Person:Benjamin Barton (23)

Benjamin BARTON married (1) Jean PATERSON 10 jul 1785 (IGI) or 11jul1785 (family bible) in Glasgow. Jean was daughter of Benjamin PATERSON and Margaret MCLYMONT. Jean died 17jun1789 at North Woodside House (family bible). Jean died 17 Jun 1789 at North Woodside House, near Glasgow (family bible). Benjamin BARTON also married (2)Elizabeth SMITH 14 Nov 1803 (family bible) 13 nov 1803 in Glasgow. Benjamin BARTON was commissary clerk of Lanarkshire and lived at North Woodside House, near Glasgow, which was bought in 1817 by Archibald Hamilton (b. 1784) („Old country houses of the old Glasgow gentry“) and had an office in the Trongate, Glasgow („First Glasgow Directory“ 1787) listed as Buchanan's Land, Trongate in 1801 and 177 Trongate in 1811 (PO Directory). According to „Some recollections in connection with the legal profession in Glasgow“, Glasgow Herald, nov 1867, he was addicted to swearing, spoke rapidly with vehemance, often lapsed from the fifth commandment with startling imagery. Benjamin died 17jan1817, aged 70 years (family letters).The successor of Benjamin as commissary clerk was Colin Dunlop Donald (1777-1859). From “Decennial indexes to the services of heirs in Scotland 1700-1859”. Reg. 5sep1792. Benjamin Barton, Comm. Clerk of Glasgow, to his uncle Alexander Stevenson, Comm. Clerk there, heir gen. According to “Old country houses of the old Glasgow gentry”, part of what became the estate of Moore Park, Govan, had been owned by Alexander Stevenson and his nephew Benjamin Barton, successively Commissary Clerks.

Some Recollections in connection with the legal profession in Glasgow (continued).

The dress of scribes, in common with that of the rest of the community, has undergone a great change; perhaps I should call it an improvement. In the days I speak of few wore black coats except when mourning or at funerals. The colours of dress exceeded those of the rainbow. Coats were of blue, claret, green, brown, grey, mixed, &c.; waistcoats very showy; inexpressibles generally drab, blue, or grey. If to the knee on1y, then either top-boots, leggings worn tight or loose, or, lastly, brightly­ polished Hessians with knee-tassels; but if pantaloons, these were fastened by ribands round the ankles, and the finish was white stockings, and shoes with black silk ties. Not unfrequently in summer white beaver was worn, the wings turned up with pea-green; chamois leather gloves, and a cane, of course. But the adornment of the outer man was incomplete without a bunch of huge seals suspended from a longish chain, thick enough to restrain a young terrier. In walking, these appendages swang backwards and forwards like the pendulum of a clock; when two persons thus respectively equipped met and were talking, they found the bunch of seals very handy to play with and jingle among their fingers, by way, probably, of helping dearth in conversational matter.

In short, every one just dressed according to his fancy ; there was no ruling fashion either for colour or cut, except, probably, desperate short waists, and very deep collars, which came no farther forward however than the back of the ear. Certainly, some of the selections as well as the contrasts of hues on the same person, evinced no small degree of originality and fine taste. For instance, the Commissary Clerk, an old procurator of 1772, wore a light grey coat, with large silverised buttons and tremendous outside pocket flaps, hotch-potch coloured vest, left partially open to reveal the edges of an under one of scarlet, and the display of a squall of ruffles; white neckcloth, rolled round a very thick stuff-stock, worn loose, with the long ends. coquetting with the breast ruffles; bright yellow buckskin breeches, and top­boots; his pate profusely powdered, and the back hairs gathered in a thin pig-tail, secured near the point by a bit of black silk riband. I may as well here say that this venerable official was accustomed to be shaved in his Trongait office, by a barber for one penny, during which the grey coat was thrown aside for a dressing-gown, queer in cut and pattern, so that, if any one happened to call sharp after ten o'clock forenoon, as I have had occasion to do, he had the privilege of witnessing the Commissary Clerk's wrinkled visage undergoing the saponaceous operation, the small, grey, feline-like eyes, at same­time warning the caller, with an indescribable look, to pause a minute till he could speak, which he very noon did in a shrill, querulous tone. To add to the effect produced by such a call, his clerk, also elderly, and a procurator of 1796 was a hunch-back, with remarkably long legs, like a spider's, his head lying sideways on his neck, and a charming drake-like voice. This gentleman‘s attire was a mixed coloured coat, drab knee-breeches, his spindleshanks encased, according to the season, either in white cotton or white worsted stockings, and square-toed shoes; moreover, when walking abroad, he did not wear gloves, but had his long-fingered, shrivelled hands deep in his breeches' pockets. These two ancient procurators sat opposite each other, and often quar­relled „on points," for both were rather irascible, and neither could convince; but as the one could not well do without the other, these squalls, after a little wordy and fierce expectoration, spiced with a variety of choice juramentary interjections and expletives, gradually subsided into grim smiles, and a snuff. Both died soon after I joined the profession; but I received such impressions that I have not forgotten either the persons or the scenes which I was privi­leged, on more occasions than one, to witness between them.

Glasgow Herald, nov 1867.

Woodside House, from catalogue of Old Glasgow Exhibition 1894: http://bulgar12.tripod.com/family/index.album/wookside-house?i=6&s=1 Northwoodside House from "Old country houses of the old Glasgow gentry": http://bulgar12.tripod.com/family/index.album/northwoodside-house?i=14&s=1

1. ↑ various. Family letters (2).
2.   Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland (Extracted records) (6)
   FHL Film 102913 +, 1789/1792.

   Father of Margaret BARTON in Christening Extract.

3.   Newbattle, Midlothian, Scotland (Extracted records)
   FHL Film 1067785, 1641/1768.

   Extract: Vital Records Index - British Isles - Second Edition
   Christening event for: Benjamin BARTON
   Gender: Male
   Birth Date: 28 Jun 1747
   Christening Date: 11 Jul 1747
   Recorded in: Newbattle, Midlothian, Scotland
   Father: Philip BARTON
   Mother: Margaret STEPHENSON
   Source: FHL Film 1067785 Dates: 1641 - 1768

   Principal in Christening Extract.

4.   International Genealogical Index. ( The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, 1999-2008).
5.   International Genealogical Index. ( The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, 1999-2008)
   Batch #: M119468, Sheet #: 00, Source Call #: 0102924, 0102925, Printout Call #: 6902528, D.
6.   International Genealogical Index. ( The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, 1999-2008)
   Batch #: M119468, Sheet #: 00, Source Call #: 1042937,1041382, Printout Call #: NONE, Dates.