Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bisset, James (1795-1872)
BISSET, JAMES, D.D. (1795–1872), scholar, was son of George Bisset and Mary Adamson, his wife. He was born 20 April 1795 in the parish of Udny in Aberdeenshire, where his father was parish schoolmaster and head master of a private academy and boarding-school. James was the second son of a numerous family, one of whom became vicar of Pontefract, another incumbent of Upholland in Wigan, and a third attained the rank of colonel in the East India Company’s service. He was well trained by his father, and then proceeded to Marischal College and University, Aberdeen. At the early age of seventeen, in consequence of the death of his father, he was obliged to assume all the responsibilities of school teaching, and of educating his younger brothers and sisters. Like his father he developed remarkable teaching ability, and his private school became celebrated. Many of the local gentry were educated by him, and not a few of his pupils became men of mark, among them being Sir James Outram and Canon Robertson, the ecclesiastical historian. He was aided by very able assistants; Dr. James Melvin, afterwards rector of Aberdeen Grammar School, and Dr. Adam Thom, sometime recorder of Hudson's Bay Company, were both members of his staff. He qualified himself for the ministry of the church of Scotland, studying divinity at Aberdeen and Edinburgh. In 1826 he became minister of the small parish of Bourtrie, Aberdeenshire. The duties of his limited parochial charge left him leisure to continue his philological studies, as well as to educate his children. He was twice married: (1) in 1829 to Mary Bannerman, eldest daughter of Rev. Robert Sessel of Inverurie; (2) in 1840 to Elizabeth Sinclair, daughter of Rev. William Smith of Bowes. He had issue by both. In 1851 the degree of D.D. was conferred upon him by the university of Aberdeen.
Bisset became an ardent politician on what was designated the ‘constitutional side,’ and ecclesiastically was a prominent figure in the prolonged conflict within and without the church courts which terminated in the founding of the free church of Scotland. Bisset did not support the secession headed by Chalmers and Candlish and Guthrie. In 1862 he was chosen moderator of the general assembly of the church of Scotland. His repute as a scholar was unsustained by any publication of permanent value. He died on 8 Sept. 1872.
[Obituary notices; letters from son and son-in-law and other members of the family.]