John Walker was a renowned Scottish naturalist during the Scottish Enlightenment.

John Walker was in his time and is still a well known chemist, botanist and geologist, he was also a minister in the Church of Scotland, a founding member of the Royal Society of Scotland and he was elected a Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1790.

John Walker was born in 1730 in Canongate, Edinburgh, Scotland. His father was a schoolmaster at the University of Edinburgh. This lead to John Walker pursuing a strong educational path. He embarked on a divinity degree in 1749. Upon completion, John Walker was ordained as a minister into the Church of Scotland. While studying and being a minister, John Walker also pursued a path in scientific research. This began with a natural philosophy course he undertook while at university. This interest in science led to John Walker joining the Edinburgh Philosophy Society and being a founder in the Royal Society of Scotland. He also published under the title of “Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London”, under the guidance of William Cullen.

In 1779 John Walker was appointed to the position of Professor of Natural History in the University of Edinburgh. He maintained this position until his death in 1803.

See also: Famous Scots.