John Frederick Adolphus McNair

John Frederick Adolphus McNair CMG RA AMICE FLS FRGS (23 October 1828 – 17 May 1910) was a British Indian and colonial official.

McNair was born in Bath. He married firstly Sarah Desgranges Paine in 1849. They had seven children. He married secondly Madalena Williamson, née Vallance.

McNair was educated at King's College London and at the School of Mines. He was a multi-talented civil servant in the service of the Straits Settlements. He was an engineer, superintendent of convicts, manager of public works and a member of the commission for the pacification of Larut following the signing of a peace treaty, in 1874.

McNair's childhood was filled with the study of geology. Over time he amassed a large collection of metals. He later had this transported to Madras where he was to begin his first job.

In 1846, at the age of 17, McNair left England to take up employment with the British East India Company, (E. I. C.) at Madras, India. McNair studied and was fluent in Hindustani, a skill that would stand him in good stead.

From Madras, McNair was transferred to Malacca (part of Straits Settlements in 1853 to be responsible for the Madras Native Artillery reporting to J. B. Westerhout, then the advisor to the government of the Straits Settlements.

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