Walter Whitford facts for kids

Walter Whitford (born around 1581 – died 1647) was an important Scottish church leader in the 1600s. He was a minister and later became a bishop. He also supported the King during a time of big changes in Scotland.

After finishing his studies at the University of Glasgow in 1604, he started working for the Church of Scotland. He held several different jobs before becoming the Bishop of Brechin in 1635.

As a bishop, Walter Whitford was not trusted by some strict Presbyterians. He became even more unpopular when he supported the King's plan to use a new prayer book. This book was introduced by Archbishop William Laud. When the Church of Scotland decided to get rid of bishops in 1639, Whitford lost his job. He then moved to England. There, he continued to support the King until he died in 1647.

Early Life and Church Career

Walter Whitford was born around 1581. His father was Adam Whitford, from a place called Milntown near Carluke. His mother was Mary, the daughter of Sir James Somerville. The Whitford family name came from an estate in Renfrewshire.

Walter studied at the University of Glasgow and graduated in 1601. After that, he worked as a teacher there. In 1604, he was allowed to preach by the church leaders in Paisley. In 1608, King James VI appointed him to lead the church in Kilmarnock in Ayrshire.

In 1610, he moved to Moffat in Dumfriesshire. He was also involved in some local disagreements in the area. In 1617, Walter Whitford signed a paper supporting the church's freedom. However, he soon changed his mind and started working with the King. In 1619, he became a member of an important church court.

King James VI also made him the minister of Failford in Ayrshire in 1619. In 1620, he earned a special degree called Doctor of Divinity from Glasgow University. In 1623, he continued to serve as a local official.

In 1627, King Charles I asked him to be part of a group that dealt with Catholics. This group later became a powerful commission to handle reports about people in Scotland. In 1628, King Charles I appointed him to a church role in Glasgow. He also joined a group in 1634 that helped keep church rules in order.

Becoming Bishop of Brechin

In 1635, Walter Whitford became the Bishop of Brechin. He took over from Thomas Sydserf. He kept his church role in Glasgow until 1639. In 1635, he also became a special citizen of Arbroath.

As bishop, Whitford used his power to support the new church services that King Charles I wanted. The new Scottish Prayer Book was very unpopular with many people in Scotland. In 1637, when Whitford said he would read it, people threatened him.

Despite the threats, he went to the pulpit with two pistols. His family and servants, who were also armed, came with him. He read the service with the church doors closed. When he left, an angry crowd attacked him, but he managed to escape.

The minister of Brechin, Alexander Bisset, refused to follow Whitford's orders to use the new book. So, the bishop had his own servant read the service regularly. This made people even angrier. Later that year, his home was robbed, and he had to escape to England. There, he disagreed with some Scottish leaders who wanted to be more moderate.

Life in England

On December 13, 1638, Walter Whitford was removed from his church position and excommunicated by a church meeting in Glasgow. He and other bishops had refused to accept the authority of this meeting. He was accused of opposing the church assembly.

On August 23, 1639, he and the other Scottish bishops protested against being excluded from parliament. By December 1640, Whitford was living in London and was very poor. But on May 5, 1642, King Charles gave him a church job in Walgrave in Northamptonshire as a reward for his loyalty.

He faced difficulties from the English Parliament and was removed from his position in 1646 by soldiers. He died the next year, in 1647, and was buried in a church in Westminster.

Walter Whitford's Family

Walter Whitford married Anne, who was the fourth daughter of Sir John Carmichael. They had five sons: John, Adam, David, Walter, and James. They also had two daughters, Rachel and Christian.

Rachel married James Johnstone. She is known for finding the Moffat Well, which helped Moffat become a small spa town. James, one of his sons, became a soldier in 1667. After Walter Whitford died, his wife asked for money from the church to help her family because of their support for the King.

His oldest son, John Whitford (who died in 1667), was also a church leader. He became a rector in Ashton in Northamptonshire in 1640. He was removed from his job in 1645 and stayed with his father. He got his job back when the King returned to power. He died in Ashton in 1667.

His third son, Adam Whitford (1624–1647), was a soldier. He was born in 1624 and studied at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford. Like his brother David, he joined the King's army in Oxford. He was killed during a battle there in 1647.