Rev. James GORDON (1726-1803) Trained Kings College - Brick Wall, need help

[Linda Mottram]

Hello, I'm Linda from Australia. I'm stuck, Brick Wall!
Any information prior to the following persons training at Kings College in the mid 1700's.
 
Reverend James GORDON b. 1726 Gartly, Aberdeenshire, d. 1803 at sea between Fetlar & Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland.
Married: Ann BRUCE b. 16 June 1726, d. Church Manse, Shetland, SCT. Her father: William BRUCE, her mother: Catherine GIFFORD of Busta, Delting, SHI, SCT.

Children x10:
1. George 1756-1756
2. George William 1757-1771
3. John 1759-1760
4. Catherine 1760-1760
5. Katherine 1762-
6. Margary 1764-
7. Andrew 1764-1807 drowned at sea between Fetlar and Lerwick (MY LINE) Occ: Merchant. Married: Sophia READER
8. Ann 1765-
9. Robert 1767-1767
10. Margaret 1771-

Reverend James GORDON trained at Kings College, Aberdeen and became the Minister of Fetlar and North Yell, Shetland, Scotland.
QUESTION
If he trained there, was he from a wealthy family? Did he train under a scholarship? Who were his parents, siblings, etc.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!
Kind Regards from sunny Australia
Linda Mottram

[JMStrachan]

Have you checked to see if Rev James Gordon is in the Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae, which is a volume of books recording the lives of Scottish kirk ministers? There should be a library somewhere you can access it - not sure if it's online yet but someone else here may know. It often details the person's family and where they were brought up.

[whiteout7]

you have probably seen this - it has Gifford of Busta in it but nothing useful about James Gordon
http://www.mesarfhc.org/books/Zetland%20Islands/941.11%20D2g%201893.pdf

[Br1gau]

Hello Linda from Australia 

If James Gordon & Ann Bruce followed the traditional Scottish naming pattern, given that Ann’s parents were William and Catherine, I would suggest George as a likely name for John’s father, certainly the name was important with two consecutive first born sons called George. Unfortunately nothing obvious is coming up on http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

Only a snippet of this article is available online:
Aberdeen University Review - Volumes 15-16 - Page 40
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=8QJOAAAAMAAJ
1928 - ‎Snippet view - ‎More editions
... not clear as to the descent of either of the Georges. But the Rev. James Gordon (1726-1803), minister of Fetlar, Shetland, who was first bursar at King's College in 1743, and came from Gartly, was a cousin of the third George. George Gordon ...

Here is the relevant entry in the Fasti.
http://tinyurl.com/ocfrord

Four page Assignation of James’ estate, also available on scotlands people (10 credits)

GORDON   JAMES   30/07/1805   MINISTER AT YELL AND FETLAR, TO ALEXANDER IRVINE IN SHETLAND   ASSIGNATION   ORKNEY & SHETLAND COMMISSARY COURT   CC17/5/6

[Forfarian]

If he graduated from King's College he should be listed in the List of Graduates of the University of Aberdeen. This normally tells you the names of students' fathers. The List is a set of printed volumes available in various libraries in Scotland and possibly elsewhere.

You could also try contacting the Aberdeen University Archives and asking what information they have about James Gordon.