John Reid of Hortencie (1655-1723)

John Reid, the gard’ner John Reid, author of The Scots Gard’ner, was born in 1655 at Niddry Castle near Kirkliston in West Lothian, where both his father and grandfather were gardeners to the Seton family. He was apprenticed in 1668 to Andrew Wardlaw, a merchant in Edinburgh, but by the 1670s had turned decisively to […]

David Falconar (c.1632-1713)

David Falconar played a significant role in the East Jersey venture as a promoter and investor and was a leading member of the Quaker community in Scotland. David Falconar (or Falconer) was born around 1632, the eldest son of Sir John Falconer, Master of the Cunziehouse (the Scottish Mint), and Sibil Ogilvy. Though he never […]

William Ridford (c.1642–1726)

William Ridford [or Reidford] was one of the first Scots emigrants to East Jersey in the 1680s. He was born around 1642 in Friershaw, near Lilliesleaf in Teviotdale, Roxburghshire. He was a Quaker, a member of the Kelso Monthly Meeting. By 1682, tenant farmer Ridford was in negotiation with Arent Sonmans, one of the East […]