The Covenanters were opposed to the interference by the Stuart Kings in the affairs of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. The Stuarts believed the spiritual head of the Scottish Church was the king. The Covenanters believed the 'Head of the Kirk' was Jesus Christ. Many Scots signed the National Covenant in 1638 and from then until 1688 persecutions and punishments of all kinds; fines, torture,executions, murder and transportation were used in an attempt by the Authorities to quell this rebellion. In 1670 field meetings of the Covenanters were made treasonable and preaching at such events became a capital offence.
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More information about John can be found in the book 'Traditions of the Covenanters' by Robert Simpson.  His gravestone above is featured on the Scottish Covenanter Memorials Association  website where you can find out much more information about John the Covenanter and his fellow martyrs and about the work of the Memorial Association in general.
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In 1688 just before the revolution in which King James VII was disposed, James Renwick the last Covenanting Martyr was hanged for his religious beliefs in the City of Edinburgh.

The earliest member of the Willison Family of whom we have knowledge is John 'The Covenanter' Willison, who lived in Glengeith, near Elvanfoot, 3 miles south of Crawford, Scotland.
 James Renwick had baptised John Willison the Covenanter's grandson. Following Renwick's death John continued to provide asylum to those being sought by Government troops and was constantly harried for his actions and beliefs. However he managed to live to see the revolution and witnessed greater toleration of his religious beliefs and practices in his later years.

​Mention of John was made in a stain glass window at Elanfoot Chirch (sadly no longer) which bore the inscription "in memorian John Willison on whose farm this church is built; a staunch Covenanter greivously persecuted in 1663. In his steading was hidden a Shunammite chamber for shelter and escape. Erected by his descendants, the grandchildren of John Willison, Parishholm, Douglas, who died in 1884".
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In Crawford Church , Lanarkshire, built 1875 a second window reads...erected by John Willison tenant of ParishHolm, Douglas in memory of his venerated ancestor John Willison tenant of Glengeith in the times of the persecutions 1663 - 1688 when he a stanch Covenanter provided shelter to many of his suffering brethren, concealing them in a place built for the purpose, off his cowshed called "The Shunammite's Chamber". He escaped his persecutors and dies in his bed some years later and was buried in this churchyard where the spot cannot be found hence this memorial of him in this sacred house"