He was born at Anstruther in Fife, the son of Elizabeth Hall and John Chalmers, a merchant.

Age 11 Chalmers attended the University of St Andrews studying mathematics.
In January 1799 he was licensed as a preacher of the gospel by the St Andrews presbytery.
In May 1803, after attending further courses of lectures at the University of Edinburgh, and acting as assistant to the professor of mathematics at St Andrews, he was ordained as minister of Kilmany, about 9 miles from the university town, where he continued to lecture.
 Kilmany was a small and predominantly agricultural parish, with a population under 800 in 1811.
He was born at Anstruther in Fife, the son of Elizabeth Hall and John Chalmers, a merchant.
Age 11 Chalmers attended the University of St Andrews studying mathematics. In January 1799 he was licensed as a preacher of the gospel by the St Andrews presbytery. In May 1803, after attending further courses of lectures at the University of Edinburgh, and acting as assistant to the professor of mathematics at St Andrews, he was ordained as minister of Kilmany, about 9 miles from the university town, where he continued to lecture.  Kilmany was a small and predominantly agricultural parish, with a population under 800 in 1811.
Thomas Chalmers