William Caven was born in Kirkcolm, Scotland and immigrated to Canada in 1847. Caven studied at United Presbyterian Seminary at London, Canada West, and entered the ministry in 1852 and was given the charge of the parish of St. Mary's and Downie. When Downie and St Marys separated into 2 congregations he continued as minister of the Presbyterian Church in St Marys, Ontario until 1866.In 1865 he was called to the Chair of Exegetical Theology in Knox College, Toronto, became principal in 1873, and led the college into full affiliation with University of Toronto. He remained as principal until his death in 1904. The present Knox College building, shown, was completed in 1914.
In 1875, as moderator of the General Assembly of the Canada Presbyterian Church, he was involved in the negotiations which united the Free Church and Kirk in the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Caven was a strong opponent of the Jesuits' Estates Act of 1888 and of denominational schools in Manitoba in the 1890s. At the same time, he was also a strong advocate of interdenomination Protestant union.