Sir John Hay, 5th Baronet


Sir John Hay, 5th Baronet of Smithfield and Haystoun was a Scottish baronet, banker and landowner.

Early life

Hay was born on 15 January 1755. He was the son of Dorriel Campbell and Sir James Hay, 4th Baronet, who claimed title 1805 after it had been dormant since the death of his great-grandfather's "degenerate third cousin" Sir James Hay, 3rd Baronet in. His father had attended Edinburgh University and was a physician in Edinburgh. His sister, Elizabeth Hay, was a noted singer with the Edinburgh Music Society based in St Cecilia's Hall, who married Sir William Forbes, 6th Baronet.

Career

In 1774, Hay was apprenticed in the Edinburgh banking house of his brother-in-law, Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo. "He became a partner in the firm of Forbes, Hunter and Company in 1782, married into the Scottish aristocracy in 1785, built a house at Kingsmeadows, Peebles and accumulated much property in the burgh."
Upon the death of his father on 21 October 1810, he succeeded as the 5th Baronet Hay, of Smithfield, county Peebles in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia and was one of the "quiet country gentlemen set" of Edinburgh society.

Personal life

On 9 July 1785, Sir John married Hon. Mary Elizabeth Forbes, daughter of James Forbes, 16th Lord Forbes and Catherine Innes. Her brother was James Forbes, 17th Lord Forbes. Together, they lived at Haystoun, Peebles and were the parents of:
His wife died on 2 November 1803, before he succeeded to the baronetcy. Upon his death in 1830, he was succeeded by his eldest son, [Sir Sir John Hay, 6th Baronet|John Hay, 6th Baronet|John], who was in 1838 succeeded by his brother, Adam.

Descendants

Through his son Adam, he was a grandfather of Sir Robert Hay, 8th Baronet, Dorothea Hay, and Louisa Grace Hay.
Through his daughter Jane, he was a grandfather of Eleanor Jane Mackenzie-Fraser, who married Bishop George Tomlinson in 1855.