Article: The Adam Family, Scotland's Master Architects

I just received my September/October 2008 issue of "The Highlander" Magazine of Scottish Heritage.It has an article titled, "The Adam Family, Scotland's Master Architects".I have had fun many hours since looking up this family line.I have two Adam/Adams family lines from Scotland of which I know little.Back to the article.....

William Adam, son of John Adam & Helen Cranstoun (d/o William Cranstoun, 3rd Lord Cranstoun) b. October 1689 Linktown of Abbotshall (now Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland,) d. 24 June 1748. buried Greyfriars Kirkyard, in tomb designed by son John Adam; m. 30 May 1716 Mary Robertson, d/o William Robertson, Esq. of Gladney.

William Adam and Mary Robertson had eldest son John and 9 other children according to William Adam's Will.Of these, John, Robert, James & William were all architects or builders very well known for their awesome work in Scotland and England.(Culzean Castle one of their many works)

John Adam b. 5 March 1721, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland
d. 25 June 1792, Scotland
m. Jean Ramsay, d/o John Ramsay, Esq.

Robert Adam b. 3 July 1728, Gladley House, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland
d. 3 March 1792, by the bursting of a blood-vessel, and was buried in Westminister Abbey.

James Adam, b. 21 July 1732, Edinburgh, Scotland
d. 20 October 1794 Albermarle Street, London, England

William Adam, b. ?d. 1812.



Scouting around the 'net' I found more on these famous Adam's family in Scotland, and their ancestors.Beginning at the top working down to William Adam (1689-1748)

Duncan Adam, son of Alexander Adam lived in the reign of Robert the Bruce, and had four sons, Robert, John, Reginald and Duncan Adam from whom all the Adams, Adamsons, and Adies in Scotland, are descended (Burkes Landed Gentry)...From the youngest son, Duncan Adam, who accompanied James, Lord of Douglass, in his expedition to Spain on his way to the Holy Land, with the heart of King Robert, is stated to have descended, John Adam, who was slain at Flodden in 1513.His son Charles Adam was seated at Fanno, in Forfarshire, and his descendant in the fourth degree, Archibald Adam, of Fanno, sold his patrimonial lands in the time of Charles I, and acquired those of Queenamanour in same county.His great-grandson, John married Helen Cranstoun, of the family of Lord Cranstoun, by whom he had one son, William Adam, an eminent architect....which brings us back to William Adam (1689-1748)

It would be interesting to link my Adam/Adams ancestry to these above.Not sure if it can be done.

Sue W.