William Small of the district of Carmyllie, just outside Arbroath, was the man who, in Thomas Jefferson’s own words, “fixed the destinies of my life”. He was born in 1734 and studied at Dundee Grammar School and Marischal College in Aberdeen where he graduated as Master of Arts in 1755.

Small spent six years tutoring at William and Mary College in Virginia with many students benefiting from his knowledge and teaching methods. One of those students was Thomas Jefferson who was to be profoundly influenced by his Scottish professor.

Jefferson’s potential was quickly spotted by Small who appointed himself his student’s mentor and never missed the chance to introduce him to his group of thinkers and philosophers including luminaries such as Benjamin Franklin.

Jefferson was destined to become the third president of the United States and the principal author of the American Declaration of Independence.

Jefferson was destined to become the third president of the United States and the principal author of the American Declaration of Independence.

What Jefferson got from his Scottish professor, were the concepts of independence and democratic freedom. Distilled down, that knowledge and understanding found its way into the American Declaration of Independence via its principal author -- Thomas Jefferson.