Curiosities of Glasgow citizenship

Short biographical notices of the principal merchants, manufacturers etc of Glasgow in 1783

JAMES DENNISTOUN

JAMES DENNISTOUN of Colgrain. - Mr. Dennistoun was the descendant of an old Dumbartonshire family that occupied Colgrain as far back as 1377. He was largely engaged in the Virginia trade, and always took an interest in municipal affairs. His town house was situated in the second flat, first close west of Miller Street. Mr. Dennistoun was a young man during the rebellion of 1745, and it is said would willingly have taken part in the contest on behalf of Prince Charles, but was prevented by his father. He, therefore, retired to England till the contest was over; and in 1746 came back to Glasgow, and took the oath of allegiance with his brother merchants. In 1750 a movement was instituted for building an Episcopal place of worship in Glasgow. Among the principal promoters of the scheme were Mr. Dennistoun and Mr. Alexander Oswald of Scotstoun. These gentlemen, with some others, purchased a piece of land, forming part of Willow Acre, occupied by a family of gardeners named Moody; and in 1751 the Greenside Church, erected upon this patch of ground, was opened for public worship. A violent prejudice existed in Glasgow against the Episcopal form of worship, and the "whistlin' kirk," as it was called, came in for a large share of the public antipathy. Andrew Hunter, a douce mason, and a member of the Shuttle Street Secession Church, was severely reprimanded for the "sin and scandal" of being engaged in the work of raising this "temple of error," and being found obdurate and intractable, was forthwith excommunicated. Nay, a zealous old wife of the same communion was said to have declared - "That passing the building one morning 'afore folk was up,' she saw, with her own eyes, a muckle mason, girded with an apron, who was doing the work of 'ten men,' and, therefore, could be none else than 'Auld Sawney' himsel'." Amongst the managers of the church were some of the first families in the town - the M'Dowalls, the Oswalds, the Spiers, the Colquhouns, and many of the landed aristocracy. Duncan Niven, the prototype of Smollett's "Strap," was the first treasurer of the church, and Mr. Alexander Oswald its first preses. Mr. Dennistoun's name holds a prominent place among the first directors of the Chamber of Commerce. He died 1796, leaving Colgrain to his eldest surviving son, James, also a member of the first Chamber.