James Glasgow

Biography
James Glasgow was reportedly born in 1737. A Larne or Kilwaughter congregational record is said to contain an entry for a James, son of Hugh Glasgow, at New Town, Larne, in that year.

The original congregational entry, or a reliable full transcription, has not yet been cited on this profile. The exact birth date, place and identification of Hugh as James’s father should therefore be treated as probable rather than conclusively established.

James was a tanner at Larne, County Antrim.

On 1 November 1786, Randall William, Earl of Antrim, granted a counterpart lease to James Glasgow, tanner, of Larne, for approximately five acres at Blackcave. The lease was for eleven years at an annual rent of £14 5s. 7d. Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, D2977/3A/4/25/13, counterpart lease from Randall William, Earl of Antrim, to James Glasgow, tanner, of Larne, County Antrim, 1 November 1786. 

The description of James as “of Larne” and as a tanner provides direct contemporary evidence for his residence and occupation in 1786.

A memorial at St Cedma’s Church, Larne, is reported to record James Glasgow with the dates 1737–1802 and to name his wife as Janet Shutter. A photograph or complete reliable transcription of the monument should be cited before the exact dates and marriage are treated as fully verified.

James is reported to have died in 1802.

An Irish probate-index transcription records a James Glasgow of Larne in the Diocese of Belfast in 1803. Irish probate index transcription supplied July 2026, entry for James Glasgow, Diocese of Belfast, residence Larne, 1803. 

The agreement in name and residence, together with probate in the year after the reported death, makes this a strong match to the man commemorated at St Cedma’s.

The 1803 entry should be understood as a probate or estate event. It does not replace the reported 1802 death year. Probate occurring in the year following death would be ordinary.

The probate entry establishes Larne as James’s recorded residence during the estate proceedings. It does not by itself prove that Larne was his place of death.
Wife and family
James’s wife is reported on the St Cedma’s memorial as Janet Shutter.

The complete inscription should be obtained and cited because the memorial may also contain:

* Janet’s dates;
* the date or duration of the marriage;
* children buried in the same plot;
* other Glasgow relatives; or
* wording clarifying whether the monument was erected by descendants.

No inspected baptismal, marriage, will or probate record currently cited on this profile names James’s children.

The 1803 probate record may be important. An original will, administration bond or surviving abstract could identify:

* Janet as his widow;
* sons or daughters;
* married daughters or sons-in-law;
* executors or administrators;
* business partners;
* property at Larne or Blackcave; or
* other relatives.
Research Notes
Identification and evidence
The following records probably concern the same man:

* the James, son of Hugh Glasgow, reportedly recorded at New Town or Larne in 1737;
* James Glasgow, tanner, of Larne, named in the 1786 Blackcave lease;
* James Glasgow commemorated at St Cedma’s with dates 1737–1802 and wife Janet Shutter; and
* James Glasgow of Larne whose estate entered Belfast probate in 1803.

The chronology and repeated Larne association make this identification plausible and probably correct.

The strongest direct contemporary evidence presently cited is the 1786 lease. The baptism and memorial evidence still require complete source citations, and the probate index does not name James’s father or wife.

The profile should therefore distinguish between:

* directly documented facts, including James’s occupation and Larne residence in 1786;
* strong identity matches, including the 1803 probate entry; and
* reported but not yet fully exposed evidence, including the 1737 congregational entry and St Cedma’s memorial.
Ropemaker evidence and identity distinction
A Registry of Deeds memorial dated 14 May 1766 directly names James Glasgow, ropemaker of Larne, as a witness. Registry of Deeds Index Project, memorial 204122 (https://www.irishdeedsindex.net/mem.php?memorial=204122), deed dated 14 May 1766. This independently supports the older Larne ropemaker cluster reported in newspaper advertisements in 1761. Identity with the tanner recorded in 1786 remains probable rather than proved because the occupation differs.

This man must remain separate from James Glasgow, the son of Hugh and Ann whose published monument says he died in 1812 aged 64. That James was only about thirteen in 1761 and could not have established the ropewalk. The reported 1737 congregational occurrence and the present uncertain placement under William Glasgow remain competing parentage hypotheses until the original entry or another relationship record is inspected.
Research priorities
Further research should obtain:

* the original or fullest available congregational entry for the 1737 James, son of Hugh Glasgow;
* the name of the congregation and exact wording of that entry;
* a photograph or complete transcription of the St Cedma’s memorial;
* evidence supporting Janet Shutter’s identity and marriage to James;
* the full 1786 lease, including witnesses, adjoining occupiers and endorsements;
* any renewal or later disposition of the Blackcave property;
* the exact nature of the 1803 Belfast probate entry;
* the original will, administration record or bond, if it survives;
* a Betham or other pre-destruction abstract of the estate;
* names of beneficiaries, executors, witnesses or sureties; and
* records identifying any children of James and Janet.
Research conclusion
James Glasgow was directly recorded as a tanner of Larne in the 1786 Blackcave lease.

The 1803 Belfast probate entry for James Glasgow of Larne is a strong match to the man reportedly commemorated at St Cedma’s with dates 1737–1802. It supports Larne as his probate residence while remaining consistent with death in 1802.

The reported identification of his wife as Janet Shutter and his father as Hugh Glasgow is plausible, but the complete memorial and congregational record should be cited before those relationships and the exact dates are treated as certain.
Sources

{{One Name Study|name=Glasgow}}

== Biography ==
'''James Glasgow''' was reportedly born in '''1737'''. A Larne or Kilwaughter congregational record is said to contain an entry for a James, son of [[Glasgow-1499|Hugh Glasgow]], at '''New Town, Larne''', in that year.

