John Veitch was born in Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Scotland and trained at a nursery in Edinburgh. Following his apprenticeship he was employed in a London nursery about 1768. He soon moved to Sir Thomas Ackland's estate at Killerton, near Exeter, Devon where he became steward. Around 1800, he founded three nurseries at Budlake, near Killerton. Veitch was also responsible for tree plantings at Luscombe Castle and Poltimore House in Devon. In 1832 he moved to Mount Radford, Exeter, and died there in 1839.
Sources
Baigent, E., 'Veitch Family (per. 1768–1929)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004 < http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/61986 > [accessed 8 October 2007]