Education
Couper was a student at the University of Glasgow and graduated Master of Arts in 1775, and Doctor of Divinity in 1800.
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James Couper
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He also held other positions within the University including. Dean of Faculties 1800-1801. Clerk of Senate from 1810-1814, 1820-1828.
He taught very little Astronomy and abandoned observations because of the increasing smoke and new buildings in the surrounding areas of the observatory.
He seemed not to have considered building a new observatory outside the town. He became minister of Baldernock Parish Church in 1783 until his appointment to the Regius Chair of Astronomy in 1803.
In November 1813 Couper took on responsibility for teaching Hebrew when the then Professor of Oriental Languages became illinois James Couper became minister of Baldernock Parish Church, East Renfrewshire, in 1783.
In 1795, the present Church building was constructed during his tenure.
Couper wrote in his first Statistical Account. "The greater part of the inhabitants of this parish devote their time to that most innocent and most useful of secular employments, the cultivation of the earth”. The "living” received by James Couper in 1783 consisted of "63 bolls of meal, £331 in money. a manse and a Glebe of 10 acres whereof seven are arable”.
James Couper married Margaret Thomson on 11 November 1783.
They had 7 children; John Couper, b. 16 January 1785, daughter(date unknown).
James Couper, Master of Arts, b. 17 August 1786, daughter 29 March 1822.
Sarah Couper, b. 5 April 1788, daughter(date unknown).
Robert Thomson Couper, b. 6 January 1790, daughter 4 February 1803. William Couper, Doctor of Medicine, b.
30 April 1792, daughter
4 August 1857. Henry Glassford Couper, b. 20 May 1793, daughter 27 October 1800.
Henry Couper, b. 20 September 1801, daughter(date unknown).
