Robert Barclay

March 17, 2015 · updated February 15, 2022

Robert Barclay was born to David and Katherine Gordon on December 23, 1648. He was the first of five children the couple would have. Barclay was educated in Paris, France under the watch of his uncle who tried to persuade him to become Roman Catholic.

In 1667, after his father joined the Friends movement, Robert did as well. Only three years later he wrote a defense of the Quaker faith. That same year he married a Quaker woman named Christian Mollison. His book, An Apology for the True Christian Divinity, was published in 1676. It was translated from Latin into English in 1678. He was elected governor of East Jersey in 1682 and served in the position until 1688.

Birth date: December 23, 1648
Birth place: Moray, Scotland
Spouse: Christian Mollison
Number of children: 7
Death date: October 3, 1690
Death place: outside Stonehaven, Scotland