel Semple
Lived 1666 – 1742 (aged 75–76).
Samuel Semple (1666–1742) was a Church of Scotland minister and historian.
Life
Semple was born in 1666 as the son of Gabriel Semple (1632–1706), minister of Jedburgh, and his wife Margaret Murray, daughter of Sir Patrick Murray of Glendoick and Blackcastle.
He studied at Edinburgh University graduating MA in July 1693. In August 1697, he was ordained as minister of Liberton Parish Church, south of Edinburgh.
Family In 1701, Semple married Elizabeth Murray, daughter of Sir Archibald Murray of Blackbarony near Peebles. Their children included:
Mary (1703–1768) who married John Swinton of Swinton House and were parents to John Swinton, Lord Swinton. William Semple (b.1705) Elizabeth (b.1710)
His wife died at Swinton House on 18 January 1748.
Publications
History of the Christian Religion from its First Plantation in Scotland
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Important facts
People in Samuel Semple's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Samuel Semple's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Samuel Semple?
Church of Scotland minister and historian (1666-1742)
When was Samuel Semple born?
Samuel Semple was born in 1666.
When did Samuel Semple die?
Samuel Semple died in 1742.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Samuel Semple. https://biography.guide/samuel-semple/
MLA: "Samuel Semple." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/samuel-semple/.
Chicago: "Samuel Semple." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/samuel-semple/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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