David Welsh

David Welsh FRSE (11 December 179324 April 1845) was a Scottish divine and academic. He was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1842. In the Disruption of 1843 he was one of the leading figures in the establishment of the Free Church of Scotland. Life Welsh was born at Braefoot Farm near Moffat on 11 December 1793, the youngest of 12 children of David Welsh, a sheep farmer at Earlhaugh and Tweedshaws, and his wife (and cousin) Margaret Welsh daughter of Alexander Welsh of Patervan. He was educated at Moffat Parish School, and tutored at home by Rev McWhir, later minister of Urr in Galloway, then David was sent to the High School in Edinburgh. He studied divinity at the University of Edinburgh and was licensed to preach in 1816 by the Presbytery of Lochmaben. In 1821 he was ordained as minister of Crossmichael. From there he was translated to St David's Church in Glasgow. Glasgow University granted him a Doctor of Divinity (DD) in 1831.