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John Howie
obelisk in memory of Howie
obelisk in memory of Howie
Born (1735-11-14)14 November 1735
Lochgoin
Died 5 January 1793(1793-01-05) (aged 57)
Occupation farmer
Nationality Scottish

John Howie (14 November 1735 – 5 January 1793) was a Scottish biographer. His best known work was Biographia Scoticana, first published in 1775, which is often called The Scots Worthies. It deals with Christians and particularly Presbyterians especially in their strivings with church and civil authorities.

Life

John Howie was an East Renfrewshire farmer from Lochgoin, who claimed descent from an Albigensian refugee. The author was the 28th descendant in a direct line, all of whom were called John. Although he was a plain unlettered peasant, cultivating the same farm which his ancestors had occupied for ages, a natural predilection for literary pursuits induced him to take up the task of recording the lives of the martyrs and confessors of Scotland. His family home at Lochgoin Farm was a noted refuge for Covenanters, and was subject to several searches by government soldiers. The farmhouse was rebuilt in the 18th century, with the date 1187 on a lintel marking when the Howies first settled there. Several relics were kept in what has become a small museum, and in 1896 a stone obelisk was erected nearby as a monument "in memory of John Howie, author of the Scots Worthies". It now lies within the area of Whitelee Wind Farm and has track access from the visitor centre.

Lochgoin Monument - geograph.org.uk - 1499979
Monument, and site of Lochgoin Farm

Works

Howie wrote Lives of the Protestant worthies of Scotland from Patrick Hamilton, the first martyr, under the title of Biographia Scoticana, first published in 1775. It became a classic of Scottish Church History and was often called The Scots Worthies. He revised and enlarged the work, 1781–5, and this edition was reissued, with notes by William McGavin, in 1827. In 1870 the Rev. William Henderson Carslaw revised Howie's text and published it, with illustrations and notes, and a short biographical introduction; and in 1876 a further illustrated edition appeared, with biographical notice compiled from statements made by Howie's relatives, and an introductory essay by Dr. Robert Buchanan.

A Collection of Lectures and Sermons by Covenanting Clergymen was issued by Howie in 1779, with an introduction by himself. He edited in 1780 Michael Shields's Faithful Contendings Display'd, an account of the Church of Scotland between 1681 and 1691. He also wrote on the Lord's Supper, patronage, and other topics, and prefaced and annotated other religious works.

The Lives in Biographia Scoticana (2nd edition)

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John Paton's sword, flag and Bible which were owned by Howie
The old Lochgoin Covenanters Museum, East Ayrshire, Scotland
The old Lochgoin Covenanters Museum
Lochgoin Farm and the John Howie Memorial, East Ayrshire, Scotland - detail
Lochgoin Farm and the John Howie Memorial, East Ayrshire

The list below reflects the chapter order in the book. For an alphabetical list see the "Scots Worthies" template at the foot of the page.

See also

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