Wissowatius Andrew, (Polon. Wvszowaty,) the Elder, was the son of Abraham Wissowatius, Chamberlain of Branska, who, in the "Anonymous Life of And. Wissowatius," Junior, annexed to the " Bibl. Antitrin." of Sandius, (p. 222,) is called Toparch of Szumski.

There were many persons, of some note among the Polish Socinians, who bore the name of Wissowatius; but as we shall not devote a separate article to every one of this name, who is mentioned in the Synodical Acts, we may here particularize Theodore Wissowatius, who was appointed Minister of the Church of Racisborsk in 1652, and who, in 1662, at the last Assembly of the Socinians held in Poland, was stationed at Manheim. Christopher Wissowatius also is mentioned in the Acts, about the year 1636; and is supposed to have been the same, who, at the Assembly of Czarcow, in 1651, introduced his two sons to the Church, as likely to be employed, at some future time, in its service. The elder of these sons was called Alexander. The number of Wissowatii, who studied in the University of Konigsberg, was considerable; but the greater part of these, though apparently related to the Polish family of that name, seem to have been orthodox in their opinions on the subject of the Trinity.

Andrew Wissowatius, Senior, had two brothers, Benedict and Lazarus. He sustained the office of a Preacher in many places among the Unitarians in Poland; and was first appointed to that office in Volhynia and the Ukraine. About the year 1608, he was still presiding over the Church at Philipovia; and, by the persuasion of the Synod in that year, was induced to retain that charge some time longer. Whether he was the same, who, on the 15th of March, 1603, entered his name as a Student in the University of Konigsberg, Bock does not undertake to decide.

(Vidend. Bock, Hist. Ant. T. I. pp. 1009, 1010. Anonymi Epist. de Vit. And. Wissowatii, p. 222.)

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