Francis James Adam (1791 - 1820)

Born 24 Mar 1791 in Blair Adam, Kinross-shire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Augusta Dalrymple (Poltoratzky) Adam Venables — married 11 Aug 1817 in Breconshire, Wales

Died 8 Jun 1820 at age 29 in At sea on voyage home from Demerara, British Guiana

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Biography

Francis James Adam, Merchant of Westminster, London, was part-owner of Nismes estate in British Guiana, for whom his brother Rear Admiral Sir Charles Adam claimed compensation as his executor.

He was born on 24 March 1791 and baptised on 6 May 1791 in Mortlake, Surrey, the son of William Adam (1751–1839), of Blairadam, Kinross, and of Eleanora (1747–1800), daughter of the tenth Lord Elphinstone. He was brother of Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Adam.

Death

He died at sea of yellow fever whilst travelling home with brother Charles.

Memorial inscription

Memorial in Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh:

"FRANCIS, THE FIFTH AND YOUNGEST SON OF THE LORD CHIEF COMMISSIONER, WAS A MERCHANT IN LONDON. ACTUATED BY A HIGH SENSE OF HONOUR, HE UNDERTOOK A VOYAGE TO DEMERARA FOR THE ARRANGEMENT OF SOME ARDUOUS AFFAIRS. HIS BROTHER (REAR ADMIRAL ADAM) ACCOMPANIED HIM. A SIGNAL INSTANCE OF FAMILY AFFECTION, FRANCIS WAS SEIZED WITH THE YELLOW FEVER ON THEIR VOYAGE HOME AND ON THE 8TH OF JUNE 1820, AGED 29, HE EXPIRED IN HIS BROTHER'S ARMS. HIS REMAINS WERE COMMITTED TO THE OCEAN. Put up by his Father in July 1827."

Will

The will of Francis James Adam of Westminster Middlesex was proved 25 September 1820. It was made just before his fatal journey to Demerara. After settling his commercial debts (and he refers to the 'Embarrased company' he was in with Milliken Craig, Robert Pattison and Robert Douglas), he left the residue to his wife Mary Augusta Dalrymple Adam for her life and then to their son William.

Slave Ownership Compensation Claim

In 1833 Parliament finally abolished slavery in the British Caribbean, Mauritius and the Cape. The slave trade had been abolished in 1807 but it took another 26 years to effect the emancipation of the enslaved. Slave owners were able to claim compensation from the government.

Three successful claims were submitted on his behalf, for three plantations in British Guiana. His occupation was merchant. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Centre for the study of the Legacies of British Slavery https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/-1771611225 Accessed by Trevor Pickup on 27th September 2023

• Legacies of British Slave-ownership - UCL Department of History © Copyright 2017; Francis James Adam, T71/885 British Guiana claim no 663 (Nismes), accessed 28 December 2017. [1]

• David Wilkinson, ‘Adam, William (1751–1839)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [William Adam]

• J K Laughton, ‘Adam, Sir Charles (1780–1853)’, Rev Andrew Lambert, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [Sir Charles Adam]

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/152153089/francis-james-adam : accessed 27 August 2021), memorial page for Francis James Adam (1793–8 Jun 1820), Find A Grave: Memorial #152153089, citing Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland ; Maintained by Pixturmn (contributor 47729036) .

• Wikipedia: William_Adam_of_Blair_Adam (father)

• Ancestry.com, England and Wales Christening Records 1530-1906.