| Administrative History | John Row was born in Fife c. 1598, son of John Row, historian of the Church of Scotland, and grandson of John Row, Scottish reformer. John Row tertius was educated at the University of St Andrews and graduated M.A. in 1617. He began his career as a schoolmaster, being appointed as master of the Grammar School of Kirkcaldy in 1619 and rector of the Grammar School of Perth in 1632. In 1641 he was elected minister of St Nicholas Church in Aberdeen and began giving lectures in Hebrew in Marischal College, Aberdeen. He was an accomplished Hebrew scholar and published a Hebrew grammar (1644) and a lexicon (1645). In 1647 he was appointed to a committee to revise the metrical Psalms, and he also acted as a Visitor to the colleges of Aberdeen. He was a fervent supporter of the covenant and, with Andrew Cant (c. 1590 - 1663), was zealous in requiring subscription to the Covenant. They preached vehemently against James Graham of Montrose (1612-1650) but retreated when he approached Aberdeen. Around 1649, Row separated from the Church of Scotland and became the minister of an independent church in Aberdeen. Three years later, in 1652, he was appointed Principal of King’s College, Aberdeen, by Cromwell’s General George Monck (1608-1670), who sacked the existing principal. After the Restoration, he tried to distance himself from his support for, and connections with, Cromwell, but in 1661 he was removed from his post as Principal of King’s College. For the remainder of his life, he kept a school in New Aberdeen and relied on the charity of his friends and relations. Apart from his Hebrew works he also wrote Scottish history, particularly of the Reformation. He died around 1672.
Thomas Mercer was Row's grandson. John Mercer was the son of Thomas Mercer and minister at Tyrie, Aberdeenshire. John Mercer junior was John Mercer's son and a farmer in Kirktown of Tyrie, Aberdeenshire. |
| Description | Small pocket diary of John Row, covering the period from his retirement as Principal until his death in 1672, continued by successive generations of his family:
Diary of John Row. 34 folios (pp.59-127).
September 1661 - October 1672
Continuation by his grandson, Thomas Mercer. 13 folios (pp.128-147).
June 1675 - February 1723
Entries by Reverend John Mercer, son of Thomas, minister at Tyrie (Aberdeenshire), relating to family births, deaths and marriages. 5 folios.
1716 - 1761
Entries by, or relating to, John Mercer, son of John, farmer in Kirktown of Tyrie (Aberdeenshire). 16 folios.
1761 - 1790 |
| Publication Note | A version of this manuscript, edited by Alexander M. Munro, was published in 'Scottish Notes and Queries', vii. (1893-94), 38, 52, 70, 84, 98, 122, 152, 164, 183, and viii. (1894 -95), 24 -25. |