John Adamson grocer & spirit merchant

Parents:

• Birth*: John Adamson grocer & spirit merchant was born on 21 June 1834 at Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, .^1,2
• He was the son of David Adamson linen hand loom weaver and Janet Gardiner Neave.
• Baptism: John Adamson grocer & spirit merchant was baptised on 29 July 1834 at Forfar, Scotland, .²
• (Groom) Marriage*: He married Isabella Moffat, daughter of John Moffat and Agnes Rae, on 24 August 1857 at Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, ; 1857 marriages in the district of Forfar in the county of Forfar, ref 57; On the twenty-fourth day of August 1857 at Shellcroft Forfar marriage after banns was solemnized between us according to the forms of the Church of Scotland, signed John Adamson aged 23 residing South Street Forfar, occupation grocery salesman batchelor, parents David ADamson linen weaver & Janet Gardner Adamson maiden name Neave; signed Isabella Moffat aged 22 residing Shellcroft Forfar, spinster parents John Moffat linen yarn bleacher & Agnes Moffat maiden name Rea; signed Alexamder Campbell minister of St Ames Church Forfar, signed David Adamson & James Howie witnesses; the above marriage was registered by me at Forfar on the Twenty-fifth day of August 1857, signed John Webster registrar.¹
• (Deceased) Death*: John Adamson grocer & spirit merchant died on 13 December 1897 at 42 West High Street, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, , at age 63 1897 deaths in the district of Forfar in the county of Forfar; John Adamson grocer and spirit merchant married to Isabella Moffat, died 1897 December thirteenth 0h 45m am 42 West High Street Forfar, male aged 63 years, parents David Adamson linen weaver (dec), Agnes (sic) Gardner Adamson ms Neave (dec), cause cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure as cert by G Peterkin MBT, signed Wm Adamson son present, registered 1897 December 14th at Forfar signed W H Thomson registrar.^1,3
• (Interred) Burial*: He was buried with John Adamson grocer & spirit merchant on 16 December 1897 at Forfar Cemetery, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, , Angus Council, Newmonthill, grave ref A/113/2.^4,5
• Inventory: The Inventory after his death was registered at Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, , on 23 July 1898. Inventory held; extensive property, promisary notes, shares, loans (debtors) and business assets totalling £2771/11/6; executors James Moffat manufacturer in Forfar, Isabella Moffat or Adamson widow West High Street Forfar, John Moffat commission agent in Manchester, Thomas Esplin West High Street Forfar; trust disposition & settlement granted by deceased 14th October 1896, registered at the Sheriff Courst of Forfar 7th April 1896. Executors swear to pay Estate Duty to the Inland Revenue. Executors (and their survivors and acceptors, the major number being a quorum) are instructed to 1) pay all my just and lawful debts and sickbed and ..., 2) if my wife survive me deliver to her in liferent for her alimontary liferent the whole household furniture, books, plate, bed and table linen and whole other houehold effects to belong to me at my death and pay her during all days and years of her life the free income of the residue of my means and estate hereby conveyed with power to my trustees to advance her such sum or sums out of the capital of my said means and estate, from time to time, as they may consider necessary for her more comforatble maintenance and support 3) on the death of me and my wife, or as soon as therafter convenient, realise and convert into cash the residue and remainder of my means and estate hereby conveyed adn divide and pay over the free proceed threof equally to and among my lawfull children; and in the event of any of my children dying before the period of division leaving lawfull issue, such issue shall be entiteled equally among them, to the share to which ther parent would have been entitled if in life; and in the event of any of my said children dying before the said period of division without leaving lawfull issue, the share of such decease so far as unpaid shall fall to and be divided equally among the survisors and survivors of my said children jointly with the lawful issue of any of then who may have deceased leaving children such issue suceeding equally among them to the share to which teir parent would have been entitled if in life, and I provide that it shall be lawfuk to and in the power and option of my trustees if they shall se think fir to advance and pay before the arrival of the period of division foresaid to and for behoof of my childre many of then any part not exceeding one half of the estimated share to be payable to him ot her for establishing a son in business or fitting out a daughter on marriage or otherwise for the behoof of my children and upon such balance in trust at the rate of three percentum per annumshall be payable to my Trustees during the life of my wife, and I provide and declare that all sums advanced or which may be advanced by me in loan to my said children or any of them, or to any husband of my daughters for which vouchers may be held by me at my death or which may be ebited to them in my books or in my memorandum or writing left by me and all sums which may be chargeable and charged against my estate in repect of any obligations which I have come under or may come under for any of my said children or any husband of any of my daughters shall be debts due to my estate and deducted from the provisions hereby made in favour of my said children or any of them succeeding to them respectively such debts of any husband of my daughters being deducted from the share of their respective wives or of those succeeding to them respectively but no interest which may be due up to the date of my decease upon any such advance chall be charged against my said children or their for...d and after my death interest thereon shall be charged at the rate of three percentum per annum, etc etc. Investments and properties can be managed by the trustees for as long as they think proper and they can employ and renumerate a factor or law agent if felt necessary. Solicitor William Gordon JP. Using the retail price index for 2006 (latest date available) the estate equates to £216,903.16 in today's terms. [July 2008]⁶
• (Erector) Memorial Inscription*: A Headstone was erected by John Adamson grocer & spirit merchant between 1885 and 1897 at Newmonthill Cemetery, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, . Inscription reads stone reads: erected by John & Isabella Adamson in memory of their son David who ... November ... aged 17 years, and their son John who died ... January 1897 aged 25 years, and of the said John Adamson ... who died ... December 1897 aged 45 years, also their son William who died 10th July 1905 aged 48 years, and of the said Isabella Moffat Adamson who died ... aged 78 years, Margaret Cameron widow of William Adamson who died ... June 1916 aged ... years.⁷
  

