Page:Life and character, of the late Reverend and learned Mr Thomas Boston.pdf/2



R. Thomas Boston, the youngest of seven children, born 1679, of creditable religious parents in the town Dunse, where they had some heritage; licensed to preach 1697, ordained minister at Simprin, the smallest charge of a country parish perhaps in Scotland, not being quite ninety examinable persons in his time, 1699. Married 1700, to Catharine Brown, of good extract in the parish of Culross, a gentlewoman of singular wisdom, and many rare endowments, (by whom he had a good many children, of whom two sons and two daughters survive them) transported to Etterick, (one of the remotest and wildest places in the south of Scotland.) 1707. died 1732, near five years before his spouse in the 56th year of his age.

He was of a stature above the middle size, of venerable, amiable aspect, with his own hair originally black, of a strong and fruitful genius,