Gellatly Alexander

Gellatly Alexander, a minister of the Associate Church, was born in Perth, Scotland, in 1720. In 1752 he became a student of theology in connection with the Antiburgher Synod of Scotland. By that synod he was sent out in 1753 as a missionary to the inhabitants of the eastern counties of Pennsylvania, who mere chiefly emigrants from Scotland and Ireland. He was accompanied by the Reverend Andrew Arnot, and together they formed themselves into a Presbytery, under the name of the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania. They soon became obnoxious to the Presbyterians who had occupied the ground before them, and who issued a series of publications against them, which were answered by Mr. Gellatly and others. Mr. Gellatly was settled first at Middle Octorora, Lancaster County, and then at Oxford, Chester County, Pennsylvania, where he labored with great diligence during the remainder of his life. He died March 12, 1761. He was a man of vigorous intellect, and an earnest, faithful minister of the Gospel. — Sprague, Annals of Am. Pulpit, 9 (Associate), 1.