James Horn

James Horn was born, we think around 1752, in Glasgow.

There is an IGI record for a James Horn, born July 1748 to David and Isobel Horn in Glasgow, but so far there is no evidence to prove this is our James.

A James Horn, born 1757, was buried in St. Andrew’s, Newcastle in February 1831 and is another possibility.

Similarly, there is another James born to parents Thomas and Isabel Wilkie in 1750, this time in Fife. Thomas is a family name, so perhaps this might be the right line, but again we have no firm evidence either way.

The fact is that there are dozens of James Horns born in various parts of Scotland in around 1750, so the search continues for more concrete leads…

We do know that he married Sarah Stor(e)y (c. 1761-1850), perhaps around 1780. There does not appear to be a record of their marriage, nor of the births of their children. Despite this, later English census records allow us to approximate the birth years of their three children: James (Jr) in 1782-6, Mary in 1787, and Thomas in 1788. The couple also raised their niece, Margaret Smith (b.1787), who we assume was the daughter of Sarah’s sister. Margaret went on to marry James Wilson, of Peninsular War fame.

Margaret “Peggy” Wilson

The eldest son James is listed in the census record for 1851 with birthplace of “Sea Road, Glasgow”, so we can make the assumption that is where Sarah and James were living in the 1780s. Her own family history is not clear. There appears, though, to be a connection to Cumberland, and perhaps the reason the Horns moved there from Scotland is because of Sarah’s family history there. English christening records show a Sarah Story born to parents John and Mary in Underbarrow, Westmoreland in 1761 and christened in Kendal on 14 June. If this is our Sarah there are several as yet unanswered questions around her and James; if Sarah was from Kendal originally, then how and where did they meet? Did they meet in Cumberland, marry and move to Glasgow? Or meet in Glasgow, marry, then move back to England? Was James himself even born in Scotland?

Glasgow, 1804

A letter from Sarah Story Horn dated Nov 14, 1792 shows they were still living in Glasgow at that date, although James was in Airdrie (about 12 miles away) for some reason. James was a tobacco merchant, with a shop at 6, King’s Street, in Glasgow. In the mid-18th century the port city was home to the “Tobacco Lords”, merchants who made huge fortunes from trade with the American colonies – until Independence in 1789 forced many out of business. At the turn of the century there were more than 40 tobacco and snuff shops in Glasgow, compared to more than 150 boot and shoe makers, and 600 “grocers, huxters and tallow chandlers” (source: Enumeration of the inhabitants of the city of Glasgow and county of Lanark)

We have a letter from Sarah to James at a Mr Forcyth’s, Airdri:

Glasgow Nov. 14 1792
Dear Husband

         I hoped to have seen you on Saturday last on accounting circumstances that I hope you need not be told of — But you must endeavour to come in on Saturday first as Mr. Finney was hear on Monday night and told me that Mr Black is in want of a man and I would wish to have you rather any other body — as to what has been past Mr Black seems to pass it over and I hope to see you on Saturday night to now how you intend to ?
I remain your Loving wife

(signed) Sarah Horn

[The 1790 Jones Directory for Glasgow lists a David Black, tobacco merchant with a shop at 13 Gallowgate;  the only Finney in Glasgow at the time is Alexander Finnie, also a tobacconist.]

By early 1804 James and Sarah had left Scotland and moved to Penrith in Cumberland, more than 100 miles south, across the English border. Over the next ten years it seems that they moved between here and Kendal, in Westmorland. The towns are about 30 miles apart, both skirting the eastern edge of what is now the Lake District National Park.

Westmoreland c.1780

We are able to piece together bits about James from various family letters. In an 1804 letter to his niece Margaret we learn that James had been to sea at least three times, although we know not exactly why:

Three difrent times I have be on sea first time a long time sick the 2d only about two hours but [the] third was a long and bad voyage 18 days tost about the North Sea the 19th day our provision was all all [sic] on 22 day a hurracan lost our Masts 7 foot watter in the hould so we lay a logg unto 25 day when 2 Dutch ships took us up and saved our lives.

In 1807 it appears that James and Sarah were living in Kendal, on All Hallows Lane, per a letter from Thomas to Mary Horn Busher at that address. James’ son James Horn Jr. owned a tobacconists in Kendal, so perhaps the parents moved south in order to be close to their eldest, and to help with the family business there – although he would have been barely in his 20’s at this time.

All Hallows Lane, Kendal, c.1890

A 1912 letter from William Wilson Horn (James’ great grandson) to a Richard Walford, Esq. gives much detail about James Horn. It seems that WWH had been corresponding with Walford about family history and offers the following brief account of his great grandfather:

He was generous in the extreme, and had been known to give his coast away to a poor man in the street and walk home in his shirtsleeves, remarking when remonstrated with by his wife, replied, “The man was in need of it and I had another coat at home.

From later letters sent between Lady Margaret Wilson and her cousin Thomas it appears that James suffered significant financial difficulties around the year ***.

In 1820 records show the trial of a James Horn in Northumberland/Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The details are not known, and this may not be our James, but happily the trial resulted in an acquittal.

The 1829 Pigot Directory for Cumberland lists James Horn as Tobacconist in Netherend, Penrith. Whether this is James Sr or Jr is unclear, although I suspect the latter.

Pigot Directory 1829

At some point in the 1820s it appears that James and Sarah moved to Newcastle, presumably to be with their son Thomas who was at this time running a successful business publishing and selling books. James died in 1830 at around 80 years of age (*Bristow tree puts his date of death as 19 Feb 1831); he is buried in St. Andrew’s churchyard, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. FamilySearch shows a James Horn who died 24 Feb that year, again buried in St. Andrews, but slightly younger (74) and a birth year of 1757.

The 1841 Census shows that Sarah, at age 80, was living with the family in Market Street, Newcastle, with whom she lived there and later in Villa Place, Newcastle (per letter, Richard Welford to WWH, 11.6.1912). Sarah outlived her husband by 20 years, and died in 1850 at around 90 years old – a good old age.

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