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Son of John Geddes (III) Father of Andrew David Geddes |
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Adam Gordon Geddes was paymaster for regiments.
From "A List of the Officers of the Army and of the Corps of Royal Marines By Great Britain War Office" Page 475:
Veteran Battalions - 10th - Paymaster Adam Gordon Geddes
Rank in the Army: 31 Mar. 1814 When placed on Half-pay: 25 June 1821
From the London Gazette
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See Advice to the Officers of the British Army - Paymaster for a satirical account of what a paymaster did.
One of the letters about James Geddes by John Geddes (III), Adam's father, sayd "Adam is now at Chatham, & expects to be disbanded soon, to which I have no objection, as I think he will be better on 1/2 pay." This letter is dated 18 Feb 1816. Presumably this is due to the widescale reduction of the armed forces after the Napoleonic wars.
He was also a tenant farmer at Airfield Farm, Cranston. A letter of 21 Sept 1825 from John Geddes III to John Geddes IV, his son and Adam Geddes' brother (David Geddes is another brother), says "Adam will acquaint you that he is looking out for a farm, but hitherto unsuccessful. I have promised Adam a £1000, to stock a farm, & I suppose Davie will require as much in his new concern, & in that event you have all got an equal sum, only Adam, from his former mismanagement, will be considerably behind." Airfield Farm seems to have been demolished, althought there is an Airfield Farm which is a listed building - presumably a later building. Adam married his wife at Cranston in 1828.
Street directories show that he lived at 5 Archibald Place (Lauriston) from 1843-1847, at 7 Henderson Row 1848-1850 (his wife died in 1850), and at 28 Hamilton Place 1858-1859.
Adam Gordon Geddes died intestate, with hardly any money or possessions, but his daughter married well, and his sons had military careers. Their uncle John Geddes IV may have helped the family.
Wife: Marion Faulds (1795-1850) of Peebles. They were married in 1828.
See Marriage of Adam Gordon Geddes.
Children:
| Name | Dates | Married | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margaret Geddes | 1829-1911 | in 1860 to James Alexander Vernor 1805-1866 in 1874 to John Legat | See her webpage. |
| John Geddes (V) | 1831-1920 | in 1862 to Madeline Mary Hessing 1831-1877 in 1893 to Frances Mary Green | See his webpage. |
| Andrew David Geddes | 1834-1888 | in 1864 to Emily Jane Eckford 1839-1930 | See his webpage. |
The census returns show that his daughter Margaret Geddes and son John Geddes V may not have lived with him for at least some of their childhood.
This is a copy of a copy so the copyists may have made mistakes. Apologies for any of mine.
At Edinburgh the twenty first day of May Eighteen hundred and sixty one the following Inventory of the Personal Estate of the deceased Adam Gordon Geddes was presented by My Donald Horne WS.
Inventory of the Personal Estate wheresoever situated of Adam Gordon Geddes Esquire Paymaster H.P. late tenth Royal Veteran Battalion who died at twenty eight Hamilton Place Edinburgh on the third day of May Eighteen hundred and sixty one.
Scotland
| 1. | Cash in the House | £0.5.6 |
| 2. | Cash in Bank | 2.16.8 |
| 3. | Thirty three days half pay at 7/6d per day due to the deceased as at date of death | 12.16.6 |
| 4. | Household furniture Silver Plate and Effects in the deceased house conform to Inventory and Appraisement | 130.19.0 |
| Total amount of Personal Estate | 146.17.8 |
(Signed) John Geddes Capt. 76th. Regt.
(Signed) James Rose WS
At Edinburgh the twentieth day of May Eighteen hundred and sixty one years In presence of James Rose Esquire WS Justice of the Peace for the County of Ross Appeared John Geddes Captain in her Majesty's Seventy sixth Regiment of Foot who being solemnly sworn and examined Depones that the said Adam Gordon Geddes Paymaster Half pay, late of the Tenth Royal Veteran Battalion and residing at Number twenty eight Hamilton Place Edinburgh died intestate on the third day of May Eighteen hundred and sixty one That the Deponent has entered upon the possession and management of his personal or Moveable Estate as Eldest Son and Executor qua nearest in kin; That the Deponent does not know of any Testamentary Settlement or Writing left by the deceased relative to the disposal of his Personal Settlement or Effects or any part thereof; That the foregoing inventory signed by the Deponent and the said Justice of the Peace as relative hereto is a full and complete inventory of the Personal Estate and Effects of the said deceased Adam Gordon Geddes wherever situated and belonging or due to him beneficially at the time of his death in so far as the same has come to the Deponents knowledge; but which Inventory no Confirmation is at present required; and that the said Estate situated in the United Kingdom is of he value of One hundred pounds sterling and under two hundred pounds Sterling; All which is truth as the Deponent shall answer to God.
(Signed) John Geddes
(Signed) James Rose WS
The following was written in April 1990 by John Frederick Dibblee, great grandson of Adam Gordon Geddes:
Economic circumstances very different [to his father's will and inventory] but this may not have been the whole story. He was a widower with a house he may have owned, his two sons were launched on Army careers and his daughter had recently married a rich man. He may have given away most of his possessions (there was some sort of estate duty at that date, I think). Some of his household expenses may have been subsidised by the family. It is possible he owned real property, which would not have been included in the testament, but, except for his own house, this seems unlikely as no debts for rent appear. 7/6 per day sounds tiny, but may well have covered his expenses. A subaltern's pay in late C19 was 5/9d and only 11/- in 1939.
Click on picture for larger version. Comments are marked on back
 Adam Gordon Geddes |
 Adam Gordon Geddes |
 Marion nee Faulds wife of Adam Gordon Geddes |
 Adam Gordon Geddes |
 "From photo on glass titled ? Adam Gordon Geddes. Same date as John Geddes?" (see John for other photo) |
The following two photos were together, in a small phoo box. The first is on metal, the second may be on glass. The first is the same at the photo at the top of this page, so I am assuming that they are both of Adam Gordon Geddes.
See Marriage of Adam Gordon Geddes
For photos of Margaret Geddes, her husbands, and her son, see her webpage.
For photos of John Geddes (V), his wife, and sons, see his webpage.
For photos of Andrew David Geddes and his family, see his webpage.
© Jo Edkins 2014 - Return to Geddes index