John Fairbairn (Revd m. WILSON, TURNBULL)

BDMs

     John Fairbairn was born on 11 Feb 1808 Greenlaw, Par. of Greenlaw, BEW, SCT.^3,4,5 He married Mary Wilson in 1837; ?? the 17 Aug 1837 Glasgow on the igi??^1,6 John Fairbairn married Agnes Copland Turnbull, daughter of John Turnbull and Catherine Martin, on 28 Apr 1847 Greenlaw, BEW, SCT.^2,3,1
     John Fairbairn died on 3 Apr 1895 Bowmont Villas, Dunbar, ELN, SCT, at age 87;
His dth cert. shows John as Retired Minister of the Free Church (widower, first wife Mary WILSON, second Agnes Turnbull); 87, d. 3:45pm of influenza 14 days, pneumonia 6 days; S/o John FAIRBAIRN farmer and ___ both dec'd; Inf. grddtr J M H Fairbairn (has to be Jessie Mary Wilson FB, but doesn't look like a W), present; Reg. 4th Apr Obit (Free Church Monthly):
Rev John FAIRBAIRN, Greenlaw (Died Apr 3, 1895)
By William ALEXANDER, Esq. Edinburgh
Another of the rapidly-diminishing band of the pre-Disruption ministers has passed away in the person of Mr Fairbairn of Greenlaw. ...
Along with his more distinguished brother, Dr. Patrick Fairbairn, Principal of the Free Church College, Glasgow, he spent his youth at Hallyburton, a farm in the pastoral uplands of Berwickshire, while his two cousins, Dr James Fairbairn of Newhaven and Dr John Purves of Jedburgh, had their homes at farms a few miles further west in the same district.
After attending the parochial school at Greenlaw, he entered the University of Edinburgh in his fourtheenth year, and on completing his arts course, he studied divinity under Drs Ritchie, Lee and Chalmers. During his student days he waited on the ministry of the Rev Dr. Gordon; and if he did not get his first spiritual impluse under the preaching of that eminently godly divine, he at least learned many of the foundation truths of the Christian life on which he was afterwards to be a builder and teacher of others.
The first nine years of Mr Fairbairn's ministry were spent in Canada. The district where he was settled was colonized by operatives from Paisley and Glasgow, who, on account of commercial stagnation at home, had emigrated to the backwoods to earn a livelihood. The district was wide, and there was much difficulty in ministering among such a scattered population. But deep interest in the means of grace began to grow, and in course of time a church and manse were built and elders were ordained. A very warm attachment grew up between minister and people, and much spiritual fruit was gathered while Mr Fairbairn laboured there. In after years his heart was often filled with joy on learning that many of the members of his first flock who claimed him as their spiritual father, "continued to stand fast in the Lord," and that others of them had entered into "the rest that remaineth for the people of God."
When he found it necessary, on account of his wife's health, to contemplate returning to Scotland, a call came to him from the Burgher congregation of Original Seceders at Greenlaw, which had joined the Established Church in 1839. He accepted the call, came home, and was inducted in July 1842. It was a time when ecclesiastical controversy was at its height. On account of his absence during the "ten years conflict", Mr Fairbairn had much to learn as to the state of parties. But his evangelical sympathies were all on the side of spiritual independence, and he had no difficulty in making his choice. His congregation was quite prepared to follow him. At first small in numbers, it soon increased under his earnest ministry, many being attracted from the neighbouring parishes where there was no Free Church. A dead Moderatism had long held sway throughout the district, and the advent of a zealous and faithful minister like Mr Fairbairn, coincident with the stirring era of the Disruption, produced an effect somewhat like the dawn of spring after a long and dreary winter. Mr Fairbairn's preaching was plain and simple but direct. He did not labour after elegance of style or literary grace of language, but he made a diligent study of the choicest words by which he could reach the consciences of his hearers. It was his highest aim to preach Christ, and his greatest reward was seen in the special seasons of grace which followed first in 1861, and again in 1869 when many souls were led into the kingdom.
While ever holding his pulpit and pastoral work as most important, he sought to influence the whole district in various other ways. The power of the press for good or evil deeply exercised him, and he put into circulation by colportage and other means the best religious books and tracts of the time, so as to create a taste for good reading. Seeing the inadequacy of the parish school system to meet the wants of the population, Mr Fairbairn took advantage of the encouragement given to education by the Government in their minute of 1846, got a school built, and had it supplied with teachers for a period of thirty years.
It was given to Mr Fairairn to see during his lifetime many of the results of his labours. Being relieved of the full discharge of his ministerial work by the appointment of the Rev Alexander Cameron as colleague in 1875, and in a few years thereafter retiring altogether from pulpit duty, he enjoyed a long period of rest , during which he had many tokens of God's goodness, and had come to rejoice in the witness borne to him of the blessed effects of his ministry. At his jubilee, in 1883, friends assembled from far and near to do honour to him, and warm and glowing tributes were paid to the labours of his long and useful life.
Removing to Edinburgh about four years ago on account of failing sight and the growing infirmities of age, he continued in the possession of all his mental faculties, and took an active interest in the religious movements of the time. He was keenly opposed to the advanced views on Biblical and kindred subjects, but was always ready to give weighty and intelligent reasons for the positions which he held. His love for the simple word was so great that he learned Moon's system of reading for the blind, and in his later years he might be seen patiently spelling out the sacred text. No wonder that he was repugnant to any encroachment on its authority.
His end was in keeping with his life. He took ill of influenza at Dunbar, where he had been spending the winter. On the day he died , when it was said to him, "We are afraid you are going to be taken from us," he replied, "Ah! but it is to the glory."
Thus, are his spirit quitted its earthly tabernacle, he was eagerly anticipating the celestial vision that was soon to burst upon his view.
Mr Fairbairn was twice married, and leaves only one son, who with his family resides in Queensland.^1,3,7,8,9,10 He was buried with Agnes Copland Turnbull Greenlaw, Par. of Greenlaw, BEW, H/stone #198: IMO Agnes Copland TURNBULL wife of the Rev. John Fairbairn Greenlaw died 29.7.1887 aged 76 years also the said Rev. John FAIRBAIRN Minister of the Free Church Greenlaw born 11.2.1808 died 3.4.1895.⁵