The original congregational entry, or a reliable full transcription, has not yet been cited on this profile. The exact birth date, place and identification of Hugh as James’s father should therefore be treated as probable rather than conclusively established.

James was a '''tanner''' at Larne, County Antrim.

On '''1 November 1786''', Randall William, Earl of Antrim, granted a counterpart lease to '''James Glasgow, tanner, of Larne''', for approximately five acres at '''Blackcave'''. The lease was for eleven years at an annual rent of £14 5s. 7d.<ref>Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, D2977/3A/4/25/13, counterpart lease from Randall William, Earl of Antrim, to James Glasgow, tanner, of Larne, County Antrim, 1 November 1786.</ref>

The description of James as “of Larne” and as a tanner provides direct contemporary evidence for his residence and occupation in 1786.

A memorial at '''St Cedma’s Church, Larne''', is reported to record James Glasgow with the dates '''1737–1802''' and to name his wife as '''Janet Shutter'''. A photograph or complete reliable transcription of the monument should be cited before the exact dates and marriage are treated as fully verified.

James is reported to have died in '''1802'''.

An Irish probate-index transcription records a '''James Glasgow of Larne''' in the Diocese of Belfast in '''1803'''.<ref>Irish probate index transcription supplied July 2026, entry for James Glasgow, Diocese of Belfast, residence Larne, 1803.</ref>

The agreement in name and residence, together with probate in the year after the reported death, makes this a strong match to the man commemorated at St Cedma’s.

The 1803 entry should be understood as a probate or estate event. It does not replace the reported 1802 death year. Probate occurring in the year following death would be ordinary.

The probate entry establishes Larne as James’s recorded residence during the estate proceedings. It does not by itself prove that Larne was his place of death.

=== Wife and family ===

James’s wife is reported on the St Cedma’s memorial as '''Janet Shutter'''.

The complete inscription should be obtained and cited because the memorial may also contain:

* Janet’s dates;
* the date or duration of the marriage;
* children buried in the same plot;
* other Glasgow relatives; or
* wording clarifying whether the monument was erected by descendants.

No inspected baptismal, marriage, will or probate record currently cited on this profile names James’s children.

The 1803 probate record may be important. An original will, administration bond or surviving abstract could identify:

* Janet as his widow;
* sons or daughters;
* married daughters or sons-in-law;
* executors or administrators;
* business partners;
* property at Larne or Blackcave; or
* other relatives.

== Research Notes ==
=== Identification and evidence ===

The following records probably concern the same man:

* the James, son of Hugh Glasgow, reportedly recorded at New Town or Larne in 1737;
* James Glasgow, tanner, of Larne, named in the 1786 Blackcave lease;
* James Glasgow commemorated at St Cedma’s with dates 1737–1802 and wife Janet Shutter; and
* James Glasgow of Larne whose estate entered Belfast probate in 1803.

The chronology and repeated Larne association make this identification plausible and probably correct.

The strongest direct contemporary evidence presently cited is the 1786 lease. The baptism and memorial evidence still require complete source citations, and the probate index does not name James’s father or wife.

The profile should therefore distinguish between:

* directly documented facts, including James’s occupation and Larne residence in 1786;
* strong identity matches, including the 1803 probate entry; and
* reported but not yet fully exposed evidence, including the 1737 congregational entry and St Cedma’s memorial.

=== Ropemaker evidence and identity distinction ===

A Registry of Deeds memorial dated 14 May 1766 directly names '''James Glasgow, ropemaker of Larne''', as a witness.<ref>[https://www.irishdeedsindex.net/mem.php?memorial=204122 Registry of Deeds Index Project, memorial 204122], deed dated 14 May 1766.</ref> This independently supports the older Larne ropemaker cluster reported in newspaper advertisements in 1761. Identity with the tanner recorded in 1786 remains probable rather than proved because the occupation differs.

This man must remain separate from [[Glasgow-3991|James Glasgow]], the son of Hugh and Ann whose published monument says he died in 1812 aged 64. That James was only about thirteen in 1761 and could not have established the ropewalk. The reported 1737 congregational occurrence and the present uncertain placement under [[Glasgow-1505|William Glasgow]] remain competing parentage hypotheses until the original entry or another relationship record is inspected.

=== Research priorities ===

Further research should obtain:

* the original or fullest available congregational entry for the 1737 James, son of Hugh Glasgow;
* the name of the congregation and exact wording of that entry;
* a photograph or complete transcription of the St Cedma’s memorial;
* evidence supporting Janet Shutter’s identity and marriage to James;
* the full 1786 lease, including witnesses, adjoining occupiers and endorsements;
* any renewal or later disposition of the Blackcave property;
* the exact nature of the 1803 Belfast probate entry;
* the original will, administration record or bond, if it survives;
* a Betham or other pre-destruction abstract of the estate;
* names of beneficiaries, executors, witnesses or sureties; and
* records identifying any children of James and Janet.

=== Research conclusion ===

James Glasgow was directly recorded as a tanner of Larne in the 1786 Blackcave lease.

The 1803 Belfast probate entry for James Glasgow of Larne is a strong match to the man reportedly commemorated at St Cedma’s with dates 1737–1802. It supports Larne as his probate residence while remaining consistent with death in 1802.

The reported identification of his wife as Janet Shutter and his father as Hugh Glasgow is plausible, but the complete memorial and congregational record should be cited before those relationships and the exact dates are treated as certain.

== Sources ==
<references />