Reverand James Keith

His home        The site of his first sermon        His church        His burial site

As I am a descendant of Rev. James Keith, 
I have included the following pages in his honor.

        James Keith was born in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1643.  Little is known of his life prior to immigrating to America but records show he attended the class of 1657 at Marischal College, founded by the Earl Marischal George Keith in 1593.  No record of his parents and lineage has yet been found and thus remains a mystery, although recent information suggests his father was named 'Robert' born in Aberdeen 1612.  He left Scotland and came to the US in 1662.  He was ordained in 1664 and became the first Minister of Bridgewater where he was granted a parsonage of 20 acres.  He married Susanna, daughter of his Deacon Samuel Edson who came from Salem, Ma. to build and operate the first mill.  They had nine children, descendants of whom are all prominent in the Old Bridgewater area as well as throughout the nation.  Reverand James Keith died on July 23, 1719.

 


Marischal College as it appears today.
Presently it is the 2nd largest granite
building in the world.