Adam Cockburn 1824 - 1912

Owned by Liz Hardie
Last updated: Apr 14, 2015

Adam Cockburn (1824 - 1912)

Adam Cockburn was born on 13 November 1824 in Newbattle Midlothian, where he was christened on 12 December 1824. He was the fourth child and second son of Moore Carfrae Cockburn and Christian Duncan Anderson.

He spent all of his early years in Newbattle, some time after 1841, but before 1845 he moved to Berwick - most likely in pursuite of work.

In Berwick he met Mary Spence Murrary, whom he married in Earlston Berwick in April 1845. Mary Spence Murray was born abt 1826 in Lauder Berwick, she was the daughter of Margaret Spence and an unspecified father.

Adam and Mary produced fifteen children (seven sons and eight daughters) between Moore and Christian produced ten children (six sons and four daughters) between 1845 and 1871. Only ten of the children survived to adulthood:

  • Margaret Cockburn Born 11 April 1846. Died 18 Oct 1862
  • Christina Cockburn Born 12 May 1848. Married John Fairbairn on 4 Jun 1880
  • unnamed female Cockburn Born abt 1849.
  • William Cockburn Born 2 July 1850. Married Isabella Struth on 30 Oct 1874
  • unnamed male Cockburn Born abt 1852.
  • unnamed male Cockburn Born abt 1854.
  • Lilias Cockburn Born 3 Mar 1855. Christened 9 Mar 1855. Married Joseph Charles Kitching on 27 Dec 1872
  • Adam Cockburn Born 22 Nov 1857. Died 22 Nov 1862
  • Mary Cockburn Born 25 May 1860. Married Robert Redpath on 14 Dec 1877.
  • Walter Cockburn Born 17 Aug 1861. Married Annie Black on 3 Jul 1885.
  • Jane Cockburn (twin) Born 13 Feb 1864
  • Margaret Cockburn (twin) Born 13 Feb 1864.
  • Adam More Cockburn Born 24 Sep 1866. Married Agnes Dodds on 2 Jun 1887
  • Ann Cockburn Born 1 Oct 1868. Died 29 Apr 1912
  • Alexander Spence Cockburn Born 16 Aug 1871. Died 4 May 1912

After their marriage Mary and Adam were residing in Wester Housebyres, and at the time of the 1851 census, the family is recorded as living on "south side of main street running thro' burgh of Lauder" (No actual address).

By 1855 the family had moved to Trabrown in Lauder Berwick where they were residing at the time of the 1861 census - 14 Trabrown, Lauder, Berwick.

In late 1861 the family moved to Maltbarns, Channelkirk where their tenth child - Walter was born. About a year after Walter's birth the family experienced a double tragedy when Typhoid fever struck down their children Margaret and Adam - who died within one month of each other.

Despite this early setback, the family must have been relatively happy in Channelkirk, for they stayed there for over 20 years. During this period Adam worked as a gamekeeper on Carfraemill Farm, and the family lived in the cottage named Maltbarns, which still stands today (right).

For reasons unknown, the family relocated some time during the next ten years - most likely around 1884 - the family moved to Roxburgh, where in 1891 they were living in a Farm Tenants house at Smailholm Mains - a small house with 3 windowed rooms - and Adam was working as a Forester and hedger. Living with Adam and Mary at the time were their son Alexander Spence Cockburn, their daughter Margaret and her two illegitimate children - Adam Carruthers Cockburn and Alexander Spence Cockburn - their grandson William Redpath and granddaughter Jemima Scott Cockburn - illegitimate daughter of his eldest daughter Christina - who it appears they raised as their daughter.

The family were still living in Roxburgh - at Hundale Mill in Jedburgh - when Mary died on 6 Feb 1898. After her death, Adam moved to Fogo in Berwick, where he was living in 1901 at the Sisterpath Cottages with a number of his children and grandchildren. Also residing in the household were his grandchildren Adam Carruthers Cockburn, Alexander Spence Cockburn and Jemima Scott Cockburn his daughters Margaret and Annie and Annies illegitimate son - William Spence Cockburn.

The movements of the family over the next ten years are unknown, however it is likely that at some point in time during this period, Adam resided at Hassington Mains in Eccles Berwick with his daughter Ann and son Alexander Spence - both of whom died there in early 1912.

By August 1912, Adam was living with his daughter in Lauder Berwick with his daughter Christina and her husband John Fairbairn, and it is here that he died on 12 August 1912 of heart disease, he was 87.

Associated Documents

  • 1824 Birth Certificate of Adam Cockburn
  • 1826 Birth Certificate of Mary Spence Murray
  • 1841 Census 
  • 1851 Census
  • 1861 Census
  • 1862 Death Certificate Margaret Cockburn
  • 1862 Death Certificate Adam Cockburn
  • 1871 Census
  • 1881 Census
  • 1891 Census Records - Adam and Mary Spence Cockburn and family
  • 1898 Death Certificate of Mary Spence Murray
  • 1901 Census Records - Adam Cockburn and family
  • 1911 Census Records - Adam Cockburn
  • 1912 Death Certificate of Adam CockburnÂ