William Veitch

William Veitch (27 April 1640 – 8 May 1722) was a Christian preacher in Scotland. A supporter of the Scottish Reformation, he refused to follow the episcopal church of the king of England, and preached as a Covenanter. As a result, he faced harassment from the authorities and lived abroad for several years. Marion Veitch was the author of a diary which was published by the Free Church of Scotland in 1846. She died the day before (Scott says the day after) her husband, and was buried in the same grave within the church of Dumfries. They had several children; William, educated at Utrecht, entered the army of the Prince of Orange, captain in the Darien Expedition, died at sea, off Port Royal, Jamaica, 1699; Samuel (who adopted the spelling Vetch for his surname), first Governor of Nova Scotia, born 1668, died 30 April 1732; Ebenezer, minister of Ayr; Elizabeth (married 7 June 1710, David M'Culloch of Ardwall); Sarah, born 7 November 1677 (married James Young of Gully-hill, Holywood); Agnes (married John Somerville, minister of Caerlaverock); Janet, buried 27 March 1693; and three others, who died young.

Works He was the author of: Two Sermons preached before Her Majesty's Commons at the Opening of Parliament (Edinburgh, 1693) Two Sermons preached before the commission (Edinburgh, 1695) A Short History of Rome's Designs against the Protestant Interest in Britain (Drumfries, 1718) A Short Answer to a Letter pretendedly written by Mr John Hepburn, Division Maker, but really by Riddough and Hunter and other Romish Emissaries, who are Defenders of his Faith, both Summer and Winter (Dumfries, 1720) A portrait of Veitch is in the possession of his descendant, E. Denholm Young, W.S., Edinburgh