A plaque commemorating the town’s association with Rev John Witherspoon, Minister of Beith (1745 – 1757) was unveiled at a recent ceremony outside Beith’s Historic Auld Kirk at with a large audience of locals in attendance to witness the event. The ceremony was chaired by Mr Tom Hart of Beith Christian Action Group, who linked closely with Mr Jim Alexander of Oregan, USA, in bringing this project to fruition.

The unveiling of the plaque, located beside the Auld Kirk entrance gate, was performed jointly by Rev Roddie Macdonald, Minister of Beith High and Beith Trinity and the current Moderator of the Presbytery of Ardrossan and Mr Jim Alexander of Oregon (accompanied by his wife, Ruth and daughter, Jessica Alexander), a sixth generation descendant of John Witherspoon and member of the Society of Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence which was instituted in USA in 1907.

Witherspoon’s patriotism to his adopted land was unquestioned, but here in Beith he was regarded by many as a traitor to Britain. The man who gathered together a militia from Beith to fight for King George 11 against Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1746 was the same man, who, 30 years later made history by signing the American Declaration of Independence (1776) after defeating Britain. He was one of only two Scots, the other being James Wilson, to sign the historic document and the only clergyman to do so.

Witherspoon was a remarkable scholar and a renowned preacher, attending Edinburgh University age 14 and graduating in 1739 with an MA. In 1743 he graduated as a Doctor of Divinity and after assisting his father for a short time, he moved to Beith where he was ordained on 11 April 1745. On September 7 1748 Witherspoon married a local girl, Elizabeth Montgomery, and they had ten children, five of whom died in childhood. Notably, his son, James Witherspoon, born in Beith in 1751, died at the Battle of Germantown in 1777 fighting against the British.

Witherspoon’s heritage is secure as he proved to be an inspired leader, politician, clergyman and educationalist and it is these qualities that earn him a place as one of the foremost leaders of the American revolution. And whilst still regarded as a controversial character for turning against the land of his birth, his binding links with Beith and Paisley are significant and honouring his memory with a plaque in the town where he was pastor for 12 years is indeed fitting and timely.

The plaque at the gate to Auld Kirk, bears the following inscription. “On the site of the Pre-Reformation Parish Kirk in Beith, the Auld Kirk was built in the form of a cross around 1593. The front wing was enlarged in 1754 and a new belfry and clock added circa 1800. This front portion survives but the rest of the kirk was demolished after the new High Church with its prominent tower on the hill overlooking the growing town opened for public worship in 1810.

“John Witherspoon linking Beith and the United States of America. Born near Haddington in East Lothian on 5th April 1722, John Witherspoon was educated there and at Edinburgh University. Age 23 he came to Beith as Parish Minister and in 1745 and stayed until 1757 and then moved to Paisley and led the Populars in the Scottish Kirk.

“In 1768 He emigrated to the British American Colonies, having been invited to become President of the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University). He was soon prominent in colonial life and was the only Clergyman to sign the American Declaration of Independence on 4 July 1776.

“He returned to Britain in 1784 as a fundraiser and promoter of the United States and Princeton. This included visits to Beith and Paisley. After 10 years of retirement on an estate near Princeton he died on 15 November 1794.

“This plaque was erected in 2010 with financial assistance from the Beith Christian Action Group and the Society of Descendents of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence.”