James Anderson (1802 - 1887)

James Anderson was the son of William Anderson, Session Clerk of Kilmarnock. James himself was an accountant in the Union Bank. He set up business on his own and for a long time acted as auditor for the Corporation of Kilmarnock. He was a trustee, secretary and treasurer of the Bellfield Trust and later became its chairman. James was also a man of considerable musical talent and was the writer of a number of hymn tunes, the best known of which is "St. Marnock's". He was born and brought up in Townend, Kilmarnock and he had a clear memory of playing, as a boy, with the young Edgar Allan Poe when he visited Kilmarnock in 1816. He can have been no older than 20 when this portrait was painted.