Clapperton, John (1)

Clapperton, John (1), a Scotch clergyman, was appointed, in 1570, the first minister of the Reformed faith at Livingston, and was transferred to Hutton in 1571 as the first Protestant minister at that place. He was a member of the convention at Leith in 1572. In 1574 three other places were added to his charge. He was transferred to Lenuel (now Coldstream) in 1576; appointed visitor of Merce and Lammermuir several times, and in 1583 was visitor from Forth to Berwick. In 1584 he was arrested and taken to Edinburgh for not giving obedience to his Ordinary. 'He was chosen constant moderator of the presbytery in 1606, but the synod required him to resign that office. He was a member of sixteen general assemblies, and died in 1617. Calderwood says, " He was ambitious, and ready to embrace any preferment." See Fasti Eccles. Scoticance, i, 192, 432, 440.