David Simson was an exiled Presbyterian minister and amongst the oldest Scots emigrants.
David Simson, a Scottish Presbyterian minister, was born around 1632 and served faithfully in parishes of Argyll for several decades before being exiled to East Jersey for his religious convictions.
He began his ministry in 1656 at Killean and Kilchenzie parish in South Kintyre, later moving to Kilcholumkill and Kilblaan or Southend parish, where in he was one of nearly four hundred ministers – one third of Scotland’s clergy – who were ‘outed’ from their parishes. They left either of their own volition or forced to leave and were required to live at least 20 miles from their former congregations. This was a consequence of the series of Acts that year passed by the Scottish Parliament. These forced the Church of Scotland to adopt Episcopalianism. Henceforth, ministers could only serve in a parish if a bishop or a patron (typically a local landowner) had nominated them, and all ministers were required to swear allegiance to the crown. King Charles II was seeking to introduce a common structure across all of Britain, with rule by bishops and standard use of the Book of Common Prayer.
Many outed ministers continued to preach, in people’s houses or in the fields. Penalties for hosting or preaching at such irregular and banned events known as conventicles could be severe.
Under an Act of Indulgence in September 1672, David was amongst 89 ministers allowed to return to their parishes, provided that they avoided political dissent, such as preaching against the King had power over the Church, and strove to maintain religious order within their parishes.
In March 1685, he was imprisoned in Edinburgh, accused of nonconformity. He was released on a heavy bond of 5,000 merks, on the condition that he leave Scotland and cease ministering while still in the kingdom. On 14 August 1685, the Privy Council ordered the return of his bond, clearing the way for him to board the Henry and Francis, a ship carrying scores of Covenanter prisoners to East Jersey.
Simson arrived in Perth Amboy in October 1685. He was one of several ministers exiled during this period, but his importation was specifically noted as having been arranged by Lord Neill Campbell, an important figure among the Scottish proprietors of East Jersey. Though he lived only a short while in the colony, dying around 1686, sources remember him as one who “continued stedfast in his principles till his death.”
He was married to Jean Thomson and was succeeded as minister in Southend parish by his son David in 1686. As the latter was performing as an episcopalian minister in 1688 when the Presbyterian church was restored to supremacy, he had to petition the Synod of Argyll to be received into Presbyterian Communion. In 1691 he became minister of Kilchoman parish on Islay.