Major John Pitcairn was a Scottish military officer. Born in Dysart, Fife, he enlisted in the Marine Forces at the age of 23 and was stationed in North America during the French and Indian War, serving at the rank of captain. Arriving in Boston in 1774 as part of a British occupation of the city, he fought in the 1775 battles of Lexington and Concord during the outbreak of the American War of Independence. Two months later in June, Pitcairn was killed in action during the battle of Bunker Hill. Respected by both his men and Pitcairn's American opponents, he was buried at Boston's Old North Church.

Dysart is a town and former royal burgh located on the south-east coast between Kirkcaldy and West Wemyss in Fife, Scotland. Dysart was once part of a wider estate owned by the St Clair or Sinclair family. They were responsible for gaining burgh of barony status for the town towards the end of the 15th century.