Andrew Fletcher, Lord Milton
Encyclopedia
Andrew Fletcher, Lord Milton (1692 – December 13, 1766) was a notable Scottish judge and Lord Justice Clerk
.
of Pittarow (d.1708).
on February 26, 1717. He succeeded Sir John Lauder, Lord Fountainhall
as an Ordinary Lord in the Court of Session
, as Lord Milton, taking his seat on June 4, 1724. On August 22, 1726 he was appointed a Lord of Justiciary in place of James Hamilton of Pencaitland, who had resigned.
The following year Lord Milton was named by Letters Patent
, dated July 5, as one of the Commissioners for improving the fisheries and manufactures of Scotland.
Upon the resignation of James Erskine of Grange, Lord Milton was constituted Lord Justice Clerk
, taking his seat on June 21, 1735. On November 10, 1746, he was appointed Principal Keeper of His Majesty's Signet. He resigned his office as Lord Justice Clerk in 1748, but retained his appointments with the Signet and as judge of the Court of Session until his death.
He was the friend and co-adjutor of Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll
, and from the knowledge Lord Milton possessed of the laws, customs, and nature of Scotland, proved a useful auxiliary to that statesman, and a good friend to his country, in pointing out such individuals as he judged to be best qualified to fill vacancies in the church, and as Sheriffs. At the same time he used his best endeavors to promote the welfare of Scotland, in improving its trade, manufactures, and agriculture.
Lord Justice Clerk
The Lord Justice Clerk is the second most senior judge in Scotland, after the Lord President of the Court of Session.The holder has the title in both the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary and is in charge of the Second Division of Judges in the Court of Session...
.
Family
Andrew Fletcher was the son of Henry Fletcher of Saltoun (d.1733) (the first person to use machinery in barleymills in Scotland) by his spouse Margaret (d.1745), daughter of Sir David Carnegie, 1st BaronetSir David Carnegie, 1st Baronet
Sir David Carnegie of Pitcarrow, 1st Baronet was a Scottish politician and baronet.-Background:He was the eldest son of Hon...
of Pittarow (d.1708).
Career
Having been educated for the Bar, he was admitted to the Faculty of AdvocatesFaculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
on February 26, 1717. He succeeded Sir John Lauder, Lord Fountainhall
John Lauder, Lord Fountainhall
Sir John Lauder of Fountainhall, 2nd Baronet, Lord Fountainhall was one of Scotland's leading jurists who remains to this day an oft consulted authority...
as an Ordinary Lord in the Court of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
, as Lord Milton, taking his seat on June 4, 1724. On August 22, 1726 he was appointed a Lord of Justiciary in place of James Hamilton of Pencaitland, who had resigned.
The following year Lord Milton was named by Letters Patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
, dated July 5, as one of the Commissioners for improving the fisheries and manufactures of Scotland.
Upon the resignation of James Erskine of Grange, Lord Milton was constituted Lord Justice Clerk
Lord Justice Clerk
The Lord Justice Clerk is the second most senior judge in Scotland, after the Lord President of the Court of Session.The holder has the title in both the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary and is in charge of the Second Division of Judges in the Court of Session...
, taking his seat on June 21, 1735. On November 10, 1746, he was appointed Principal Keeper of His Majesty's Signet. He resigned his office as Lord Justice Clerk in 1748, but retained his appointments with the Signet and as judge of the Court of Session until his death.
General
During the 1745 Jacobite rebellion Lord Milton was much admired for the mild and judicious manner with which he conducted himself as Lord Justice Clerk in that difficult time. He abstained as much as possible from severe measures, and adopted means either to conceal, or recall such of the rebels as had been misled, as he put it, from the paths of loyalty, rather than actuated by premeditated designs to overturn the government. Much information which he suspected was sent to him by over-officious and malignant people, was found in his cupboards after his death, unopened.He was the friend and co-adjutor of Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll, 1st Earl of Ilay was a Scottish nobleman, politician, lawyer, businessman and soldier...
, and from the knowledge Lord Milton possessed of the laws, customs, and nature of Scotland, proved a useful auxiliary to that statesman, and a good friend to his country, in pointing out such individuals as he judged to be best qualified to fill vacancies in the church, and as Sheriffs. At the same time he used his best endeavors to promote the welfare of Scotland, in improving its trade, manufactures, and agriculture.
Marriage
Lord Milton married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Francis Kinloch, 2nd Baronet, of Gilmerton by his wife Mary, daughter of David Leslie, 1st Lord Newark. They had:- Andrew Fletcher, Auditor of Exchequer (Scotland) (d.1799)
- John Fletcher Campbell, of Saltoun, Haddingtonshire, & Boquhan, StirlingshireStirlingshireStirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a registration county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the former county town. It borders Perthshire to the north, Clackmannanshire and West Lothian to the east, Lanarkshire to the south, and Dunbartonshire to the south-west.Until 1975 it was a county...
. This laird assumed the additional surname of Campbell upon his succession to the estate of Boquhan, and married, in 1795, Ann Thriepland, with issue.