Adam Armour (1771–1823) was the younger brother of

Jean Armour Jean Armour (25 February 1765 – 26 March 1834), also known as the "Belle of Mauchline", was the wife of the poet Robert Burns. She inspired many of his poems and bore him nine children, three of whom survived into adulthood. Biography Born in ...

and therefore the brother-in-law of the poet

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

. In addition, being married to Fanny (Frances) Burnes, he was also related to the poet through his father-in-law (

Robert Burnes Robert Burnes or Robert Burness (1719 – 3 January 1789) was a paternal uncle of the poet Robert Burns. He left the family farm of Clochnahill or Clokenhill in Kincardineshire with his younger brother William Burnes, and found work at the The La ...

) 'Poor Uncle Robert', who lived at

Stewarton Stewarton ( sco, Stewartoun,
gd, Baile nan Stiùbhar ...

Life and background

Baptised on 3 March 1771 at

Mauchline Mauchline (; gd, Maghlinn) is a town and civil parish in East Ayrshire, Scotland. In the 2001 census Mauchline had a recorded population of 4,105. It is home to the National Burns Memorial. Location The town lies by the Glasgow and South Wes ...

Adam was a builder, as was his father, the master mason

James Armour James Brown Armour (1841–1928), usually known as J. B. Armour, was an Irish Presbyterian minister who sought to rally Protestant opinion in the north of Ireland in support of tenant right and against landlordism, and, in his later years, in fav ...

(15 January 1731 – 25 September 1798), father-in-law of the poet

.Westwood (2008), Page 28 His mother was Mary Smith (died 30 July 1805) who married at

on 7 December 1761 and his siblings were John Armour, Jean (Armour) Burns, James Armour, Robert Armour, Helen Armour, Mary Armour, Robert Armour, Mary Armour, Janet Armour and Robert Armour.Westwood (1997), Page 34 He is thought to have been of small stature, alluded to by Burns in "''Adam Armour's Prayer''" where he has Adam say "''Gude pity me, because I'm little!''"Douglas, Page 294 His portrait is listed in 1962 as being in the National Burns Tower Museum in

. Adam was named for Adam Smith, James Armour's father-in-law.Boyle (1996), Page 63

Family

Adam met Fanny Burnes at

Ellisland Farm Ellisland Farm lies about 6.5 mi/10.4 km northwest of Dumfries near the village of Auldgirth, located in the Parish of Dunscore, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The complex is a museum in the farm Robert Burns built, lived in a ...

as her cousin Robert Burns had taken her and her brothers in after the death of her father

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

in 1789. Adam was for a time employed at the nearby Dalswinton House as a builder, lodging at Ellisland with his sister and brother-in-law and therefore sharing the house with Fanny amongst others. On 5 June 1792Purdie, Page 56 Adam is said to have married Fanny at

Dalswinton Dalswinton is a small village in the historical county of Dumfriesshire in Dumfries and Galloway in the south of Scotland. It is located about northwest of Dumfries. To the east of the village a wind farm has been built with a capacity of 30&nb ...

that lies near Ellisland, however the wedding is also said to have taken place at

. The couple had nine children, James (b. 16 March 1793, d. 29 January 1816), Jean (b. 4 December 1794, d. 22 October 1796), Robert (b. 15 March 1799, d. 6 March 1849), Fanny (b. 8 January 1801), Adam (b. 9 March 1803), Mary Smith (b. 15 October 1805), John (24 Dec 1807, d. 14 June 1809) and William (b. 25 January 1812, d. c 1859). Adam died on 8 January 1823 aged 51.

Association with Robert Burns

It was Adam who was sent to Mossgiel to inform Robert that his sister Jean had given birth to the poet's son and daughter, named after the parents through the Kirk Session protocol for children born out of wedlock. It was said that Adam found Burns working at the plough however the day being a Sunday this is highly unlikely.Mackay, Page 194 When the poet's Uncle Robert died he did what he could to help John, William and Fanny (Frances) Burnes, his cousins, to gain employment. In February 1789 Robert Burns wrote from

to his cousin, James Burnes in Montrose from Ellisland, saying: ''"We have lost poor uncle Robert this winter .... His only daughter, Fanny, has been with me ever since her father's death and I purpose to keep her in my family til she be quite woman grown, and be fit for better service. She is one of the cleverest girls, and has one of the most amiable dispositions, that I have ever seen."'' Both John and Fanny lived with the Burns family for a time from 1789 at Ellisland Farm.Mackay, Page 450 Robert paid Adam six shillings in November 1791 to return to Ellisland at the dead of night to smash every window in the farm upon which he had inscribed verses as an act of revenge upon James Morin, Laird of Laggan who was the new owner. Robert felt cheated over the price paid for a heap of manure, a valuable commodity before artificial fertilisers were available. No record of the verses has survived. Adam carried out the task and in 1813 he related the incident to a Dumfriesshire man. Adam Armour and Fanny Burnes's signatures were on a window pane in the southern window of the parlour and a favourite quote from

Alexander Pope Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 O.S. – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early 18th century. An exponent of Augustan literature, ...

