Son of David McQuhae and Margaret Laurie. Married firstly (November 1, 1765) to Elizabeth Park (d. 1780) with whom he had seven children. Married secondly (June 3, 1782) to Margaret Laurie (d. 1824) with whom he had eight or nine children.1
He was educated at Edinburgh and was appointed Minister of St. Quivox, Ayrshire in 1764. Later he became Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and one of the best-known members of the theologically moderately liberal New Light movement. In 1785 he authored Difficulties which attend the Practice of Religion no just Argument against it, a Sermon (1785).
Before graduating from the University of Edinburgh, McQuhae was the tutor of James Boswell's younger brothers, David and John Boswell.
- 11) Mary McQuhae (1784-1862) married Dr. John Stirling (d. 1846), who later walked in his father-in-laws footsteps as Moderator of the Church of Scotland, 2) Elizabeth McQuhae (b. 1784), 3) Lydia Wells McQuhae (1785-1834), 4) William McQuhae (d. 1824), 5) Patrick McQuhae (1788-1853), 6) James McQuhae (1790-1819), 7) Stair Park McQuhae (1795-1872), later D.D and Minister of St. Quivox, and 8) Laurie McQuhae (1798-1802/5). Source: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/MCQUHAE/2001-02/0983017678
McQuhae had been a private tutor to James Boswell's brothers John and David in the late 1750s, and until 1762-3 was one of James Boswell's closest friends.