Andrew Fletcher, Lord Milton

Andrew Fletcher, Lord Milton, (1692 - December 13, 1766) was a notable Scottish judge and Lord Justice Clerk.

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 Baronet of Pittarow (d.1708).

Career

Having been educated for the Bar, he was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates 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.

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, 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, Stirlingshire. This laird assumed the additional surname of Campbell upon his succession to the estate of Boquhan, and married, in 1795, Ann Thriepland, with issue.

References

* "An Historical Account of the Senators of the College of Justice of Scotland", originally by Sir David Dalrymple of Hailes, Bt., re-edited and continued, Edinburgh, 1849, pps: 498-499.
* "History of the Carnegies, Earls of Southesk", by William Fraser, Edinburgh, 1867, vol.II, pps: 266-274.
* "The Plantagenet Roll of the Blood Royal", The Anne of Exeter Volume, by the Marquis of Ruvigny & Raineval, London, 1907, table LVI.