Jane Adam (née Wilson)

Jane Adam née Wilson (1808-1889), wife of John Adam (q.v.), awarded compensation for Caligula estate in St Vincent.

1. Born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland 22/12/1808 to Andrew Wilson, a local merchant, and Emilia Wilson née Glasgow. (Note that her death certificate and will and the 1841 census record give her year of birth variously as 1809 or 1811). Her maternal grandfather was Robert Glasgow, surgeon, for whom records in St Vincent exist as far back as 1777. The original claimant for compensation for enslaved persons on Caligula estate was Amelia Theobalds, tenant-for-life, whose relation to Jane Adam is unclear.

2. Jane Wilson of the parish of Ardrossan married John Adam of Hutchestown in the parish of Gorbals on 27/04/1831. The 1841 census named "John Adan," aged 40, born 1801, merchant, and "Jean Adan," aged 30, born 1811, and "Marion Campbel," aged 30, born 1811, as residing at Glasgow Street, Ardrossan, Ayrshire.

3. By 1851 she was a widow, aged 42, “Proprietor”, born Renfrewshire, Paisley, living with her mother Emilia Wilson, age 70, married, “Annuitant”, born St Vincent West Indies B[ritish] S[ubject], at Glasgow Street, Ardrossan, Ayrshire.

4. In 1861 Jane Adam and her mother were both living at 16 Montgomerie Street, Ardrossan. Emilia Wilson was widowed, age 79, “Annuitant” and Jane Adam was widowed, aged 52, “Landed & House Proprietor”. The 1861 census records there were 12 rooms in their house with 1 or more windows.

5. Emilia Wilson died in 1867. In 1871, Jane Adam was living at 45 Glasgow Street, widow, aged 62, “Landowner”. Living separately but at the same address is Hugh Love Barr, a baker, and his family.

6. The birth certificate of Robert Colquhoun Adam at William Street, Row, Dunbartonshire, 07/03/1878, gives his parents as John Adam, mercantile clerk, and Jessie Adam née Adam (parents’ marriage took place at Cathcart, 30/03/1874) – this is a very likely match for the grandchild Robt C. Adam, age 3 and living with Jane Adam in 1881. The birth certificate also confirms that Jessie Adam was the daughter of Jane, as given in the census, and not her daughter-in-law as the identical surname would suggest. Birth of Jessie circa 1848 as inferred from her age in 1881. No other children identified. The whereabouts of Jessie Adam in the censuses of 1851, 1861 and 1871 has not been identified.

7. Jane Adam died 12/08/1889 at 16 Montgomery Street, Ardrossan, age 81 of “Old age General debility”. Her death certificate gives her parents as Andrew Wilson, Merchant, deceased, and Emilia Wilson née Glasgow, deceased. The informant was Jas Campbell, cousin.

8. In a codicil to her will dated 04/12/1869, Jane Adam stated that she was previously a member of the Church of Scotland but following a disruption in the church the previous summer had since joined the Free Church of Scotland. Her will had previously left all her property to her mother Emilia Wilson. Following the death of her mother, her estate was shared out between various missions and funds of the Free Church. She also mentioned that she is the only surviving heir of her father Andrew Wilson, previously a merchant in Paisley. The inventory of her estate, dated 13/09/1889, lists rental income from Montgomerie Lane and Glasgow Street properties and makes no mention of any foreign property or investments. Personal estate valued at £3746 12s 9d.

T71/892 St Vincent claim no. 526 (Caligula estate).

1. Date of birth and parents' names indicated by Scotlandspeople online: FR290 (FR290) F 22/12/1808 573/1

2. Place of birth from the census records, see 3, 4 and 5, below. Emilia Wilson, widow of Andrew Wilson, Land Proprietor, died 23/09/1867 at 45 Glasgow Street, Ardrossan, aged 81 years and her death certificate gives her parents as Robert Glasgow, Surgeon, (West Indies), deceased and Rosalie Glasgow née L’Aborde [?] deceased (General Register Office for Scotland, Deaths 1867 576/02 47 New Ardrossan [given as Amelia Wilson]). For Robert Glasgow in St Vincent see, for example, Kenneth E. Ingram, Manuscript Sources for the History of the West Indies: With Special Reference to Jamaica in the National Library of Jamaica and Supplementary Sources in the West Indies, North America, and United Kingdom and Elsewhere (Mona, Jamaica, University of the West Indies Press, 2000) pp. 413-414.

3. For their marriage: General Register Office for Scotland, Gorbals 644/02 0070 Frame 1209 1831. For the proclamation of banns: General Register Office for Scotland, Ardrossan 576 00200 Frame 451 1831. 1841 Scotland census online.

4. 1851 census online.

5. 1861 census online.

6. Death of Emilia Wilson: General Register Office for Scotland 1867 576/2 47 New Ardrossan. 1871 census online.

7. Birth of Robert Colquhoun Adam: General Register Office for Scotland 1878 503 40 Row. 1881 census online.

8. Death of Jane Adam: General Register Office for Scotland 1889 576/2 16Z.

9. Will of Jane Adam or Wilson: Ayr Sheriff Court Wills SC6/46/20.