AIDIE, JAMES [SSNE 7080]
Text source
James Adie served as a merchant factor in Danzig. He was an integral part of the network of Andrew Russell [SSNE 143] and helped in the transfer of Scottish credit from one part of Europe to another. James Schairp, son of the Laird of Houston, wrote to his father from Danzig asking for help so that Mr Aidie [Eadie] in Danzig would employ the writer as his servant. That was either this man or Alexander Aidie [SSNE 6510]. James Adie wrote to Russell through out the 1680s and from their letters it is clear the two men were friends. As well as exchanging money, Adie used Russell to supply him with the goods he needed to trade in Danzig. Russell obliged and also kept Adie up to date with events in Scotland such as Argyll's attempted uprising in 1685 (See Adie's letter of 6 July that year). These troubles meant that Russell found it temporarily difficult to negotiate funds to transfer to Danzig. The letters also make clear that Adie was a friend of the exiled Scottish preacher in Konigsberg, Mr James Broun [SSNE 6314]. This set of letters also show in great detail the collapse of herring prices in Danzig as the market became flooded. After initially asking Russell to send herring to him, the letters become more frantic in their attempts to stop any shipment as Adie would be unable to make a profit from them. He also notes one of his Scottish contacts as Mr Hey of Edinburgh. In 1686 Adie named William Hay in Edinburgh hoping to remit £200 Sterling from him. Having no response he hoped that Russell might help out. In July that year Adie wrote regarding a small problem his brother-in-law, James Allan had got into with a Daniel Salmond in Danzig. Allan had discharged his cargo, but left port owing Salmond 29 specie dollars after which Salmond ordered his correspondent in Amsterdam, Mr Staats, to demand payment from Allan. Allan thought he was clear in Danzig and refused, and on his return to Danzig, and his mistake being explained he wished to pay uopn the order of one Abraham Kick of Amsterdam. However, Kick did not pay Staats, but kept the note for credit against Allan. Adie requested that Russell sought out Kick and asked him to produce a copy of Allan's note to him for the money, ans this would have Kick's discharge upon the back which would prove the status of the transaction. The following year he wrote to Mr Michael Allan, merchant in Edinburgh and ordered him to pay Russell £750 Scots within 20 days receipt of the letter. This was most likely a relative of James Allan. More bills followed soon after culminating with one on 22 June where Adie ordered payment to Russell in Edinburgh of £1460 and 15 shillings Scots. In a further letter of 27 August 1687, Adie asked Russell for an update of their accounts together. When John Gib younger [SSNE 7072] ran his ship aground on Heligena in September 1687, he had approached Adie for help. Adie had lent him £2200 which was to be reimbursed by Patrick Thomson [SSNE 6475] in Sweden, and which sum Adie wrote to Russell about on 26 July 1688.Further letters were sent from Adie to Russell in 1690, mostly noting those bills set and received and thanking Russell for his continued kindnessNational Archives of Scotland, GD 30/1453, 12 July 1679; National Archives of Scotland, Russell Papers, RH15/106/576/15-21. Various letters, James Adie to Andrew Russell (1685); RH15/106/609/24-25. James Adie to Andrew Russell, 15 February and 25 July 1686; RH15/106/637. 5 Bills and letters from James Adie to Andrew Russell (1687); RH15/106/663. James Adie to Andrew Russell, 4 & 24 March and 26 July 1688; RH15/106/710/18-19. James Adie to Andrew Russell, 22 August and 23 October 1690; T. C. Smout, Scottish Trade on the Eve of Union (Edinburgh & London, 1963), pp.81, 109. For Joshua Hey RH15/106/147/8. Joshua Hey to Andrew Russell, 6 July 1671.
Service record
- SCOTLAND, DANZIG, DANZIG, POLAND-LITHUANIA
- Departed 1692-12-31
- Capacity MERCHANT FACTOR, purpose COMMERCE, TRADE