He was born on 2 October 1772 in
Edinburgh the son of John Brunton a stay-maker living at the Bow Head. He was educated at the
High School, Edinburgh. He had no formal university training but was licensed by the Presbytery of
Linlithgow to preach for the
Church of Scotland in 1796. In 1797 he became minister of
Bolton, East Lothian east of Edinburgh. In 1803 he was translated to
New Greyfriars back in
Edinburgh. In 1809 he moved to the
Tron Kirk on the
Royal Mile in Edinburgh in replacement of
Rev Andrew Hunter of Barjarg. He was elected a Fellow of the
Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1814. His proposers were
George Dunbar,
Macvey Napier,
Rev David Ritchie and
Alexander Christison. In 1814 he is noted as sitting on the Committee of the Caledonian Horticultural Society, alongside
Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey and
Henry Cockburn, Lord Cockburn. He was elected a member of the
American Antiquarian Society in 1821. He was elected
Moderator of the General Assembly in 1823. He was convenor of the Indian Mission Committee from that year. He retired in 1847 due to ill health. He died in
Coupar Angus on 9 February 1854. He is buried with
Mary in the
Canongate Kirkyard in edinburgh. The grave lies midway along the western boundary wall. His position at the Tron was filled by Rev Maxwell Nicholson. ==Family==