| Administrative History | George Campbell was a native of Aberdeen, born there in 1719, the son of a minister. He was educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and at Marischal College, Aberdeen, and intended to become a notary. However, he began to study divinity in 1741, was licensed in 1746 and called to be minister of Banchory Ternan, Aberdeenshire, in 1748. He moved to a parish in Aberdeen in 1757, and was one of the party, including Thomas Reid and James Beattie, that set up Aberdeen Philosophical Society in the following year. He was appointed Principal of Marischal College, Aberdeen, in 1759 and awarded a DD in 1764. He was elected Professor of Divinity at Marischal College in 1771 and in conjunction with this became minister of Greyfriars parish: despite the work involved in both, he managed to continue to write and publish philosophical works. However, he fell ill in 1791 and his wife died in 1792: this led to his efforts to resign which were not, at first, successful. He at last resigned the office of principal in 1796, and died immediately afterwards. |