Background
He was a son of Thomas Christie, merchant and provost of Montrose, and uncle of Thomas Christie the political writer He was born at Montrose, and educated at the grammar school there under his kinsman, Hugh Christie.
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William Christie
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He spent a few years in commerce at Montrose. By Priestley"s mediation, Caleb Rotheram of Kendal visited Montrose to performed the rite. About 1782 he, with a few friends of similar opinions, founded a Unitarian church at Montrose, of which he became the minister.
This was the first Unitarian congregation established in Scotland.
He retired from business, and went to live in seclusion at Woodston, about six miles from Montrose. In 1794 he accepted the invitation of the Unitarian congregation at Glasgow to become their minister.
He remained at Glasgow just over a year. There he met with troubles caused to some extent by his combative views.
After periods at Winchester, Virginia and Northumberland, Pennsylvania, where he delivered an address at Doctor Priestley"s funeral on 9 February 1804, he settled in Philadelphia, where for some time he was the minister of a small Unitarian congregation.
The last years of his life were passed in retirement, and were devoted to theological study. He died at Long Branch, New Jersey, on 21 November 1823.