  Forfar Newmonthill Cemetery - John Adamson & Isabella Moffat

  

  

• (Informant) Death: He registered the death of Janet Gardiner Neave on 1 June 1880 at 163 East High Street, Forfar, Angus, Scotland, ; Janet Gardner Adamson (widow of David Adamson linen weaver) 1880 June 1st 2h 20m am 163 East High Street Forfar, f, 70 years, fath James Neave shoemaker & church officer (dec) moth Agnes Neave ms Dochty (dec), bronchitis with heart disease as cert by William F Murray FRCS Ed, inf John Adamson son, present, 40 West High Street Forfar, reg 1880 June 1st Forfar W H Thomson.⁹
• (Informant) Death: John Adamson grocer & spirit merchant registered the death of Helen Adamson on 4 July 1882 at 143 East High Street, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, ; 1882 deaths in the district of Forfar in the county of Forfar, ref 115; Helen Forrest widow of John Forrest manager East Port Association 1882 July 4th 9h 30m pm 143 East High Street Forfar, female aged 80 years, parents David Adamson linen weaver (dec) & Janet Adamson ms Hall (dec) scishus mammoe 2 years debility as cert by A S ML Widderburn MD, signed John Adamson nephew 40 West High Street Forfar, reg 1882 July 5th Forfar signed W H Thomson.¹⁰
• (Informant) Death: John Adamson grocer & spirit merchant registered the death of David Adamson grocer appprentice on 30 November 1884 at Forfar Loch, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, ; 1884 deaths in the district of Forfar in the county of Forfar; see Reg of Corr Entries Vol III /1 208 17th December 1884; ref 259; David Adamson grocer's apprentice single; 1884 November Thirtieth about 8h pm in Forfar Loch opposite Inch[garth] Farm; UR 44 West High Street, Forfar; m 17 years; John Adamson grocer master, Isabella Adamson ms Moffat; drowned in attempting to save a companion, ice accident, not certified; John Adamson father; 1884 December 1st at Forfar W H Thomson registrar.¹¹
• (Witness) Newspaper Article: John Adamson grocer & spirit merchant and Henry Rodger and Isabella Moffat was mentioned in a newspaper article about David Adamson grocer appprentice on 1 December 1884. MELANCHOLY DROWNING ACCIDENT ON FORFAR LOCH
  Owing to the severe frost yesterday, Forfar Loch was partially frozen over, and about eight o'clock last night David Adamson (17), son of John Adamson, grocer, West High Street, and Henry Rodger (16), son of David Rodger, West High Street, went, along with a number of companions, to test the ice at St Margaret's Loch, on the north side of the loch. Rodger had gone over on the ice for the distance of nearly twenty yards, when it suddenly gave way, and he was precipitated into the water. Adamson, on observing this, attempted his rescue by thowing the end of his overcoat to Rodger, who had by this time risen to the surface. Rodger caught hold of it, but owning to his benumbed condition, he lost his grasp, and Adamson being thrown back, also fell through the ice. A companion, named James Mann, attempted their rescue, but his efforts were unavailing, as they had disappeared under the ice by that time. The alarm was immediately given, and a large crowd soon collected on the spot. The boat belonging to Lord Strathmore was conveyed with all despatch from the boathouse at the west-end of the loch, and the search for the bodies commenced forthwith. The were recovered at about 11 30pm, and conveyed to the homes of their bereaved parents.¹²
  
