Somerville, Thomas
Thomas Somerville
- Born: 15 February 1740-1, Hawick, Roxburghshire
- Died: 16 May 1830, Jedburgh, Scotland
Article from Dictionary of National Biography, 1855, v. 53, pp 255-256
SOMERVILLE, THOMAS(1741-1830), divine and historian, born at Howick, Roxburghshire, on 15 Feb. 1740-1, was the only son of William Somerville, minister of Howick, by his first wife, Janet, daughter of John Grierson, minister of Queensferry in Linlithgowshire. The father was descended from the Somervilles of Cambusnethan [see SOMERVILLE, HUGH, fifth LORD SOMERVILLE].
Thomas was educated at Hawick and afterwords, under the care of his relative, Adam Dickson [q.v.], at Duns in Berwickshire. He entered Edinburgh University in November l756. His father, dying in the following year, left him and his sisters in narrow circumstances, and he accepted the office of tutor in the family of George Burges of Greslee, Berkshire, commissioner of the excise and father of Sir James Bland Burges [q. v.] He was licensed by the Edinburgh presbytflry on 28 Nov. 1764. Shortly after Sir Gilbert Elliot [ q. v.] appointed him tutor to his son Hilbert (afterwards first Earl of l\Iinto)[q. v.], and from that. time Somer\'ille found in the Elliot familv constant friends and patrons. In December I il6 he was presented by Sir Gilbert to the parish of Minto in Roxburghshire, and was ordained on 24 April 1767. In 1769 he visited London in the company of Sir Gilbert, and was introduced by him to many literary men, among others to John Blair, author of 'The Chronology and History of the \Vorld,' to Dr. Vincent, master of West.minster school, and to Dr. Rose of Chiswick. In the society or William Strahan, the printer, he also met Da\'id Hume, Sir John Pringle, Benjamin Franklin, and other well-known men.' Subsequently he came to know Sir Walter Scott (LocxHA. RT1 Life of Sir Walter Scott, ed. 1845, pp. 71, 636), and befriended man] of the younger generation. ToJohnLoganLq.v.J,in particular, his friendship was invaluable in support-
