Deacon Brodie Timeline

The interactive graphic below chronicles the events and times of Deacon Brodie. The goal of the Deacon Brodie Timeline is to present every event that touches on the life of William Brodie—no matter how insignificant they might seem. In studying any historical figure, who society has made a conscious effort to erase, the smallest of facts can lead to previously unknown lines of inquiries. Given that William Brodie’s family cut mentions of him out of the family Bible after his execution, Deacon Brodie falls into this category.

The Deacon Brodie Timeline begins with the history of William Brodie’s parents—Francis Brodie and Cicel Grant. William’s parents, like any member of our immediate family, had a measurable impact on William’s life. Francis Brodie, for example, quashed William’s dreams of becoming a sailor by telling the lad he was not strong enough to go to sea. Deacon Brodie’s mother, Cicel, undoubtedly was overprotective of her eldest son. It would be hard to imagine a mother who lost as many children as Cicel did not to want to shield her surviving children from the world. Those two influences undoubtedly shaped the childhood of William Brodie and the man that Deacon Brodie would become.

How to use Deacon Brodie timeline

Use the magnifying glass + or – icons on the timeline to zoom in or out on the dates of the timeline. You may move the timeline forward and backward along dates as well. Those wishing to focus on Deacon Brodie’s crimes, his trial, and execution may wish to move the slider to 1785. If exact dates are unknown, we have put approximate dates in the entries and noted that within the text. The timeline is ever expanding, so check back periodically to see what we’ve uncovered.