Sir Adam Fergusson, 3rd Baronet

Sir Adam Fergusson, 3rd Baronet of Kilkerran, FRSE LLD (1733-1813) was a Scottish advocate and politician. He was described as able but humourless. Together with contemporaries such as Robert Dundas he was part of what was called the Scotch Ministry in parliament in the late 18th century.

Dr Samuel Johnson described him as "a vile Whig" but his friend James Boswell was less condemning, saying "few people were but mixed character, like a candle: half wax, half tallow- but Sir Adam Fergusson was all wax, with a pure taper, whom you may light and set upon any lady’s table". Robert Burns who knew Fergusson through his Ayr connections, called him "the oath-detesting, chaste, Kilkerran". Boswell described him as "his excellent friend".

He was born in Ayrshire on 7 May 1733 the oldest surviving son of Sir James Fergusson, 2nd Baronet and Lady Jean Maitland, daughter of Viscount Maitland. His younger brother was George Fergusson.

He attended Maybole School before studying Law at Edinburgh University qualifying as an advocate in 1755. He then spent a year in Brussels doing further legal studies before undertaking a Grand Tour of Europe as was the fashion of the day, 1757-58.

In 1759 his father died and he inherited his estates and baronetcy. At this point, he and his friend George Dempster of Dunnichen both decided to go into politics. Fergusson stood for the Ayr Burghs against Patrick Craufurd. His youth (only 26) did not stand him in good stead, and he was forced to withdraw 10 days before the election, much to his own embarrassment. This experience jaded him against politics for a few years.

As an advocate he won fame in pursuing the young Countess of Sutherland’s claims to the peerage. In 1770 he re-entered politics with a somewhat ironic slogan of being "a champion of the county against aristocratic influence" (referring to more senior members of the aristocracy rather than himself). In this venture he was backed by the Lord President, Robert Dundas and his brother Henry. They provided a fall-back position of standing for the Linlithgow Burghs should he not win Ayrshire but this proved unnecessary as he won the seat.

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