Quick Facts
Biography
John Howie (14 November 1735 – 5 January 1793) was a Scottish biographer.
He was an East Renfrewshire farmer from Lochgoin, who claimed descent from an Albigensian refugee. 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.
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. 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)
- Patrick Hamilton
- George Wishart
- Walter Mill
- James Stuart, Earl of Moray
- John Knox
- George Buchanan
- Robert Rollock
- John Craig
- David Black
- John Davidson
- William Row
- Andrew Melville
- Patrick Simpson
- Andrew Duncan
- John Scrimzeor
- John Welch
- Robert Boyd
- Robert Bruce
- Josias Welch
- John Gordon, Viscount Kenmuir
- Robert Cunningham
- Alexander Henderson
- George Gillespie
- John M'Clelland
- David Calderwood
- Hugh Binning
- Andrew Gray
- James Durham
- Samuel Rutherford
- Archibald Campbell, Marquis of Argyle
- James Guthrie
- John Campbell, Earl of Loudon
- Robert Bailey
- David Dickson
- Archibald Johnston, Lord Warriston
- James Wood
- William Guthrie
- Hugh M'Kail
- John Nevay
- John Livingston
- John Semple
- James Mitchel
- William Gordon of Earlstoun
- John Kid
- John Brown of Wamphray
- Henry Hall of Haugh-head
- Richard Cameron
- David Hackston of Rathillet
- Robert Ker of Kersland
- Donald Cargil
- Robert Garnock
- Robert M'Ward
- John Paton
- John Nisbet of Hardhill
- Alexander Peden
- John Blackadder
- James Renwick
- Alexander Moncrief
- Angus MacBean
- Thomas Hog
- Robert Fleming
- Alexander Shields
- Sir Robert Hamilton of Preston
- William Vetch
- John Balfour of Kinloch
- Robert Trail, father and son
- John Howie, Biographia Scoticana (Scots Worthies): A Brief Historical Account of the Lives, Characters, and Memorable Transactions of the Most Eminent Scots Worthies (1781, 2nd edition); archive.org.