John Arbuthnot (agriculturist) facts for kids
John Arbuthnot (born around 1729, died 1797) was an important person in Britain who worked with farming. He was also the Inspector General for the Irish Linen Board, which helped manage linen production in Ireland.
Career
John Arbuthnot was known for his knowledge about nature and farming. In 1770, he became a member of the Royal Society. This is a famous group of scientists and thinkers. They chose him because he had made "considerable improvements" in farming. They believed he would be a "useful and valuable member" of their group.
John Arbuthnot also wrote a book in 1773. It was called An inquiry into the connection between the present price of provisions, and the size of farms. This book looked at how the cost of food was linked to the size of farms. It also talked about how the number of people in an area was affected by these things. He also suggested ways to prevent food shortages in the future.
Personal Life
John Arbuthnot's father was George Arbuthnot. His father was a captain in the Queen Anne's Guard before working for the East India Company. Later, he became a wine merchant in France. John's mother was Margaret Robinson.
John Arbuthnot was married five times during his life.
- His first wife was Sally Margaret Cecil. They were married from 1753 until she died in 1759.
- He then married Ursula Fitzgerald in 1760. She died suddenly in 1761. They had one son, John Arbuthnot Jr.
- His third wife was Anne Stone. They married in 1762 and stayed together until she died in 1782. Anne's uncle was Archbishop George Stone, a very important church leader in Ireland.
John and Anne had ten children together:
- Anne Arbuthnot (1763–1802)
- George Arbuthnot (1764–1805)
- Sarah Arbuthnot (1765–1852)
- Charles Arbuthnot (1767–1850), who became a well-known politician.
- Bishop Alexander Arbuthnot (1768–1828), who became a bishop.
- Margaret Arbuthnot (1769–1853)
- Harriet Arbuthnot (1770–?)
- Frances Arbuthnot (1772–1811)
- General Sir Robert Arbuthnot (1773–1853), who became a general in the army.
- General Sir Thomas Arbuthnot (1776–1849), who also became a general in the army.
After Anne died, John Arbuthnot married Helen O'Halloran Fitzgerald in 1789. They did not have any children. In 1791, he married his fifth wife, Anne Elizabeth Heard. They also did not have children.
