The Reverend Robert Mitchell and Sophia Duddingstone Buist

The old parish church of Craig still stands today and was a place of worship for one-hundred and seventy-one years, its last service was held in November of 1970. In that time, the church was served by a distinguished and long-standing minister of the Church of Scotland, the Reverend Robert Mitchell (1801-1872) who for almost thirty years served the parishioners. This is the narrative of the Reverend Robert Mitchell and his wife, Sophia Duddingstone Buist. Robert was born at Dunning, Perthshire in August of 1801 and after his education, he was licensed by the Presbytery of Auchterarder in 1830 and ordained as a minister to Carrington, Dalkeith five years later. He met and later married Sophia Duddingstone Buist, the eldest daughter of Henry Buist (1771-1865) and Helen Walker (1784-1847) of Berryhill, Abdie Parish. Robert and Sophia Mitchell had five children, two of whom were born at Carrington and the last three children were born at Craig by Montrose, Angus where in 1843 Reverend Mitchell was translated. It was here that he began his long charge at Craig and preached his numerous sermons with vigor for the next twenty-nine years. He was much beloved by his congregation and parishioners, who he labored with great diligence. In other respects, Reverend Mitchell was described as being eminently companionable, kind, and affectionate in all his intercourse with his parishioners, neighbors, and acquaintances... In the Established Presbytery of Brechin, no man was more amiable, good-humored, and tolerant..." This then is the narrative of the Reverend Robert Mitchell of Craig and his wife, Sophia Duddingstone Buist.