Census

     John Fairbairn was shown as the head of the household in the census of 1851 Free Ch Manse, Greenlaw, BEW, SCT, with Agnes enumerated as FAIRBAIRN: John 43 Minster of Greenlaw Free Ch b Greenlaw; wife Agnes 39 b Ayton, BEW; Children: John 11 scholar b Canada; Nephews: John 10 scholar b Ayton CAN (sic as transcr, not s/o James, Patrick or George - who is he!); John WALKER 8 scholar b Glasgow; Boarder: Francis S BRUCE (M) 15 scholar b East Indies; Servant: LEITCH; MARSHALL.¹³
     John Fairbairn was shown as the head of the household in the census of 1861 Greenlaw, BEW, with Agnes enumerated as FAIRBAIRN: John 53 Minister of Greenlaw F Ch b Greenlaw; wife Agnes Copland F. 48 ; Sister-n-law Fanny Hoza TURNBULL, 43 b Eyemouth, BEW; Brother-in-law (sic) Patrick FAIRBAIRN 56 Professor fo Divinity at Glasgow F College, b Greenlaw; Servant Jane CRAIG 20 b Eyemouth.¹⁴
     John Fairbairn was shown as the head of the household in the census of 1871 Greenlaw, BEW, with Agnes enumerated as FAIRBAIRN: John 63 Minster of Church b Greenlaw; wife Agnes C 59 b Eyemouth; Visitors: James R BAIN, Student of theology Fsp Edin b Montrose, Forfarshire; Alison JOHNSONT 55 55 "interest of money" b Stichill, ROX; Servants: WADDELL; JEFFREY.¹⁵
     Rev John Fairbairn was shown as the head of the household in the census of 1881 1 Edinburgh Road (Broomhill Villa), Greenlaw, BEW, SCT, with Agnes enumerated as FAIRBAIRN: John F, 73, Minister of Free Church, b Greenlaw, wife Agnes, 69 b Eyemouth. Cook (Janet PURVES) and housemaid (Agnes PURVES) both b Coldingham.⁴
     John Fairbairn appeared on the census of 1891 30 Findhorn Pl, Edinburgh St Cuthberts, Dist of Newington, MLN, SCT, enumerated as FAIRBAIRN: Joh 83, Service Minister of Greenlaw Free Ch, b Greenlaw, BEW; Servants: Mary MERCER, ho keeper; Agnes "Sbracken" (assumed to be Strachan), 30 b Swinton BEW.¹⁶