• (Informant) Death: John Adamson grocer & spirit merchant registered the death of John Adamson grocer's assistant on 25 January 1897 at 44 West High Street, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, ; 1897 deaths in the district of Forfar in the county of forfar; John Adamson junior grocer's assistant married to Maggie Ann Fraser, 1897 January twenty-fifth 9h 0m pm 44 West High Street Forfar, m, 26 years, John Adamson grocer master, Isabella Adamson ms Moffat, convulsions suddenly as cert by J Cable LRCP, John Adamson father; 1897 January 26th at Forfar W H Thomson registrar.¹³
• (Spouse) Death: His spouse Isabella Moffat died on 14 December 1912 at Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, ; 1912 deaths in the district of Forfar in the county of Forfar, ref 170; Isabella Adamson widow of John Adamson wine and spirit merchant; died 1912 December twelfth 4h 30m am; female aged 78 years; parents John Moffat yarn bleacher master (dec) & Agnes Moffat ms Rae (dec); senile gangarene of leg, amputation, asthenia as cert by J Cable LRCP; signed Alexander Watterston son-in-law Orchard Bank House Forfar; registered 1912 December 12th at Forfar signed John F Craib registrar.¹⁴

Census & Directory Entries

Member of Household	6 June 1841	John Adamson grocer & spirit merchant was listed in the 1841 census at South Street, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, . David Adamson, 40, lhlw, Angus; Janet Adamson, 35, outside census county; Alexander McIntosh, 45, lhlw, Angus & wife & 4 children; Margaret Wood 25 lhlw, Angus & 2 20 year old females; David Craig, 30 lhlw, Angus & wife & 3 children; John Adamson, 7, Angus.15
Member of Household	30 March 1851	They was listed as a member of the household of David Adamson linen hand loom weaver in the 1851 census at South Street, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, . John Adamson, son, unm, 16, shoemaker apprentice, Forfar; David Adamson, head, mar, 53, handloom weaver linen, Forfar; Janet Adamson, wife, mar, 44, Prestonpans.16
Head of Household	7 April 1861	He was listed as head of household, along with spouse Isabella Moffat in the 1861 census at 104-6 East High Street, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, . John Adamson, head, mar, 26, grocery salesman, Forfar; Isabella Adamson, wife, mar, 26, Forfar; also in the household were Agnes Adamson grocer's assistant and Helen Eaton Adamson.17
Head of Household	2 April 1871	He was listed as head of household in the 1871 census at Healing of Kirkton, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, . John, head, mar, age 36, Association Manager employing 11 men and 2 boys, Forfar; Isabella, wife, mar, 36, Forfar; also in the household were Isabella Moffat, Agnes Adamson grocer's assistant, Helen Eaton Adamson, William Adamson licenced grocer, Isabella Adamson, David Adamson grocer appprentice and John Adamson grocer's assistant.18
Head of Household	3 April 1881	He was listed as head of household in the 1881 census at 42 West High Street, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, . John, head, mar, 46, Grocer Master ( 2 women, 1 man), Forfar; Isabella, wife, mar, 46, Forfar; also in the household were Isabella Moffat, Helen Eaton Adamson, William Adamson licenced grocer, Isabella Adamson, David Adamson grocer appprentice and John Adamson grocer's assistant.19
Principal	1885	John Adamson grocer & spirit merchant appeared in a directory of 1885 living at 44 West High Street, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, ; grocer.20
Head of Household	5 April 1891	He was listed as head of household in the 1891 census at 44 West High Street, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, . John Adamson, head, mar, 57, licenced grocer, employer, Forfar; Isabella M Adamson, wife, mar, 56, Forfar; 5 rooms with windows; same address - different household, Jane Rea, head, widow, 76, private means, Ballater, 1 room with window - Isabella's mother?; also in the household were Isabella Moffat, Isabella Adamson and John Adamson grocer's assistant.21