20th Generation

120. Sophia (Sophie) JOHNSTON¹⁵ was born on 18 Mar 1668. She died on 13 Dec 1716. born in December 1737 She died on 30 November 1810 in Creghton Street, Edinburgh. She signed a will on 3 June 1811. Will dated 20th April 1795 and proved in Edinburgh on this date. She is reference number 4864. Known as "Aunty Suphy", she was a well-known character in the Edinburgh society of the later 18th century. Lord Cockburn, in his memoirs, describes her as a leading Edinburgh character with an escerbic tongue who did not suffer fools gladly. Cockburn claimed that her parents had decided to give her no formal education as an experiment. Lady Ann Barnard in her "Lives of the LIndsays" (1846) gives this account: One day, after dinner, the Squire having a mind to reason over his bottle, turned the conversation on the folly of education. His lady at first was inclined to dispute the question with him, but.....as he strictly maintained his argument they both agreed to make the experiment on the child she was ready to produce." It should be remembered, however, that at this time Suphy's parents were in dispute with the church owing to their relationship, and the pregnancy was outside of marriage. So, the decision about education was probably more connected to their dispute with the church - the established seat of education at the time - rather than any formal experiment.



born in December 1737 She died on 30 November 1810 in Creghton Street, Edinburgh. She signed a will on 3 June 1811. Will dated 20th April 1795 and proved in Edinburgh on this date. She is reference number 4864. Known as "Aunty Suphy", she was a well-known character in the Edinburgh society of the later 18th century. Lord Cockburn, in his memoirs, describes her as a leading Edinburgh character with an escerbic tongue who did not suffer fools gladly. Cockburn claimed that her parents had decided to give her no formal education as an experiment. Lady Ann Barnard in her "Lives of the LIndsays" (1846) gives this account: One day, after dinner, the Squire having a mind to reason over his bottle, turned the conversation on the folly of education. His lady at first was inclined to dispute the question with him, but.....as he strictly maintained his argument they both agreed to make the experiment on the child she was ready to produce." It should be remembered, however, that at this time Suphy's parents were in dispute with the church owing to their relationship, and the pregnancy was outside of marriage. So, the decision about education was probably more connected to their dispute with the church - the established seat of education at the time - rather than any formal experiment.

John FAIRHOLME 2nd of Craiglehall died in 1690.