[janwhin]

The will of James Grieve Burn appointed William Muers (uncle) and Henry Henderson (husband of his aunt) guardians of James Burn until he reached the age of 21.

James' next appearance is at his wedding in Edinburgh on 11 September 1860 to his cousin, Elizabeth Margaret Henderson, daughter of Henry, postmaster at Warkworth. James gives his address as Newton Villa, Shilbottle. Their marriage certificate state that they are cousins.

In 1861 the young couple have settled into marital bliss at Newton Villa, bolstered by wealth and the security of genteel relations nearby, Hendersons and Muers. All pillars of the community. A daughter is born, Anna, in 1861.

The Journal of Robert Howitt, Warkworth shoemaker shows a different picture. He records the death of James in 1867:
"Poor fellow, he was left with something like £400 a year, he married a canny body for a wife and with a comfortable house to live in, no happier man might have been found in Warkworth parish. But alas, for the world's happiness, he took to drink, got the habit, drank deeper, until at last they attempted to keep it from him. He would weep like a child, for the last few weeks he has never been sober, taking no meat but being fed whisky with a spoon."

Howitt was not content with this description of James' decline. He went on to say: "Flesh and blood could not stand this long. he died this morning, only 29 years old, what a death, oh what a warning. And yet at his burial some of them were found who were overcome with the same cursed stuff. What madness, what folly."

James Burn's death certificate gave the cause of death as "exhaustion from excessive use of stimulants for 2 1/2 years."

He left a young wife and a 6 years old daughter, his estate being left to Elizabeth, his widow.

Is that enough for one family, afraid not.

to be continued