"''An honest man's the noblest work of God.''" in what may have been Burns's handwriting.Mackay, Page 446 A record survives of the charges placed upon Burns for 'dilapidations' at Ellisland and is for 'Glass' six shillings!

The Agnes Wilson incident

Agnes Wilson was a female servant or journeywoman who worked for George Simpson, the landlord of Poosie Nancie's. She had a reputation as a prostitute and Adam Armour at the age of 15Mackay, Page 179 led a group of 'Auld Licht' adherents who decided to run her out of town. The gang obtained a rough pine tree pole, suspended it between horses and forced her to sit astride it. The experience caused her significant physical injury as Burns' poem describes. George (Geordie) Simpson and his wife Agnes (Poosie Nancie) greatly resented this cruel and lawless behaviour and proceeded to prosecute Adam and his group. The Kirk Session noted the disturbance on 6 March 1786. Following this breach of the peace, and while evading arrest, Adam met Burns, and asked for his advice. Burns is said to have suggested that he would be best to find someone to pray for him, and Adam to have replied: "''Just do't yoursel, Burns, I know no one so fit.''" Adam asked if he could lie low at Mossgiel until the situation calmed down and Burns agreed. It was on this occasion that Burns discovered from Adam that his sister,

, had been sent to stay with an uncle in Paisley. As a result of the affair Burns wrote 'The Prayer' or 'Adam Armours Prayer' that, although well known in

was not published until 1808 when it appeared in the ''Edinburgh Magazine''. It was a prelude to

Holy Willie's Prayer "Holy Willie's Prayer" is a poem by Robert Burns. It was written in 1785 and first printed anonymously in an eight-page pamphlet in 1789.Daiches, David (1952). Robert Burns. London: G. Bells It is considered the greatest of all Burns' satirical po ...

. "''Adam Armour's Prayer''" By

This incident is related to the "''Court of Equity''" of which Burns was a member that in 1785 and 1786 met at the vinter John Dow's house in Mauchline where they debated the cases of scandal taking place in the village and – Burns has Adam state in his poem that Agnes Brown would have been hung had she been caught acting again as a prostitute.Noble & Hogg, Page 599

References

;Notes ;Sources and further reading # Annandale, Charles (Editor) (1890). ''The Works of Robert Burns''. London : Blackie & Son. # Barclay, Alastair (1989). ''The Bonnet Toun''. The Stewarton Bonnet Guild. # Boyle, A. M. (1996), ''The Ayrshire Book of Burns-Lore''. Darvel : Alloway Publishing. . # Dougall, Charles E. (1911). ''The Burns Country''. London : Adam and Charles Black. # Douglas, William Scott (1938). ''The Kilmarnock Edition of the Poetical Works of Robert Burns.'' Glasgow : Scottish Daily Express. # Hogg, Patrick Scott (2008). ''Robert Burns. The Patriot Bard''. Edinburgh : Mainstream Publishing. . # Hosie, Bronwen (2010). ''Robert Burns. Bard of Scotland.'' Glendaruel : Argyll Publishing. . # Jackson, J. R. (1996). ''Can You Help Find "Poor Uncle Robert"''. Burns Chronicle. Bicentenary Edition. # Mackay, James. ''A Biography of Robert Burns''. Edinburgh : Mainstream Publishing. . # McNaught, Duncan (1912). ''Kilmaurs Parish & Burgh''. Paisley : Alexander Gardner. # McQueen, Colin Hunter & Hunter, Douglas (2008). ''Hunter's Illustrated History of the Family, Friends and Contemporaries of Robert Burns.'' Published by Messrs Hunter Queen and Hunter. # Noble, Andrew and Hogg, Patrick Scott (Editors). (2001). ''The Canongate Burns''. Edinburgh : Canongate Books Ltd. # Purdie, David; McCue Kirsteen and Carruthers, Gerrard. (2013). ''Maurice Lindsay's The Burns Encyclopaedia''. London : Robert Hale. . # Strawhorn, John ''Letters from a Land Steward. Was he 'Poor Uncle Robert. Annual Burns Chronicle & Club Directory. # Westwood, peter J. (1997). ''Genealogical Charts of the Family of Robert Burns.'' Kilmarnock : The Burns Federation. # Westwood, Peter J. (2004). ''The Definitive Illustrated Companion to Robert Burns.'' Scottish Museums Council. # Westwood, Peter J. (Editor). (2008). ''Who's Who in the World of Robert Burns''. Robert Burns World Federation.

External links