James Jopp

James Jopp (1722–1794) was a Scottish merchant who served as Provost of Aberdeen for five non-consecutive periods. His meeting with Dr Johnson was recorded in James Boswell's diary. Life He was born in Insch, north-west of Aberdeen, on 15 April 1722. He was the son of Andrew Jopp (1675-1742), a tailor and merchant, and his wife Janet Innes.

He moved to Aberdeen around 1745 and made a fortune as a wine and cloth merchant. In 1752 he married Jean Moir (1730-1782), daughter of Rev George Moir minister of Towie, Aberdeenshire. They had eleven children, six of whom survived to adulthood.

In 1776 he purchased the Cotton estate from Lady Diana Middleton and was thereafter addressed as James Jopp of Cotton. In 1786 he was elected Provost for the fifth time but stood down in 1787 before the end of the standard two years in office, due to ill-health.