According to estate records, John Alves was the Chamberlain of the Dalkeith Estate for the third Duke of Buccleugh Henry Campbell Scott c1760 to 1799. It seems likely that as part of his compensation, the Duke provided a farm on the estate for him to let and to profit from any produce, and he seemed to have owned around 2 acres of land in Dalkeith. Apart from his land management duties, he also acted as a recruitment agent for the Duke’s Fencible regiment that was being formed due to the threat of invasion from France and Spain during the American War of Independence. Later in his career,in 1793, he was advertising in the Edinburgh Advertiser for gardeners.  

It appears he stayed on the farm until his death in 1810, as his Testament Dative from 1813 shows an inventory of farm animals and equipment that was left to his surviving wife, Janet Mcpherson (Whom he married in Edinburgh in October 1775). He is buried in the Dalkeith Churchyard.  

He had 9 children, 6 boys and 3 girls. Some made a name for themselves in the East India Company’s Army and another became a trader with the West Indies.