I just went through the Roll of Edinburgh Burgesses and Guild-Brethren and I read the report your relative wrote. Your relative said that George, a shoemaker in Edinburgh couldn't possibly be your George as she can't imagine a shoemaker being a merchant. I came across the following in the above book - entered as Burgess 27 Oct 1742, George, cordiner (shoemaker), Burgess by right of his father Edward Penman Goldsmith. Edward Penman was an Assay Goldsmith and head of the Guild. Edward's brother James, also a Goldsmith had a son called James who was a chirurgeon and Major in the Gibraltar garrison. He was also entered as a Burgess. So you have a military and a merchant connection in the same family. They had money. Might be worth pouring over the Scottish Record Society books.