John Brown (1729 - 1802)

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Biography

John was born in 1729. He was the son of Nicol Brown. John was a successful textile merchant banker and manufacturer in Glasgow. . John Brown used to travel all over Britain in the way of his business, and in his journal gives many interesting descriptions of the places and the people he saw. He was also a Baillie in the city of Glasgow and became wealthy enough to the estates of Waterhaughs and Lanfine. Waterhaughs had formerly belonged to the father of Marion Campbell, his mother, but had been sold. He combined both estates into one, under the name of Waterhaughs, the mansion house being at Lanfine. He had acquired 400 acres at Lanfine presumably when Cessnock Estate was sold by the Hume family in 1769 and immediately set about the construction of the mansion House. In 1798–1799, he commissioned from Raeburn portraits of himself and of his wife. She was ill at the time and died before the painting was completed. [1]

He married Margaret, daughter of Andrew Brown of Waterhead, near Muirkirk. His latter days were saddened by the death of his wife and three daughters, who all died within a period of less than three years. Died, at Lanfine, upon the 17th inst, Mrs M. Brown, spouse of John Brown Esq of Westerhaughs ^[1]

Deaths: At Lanfine, upon the 18th inst John Brown Esq of Waterhaughs ^[2]

Children

• Nicol -1829 eldest son, succeeded his father in his estate and in the Bank. He was a man of great influence both in Glasgow and Ayrshire. He added greatly to the estate of Waterhaughs, and dying without issue in 1829, left the estate, to his cousin-german, Thomas Brown, M.D., third son of Thomas Brown of Langside.
• Andrew, who died unmarried in 1806
  • Marion Deaths: At Lanfine, on Sunday the 8th inst, Miss Marion Brown, eldest daughter of John Brown, Esq of Waterhaughs, very sincerely regretted.^[3]
• 3 daughters, who all died unmarried within a period of less than three years

Property

On the death of John Brown in 1802, his son Nicol Brown took over as Laird of Lanfine and Waterhaughs.

The property Valuation in 1803 Parish of Galston Nicol Brown Esqre. paid tax for: Auchruglen Valuation £100.0.0; Greenholm Valuation £79.0.0; Easter & Wester Lanefines Valuation £212.18.3; Auchenbart & Greensmill Valuation £132.8.2; Waterhaugh Burnfoot Dyke Valuation £66.11.0; Parkerstone Valuation £50.0.0; Carnsayth Valuation £40.16.0; Priestland Valuation £40.0.0; Dalquhairn Valuation £5.12.9; Over Newton Nicol Brown Esqre. £33.6.8; ^[4]

The estate of Lanfine grew from the original 400 acres acquired by John Brown in 1769, to over 10,000 acres

Sources

1. ↑ Aberdeen Journal, and General Advertiser for the North of Scotland Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland 30 Sep 1799, Mon Page 2
2. ↑ The Edinburgh Advertiser Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland 23 Nov 1802, Tue Page 7
3. ↑ The Caledonian Mercury Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland 12 Nov 1801, Thu Page 3
4. ↑ Land tax rolls for Ayrshire, volume 05 E106/4/5/17