Adam Cockburn, Lord Ormiston
Encyclopedia
Adam Cockburn of Ormiston, Lord Ormiston (1656 – 16 April 1735) was a Scottish judge and Lord Justice Clerk
.
A younger son of John Cockburn of Ormiston by his spouse Margaret Hepburn, Adam was retoured heir to his brother John in the family's ancient estate of Ormiston
, East Lothian
, on 28 December 1671. Sasine of the estates followed on 12 June 1672 on a Precept
from Chancery
.
He was Commissioner for Haddingtonshire at the Conventions of Estates in the years 1678, 1681, and 1689, and in parliament
for the year 1690. He was nominated one of the Commissioners to treat on the Union of Parliaments, on the 19 April 1689.
Adam Cockburn was appointed Lord Justice Clerk
in place of Sir George Campbell of Cessnock on 28 November 1692 and at about the same time was sworn a Privy Councillor
.
He was one of the Commissioners named to inquire into the Massacre of Glencoe
on 28 May 1695, and became somewhat unpopular in some quarters because of the powers awarded to his position in order for him to reach conclusions in the matter. On 6 February 1699 he succeeded Lord Raith as Treasurer-depute of Scotland
, which he retained until the accession of Queen Anne
, when he was dismissed from all his offices.
He obtained a commission appointing him a second time Lord Justice Clerk
dated 8 January 1705 and was at the same time appointed to succeed Lord Whitelaw as a Lord Ordinary
in the Court of Session
. He left the office of Lord Justice Clerk again in 1710 but retained his place as a Lord Ordinary until his death, in his 79th year.
He married (1) Susanna (b. 20 July 1657, Tyninghame), daughter of John Hamilton, 4th Earl of Haddington. They had several children, of whom notably the MP John Cockburn
of Ormiston. Two of his daughters married baronets. He married (2) Anne (d.1721) daughter of Sir Patrick Houstoun, 1st Baronet of that Ilk. They had a daughter, Jean (1709 - 1792 Kelso, Scotland
) who married William Walker.
Lord Justice Clerk
The Lord Justice Clerk is the second most senior judge in Scotland, after the Lord President of the Court of Session.The holder has the title in both the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary and is in charge of the Second Division of Judges in the Court of Session...
.
A younger son of John Cockburn of Ormiston by his spouse Margaret Hepburn, Adam was retoured heir to his brother John in the family's ancient estate of Ormiston
Ormiston
Ormiston is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, UK, near Tranent, Humbie, Pencaitland and Cranston, located on the north bank of the River Tyne at an elevation of about 276 ft....
, East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
, on 28 December 1671. Sasine of the estates followed on 12 June 1672 on a Precept
Precept
A precept is a commandment, instruction, or order intended as an authoritative rule of action.-Christianity:The term is encountered frequently in the Jewish and Christian Scriptures; e.g.:...
from Chancery
Chancery (medieval office)
Chancery is a general term for a medieval writing office, responsible for the production of official documents. The title of chancellor, for the head of the office, came to be held by important ministers in a number of states, and remains the title of the heads of government in modern Germany,...
.
He was Commissioner for Haddingtonshire at the Conventions of Estates in the years 1678, 1681, and 1689, and in parliament
Scots Parliament
Scots Parliament can refer to:* Parliament of Scotland, the pre-1707 legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland* Scottish Parliament, the post-1999 unicameral devolved legislature of Scotland...
for the year 1690. He was nominated one of the Commissioners to treat on the Union of Parliaments, on the 19 April 1689.
Adam Cockburn was appointed Lord Justice Clerk
Lord Justice Clerk
The Lord Justice Clerk is the second most senior judge in Scotland, after the Lord President of the Court of Session.The holder has the title in both the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary and is in charge of the Second Division of Judges in the Court of Session...
in place of Sir George Campbell of Cessnock on 28 November 1692 and at about the same time was sworn a Privy Councillor
Privy Council of Scotland
The Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the King.In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of material on the political, administrative, economic and social affairs of Scotland...
.
He was one of the Commissioners named to inquire into the Massacre of Glencoe
Massacre of Glencoe
Early in the morning of 13 February 1692, in the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution and the Jacobite uprising of 1689 led by John Graham of Claverhouse, an infamous massacre took place in Glen Coe, in the Highlands of Scotland. This incident is referred to as the Massacre of Glencoe, or in...
on 28 May 1695, and became somewhat unpopular in some quarters because of the powers awarded to his position in order for him to reach conclusions in the matter. On 6 February 1699 he succeeded Lord Raith as Treasurer-depute of Scotland
Treasurer-depute of Scotland
The Treasurer-depute was a senior post in the pre-Union government of Scotland.Originally a deputy to the Treasurer, the Treasurer-depute emerged as a separate Crown appointment by 1614...
, which he retained until the accession of Queen Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
, when he was dismissed from all his offices.
He obtained a commission appointing him a second time Lord Justice Clerk
Lord Justice Clerk
The Lord Justice Clerk is the second most senior judge in Scotland, after the Lord President of the Court of Session.The holder has the title in both the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary and is in charge of the Second Division of Judges in the Court of Session...
dated 8 January 1705 and was at the same time appointed to succeed Lord Whitelaw as a Lord Ordinary
Lord Ordinary
Lord Ordinary is a term used to describe any judge in the Outer House of the Scottish Court of Session....
in the Court of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
. He left the office of Lord Justice Clerk again in 1710 but retained his place as a Lord Ordinary until his death, in his 79th year.
He married (1) Susanna (b. 20 July 1657, Tyninghame), daughter of John Hamilton, 4th Earl of Haddington. They had several children, of whom notably the MP John Cockburn
John Cockburn (Scottish politician)
John Cockburn of Ormiston, East Lothian, was a Scottish politician, the son of Adam Cockburn of Ormiston, Lord Justice Clerk. He is also known as the father of Scottish husbandry....
of Ormiston. Two of his daughters married baronets. He married (2) Anne (d.1721) daughter of Sir Patrick Houstoun, 1st Baronet of that Ilk. They had a daughter, Jean (1709 - 1792 Kelso, Scotland
Kelso, Scotland
Kelso is a market town and civil parish in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It lies where the rivers Tweed and Teviot have their confluence...
) who married William Walker.