• Son of James Coutts, flaxdresser, and guild burgess, Aberdeen.
• Apprenticed to Peter Farquharson.
• 1800 – The Convener Court on 24th November accepted the resignation of Messrs Alexander Shirrefs and James McCook as Joint Trades Clerks and Assessors and that Mr David Hutcheon, Advocate be appointed Clerk pro tempore until the appointment of new Clerks.
• 1801 – At a meeting of the Convener Court on 21st January,  following the resignation of the previous Clerks Mr David Hutcheon, Advocate and Mr Adam Coutts were appointed Joint Clerk and Assessor to the Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen.
• 1840 –  Due to the ill health of Clerk Adam Coutts he suggested to the Trades that Mr James Nicol stand in his place as Clerk for one year or until his health improved. At this meeting, on 22nd January,  Mr Nicol was admitted to the position of Depute Clerk to the Convener Court and The Seven Incorporated Trades for the period of one year.
• 1840 – On the 3 September, the Convener Court received a letter of resignation from Mr Adam Coutts which was accepted and Mr Nicol was unanimously appointed joint Clerk and Assessor to the Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen on the 1^st September 1840.
• 1849 – Died unmarried, at Aberdeen on 11th April.