Robert Paterson, the Old Mortality of Scott, is most remembered for his work on the Covenanter Gravestones across the south of Scotland. This is his story, and that of his family. It appeared in two issues of the magazine "Notes and Queries" in 1870. Note: The connection with Bonaparte was a myth, possibly created by Train for the benefit of Walter Scott. See notes at foot of page.

Old Mortality - The Story of Robert Paterson, Stonemason

"OLD MORTALITY."
A short time ego I made a pilgrimage with a friend to the grave of this old worthy which Sir Walter Scott was unable after much search to discover. Robert Paterson (born 1712 or 1715, died 1801), better known as " Old Mortality," was buried in the churchyard of Caerlaverock, some six miles below Dumfries, close to the tomb of the Kirkpatricks, with which family, by a strange whim of fortune, he was to be brought into connection by the marriage of a grand-daughter to the brother of the great Napoleon; and, perhaps still more strangely, was to be connected with Napoleon's conqueror, the late Duke of Wellington, through the widow of a grandson. It was a balmy day of June, such a day as in our northern climate we seldom enjoy. The freshness of nature, and the silvery waters of the Solway, were charming objects as we approached the spot where the dust of Old Mortality rests. The churchyard is prettily situated amidst trees, having a view of an old castle called the Isle; and as we entered the churchyard, the long-drawn notes of Scottish church music struck solemnly upon the ear. It happened to be the day previous to the administration of the Holy Communion, when in Scotland there is church service.

Here Robert Paterson is buried, having been taken ill as he was approaching the village of Bankend, as his son Robert states in a short memorial respecting his father addressed to Mr. Train, the Galloway correspondent of Sir Walter, and of which I am able, through the kindness of my friend the Rev. George Murray of Balmaclellan, to give a correct copy. It will be observed that his son does not refer to his Covenanting propensities as the reasons which led to his irregular and wayward mode of life. It was not so much attachment to the Covenanters, however great that may have been, as a praiseworthy desire to gain a livelihood for his family, that caused him to travel through the country. The air of romance which Sir Walter has contrived to throw over his character is thus somewhat dimmed; but it raises him in the estimation of those who regarded his neglect of his family duties as deserving of severe reprobation, and as a proof only of a crazed imagination.

When he was taken ill, he was carried to the house of a man named Stewart in Bankend village, and here he expired January 29, 1801. That which Sir Walter was unable to do, though he made the attempt, has been accomplished by the Messrs. Black of Edinburgh, who possess the copyright of the Waverley Novels. Lately they have erected a neat memorial stone to Old Mortality, on which there is the following inscription: —

"Erected
to the Memory
of
ROBERT PATEKSON
the
Old Mortality
of
Sir Walter Scott,
who was buried here
February, 1801.

Why seeks he with unwearied toil
Through Death's dim walks to urge his way.
Reclaim his long-asserted spoil,
And lead oblivion into day?"

At no great distance from this memorial stone appears an enclosed space which contains the remains of the Kirkpatricks of Conheath, ancestors of the Empress Eugenie. The following inscriptions are found on it: —

"In Memory of William Kirkpatrick, late of Conheath; Mary Wilson, his spouse; Isabella, Alexander, and Elizabeth Kirkpatrick, their children.
"Rosina Kirkpatrick died at Nithbank the 5th day of April, 1833.
"Jane Forbes Kirkpatrick, the last surviving daughter of the above William and Mary Kirkpatrick, born the 18th of September, 1767; died the 21st December, 1854.
"Erected by John Kirkpatrick, merchant in Ostend, eldest son of deceased William Kirkpatrick, April 1788."

The spot where the body of Robert Paterson rests was unknown very lately to his American descendants, as is proved by the following anecdote. A friend of mine was employed last year in Dalgarnock churchyard, attending to the tombstone of his relatives, when a carriage drove up and two gentlemen entered. One of them said that he was from America, and had promised Jerome Napoleon Buonaparte to visit the grave of his maternal great-grandfather, which he had told him would be found in Dalgarnock. He asked if the spot could he pointed out. "Yes," said my friend, "but not here; it is in Caerlaverock churchyard, below Dumfries." Jerome is since dead (June 17, 1870), as has been noted in a late number of " N[otes]. & Q[ueries].''

The following is the document to which I referred, and is headed "A short Memorial of my father Robert Paterson, Stonecutter ": —

"My father, Robert Paterson, was the youngest son of Walter Paterson of Haggieshall, in the parish of Hawick, and within less than a mile of the town. His mother's name was Margaret Scot. He was the youngest of a numerous family, and his older brother Francis had taken a lease of Corncockle free-stone quarry from Sir John Jardine of Applegarth. He built a dwelling-house for himself at a place called Caldwell, beside the quarry, and very near the old Spedlin's Castle, which still remains entire and in tolerable habitable repair: here he got good encouragement in his business as a free-stone mason and stonecutter, and brought up his family in a respectable way. My father was by this time come to that time of life that was proper to choose some way of doing for himself, and he served an apprenticeship with his brother Francis, and continued with him as a journeyman for some considerable time afterwards. My mother's name was Elizabeth Gray, daughter of Robert Gray, gardener to Sir John Jardine of Applegarth—the place of his residence Jardine Hall, close by the east side of Annan Water, and within loud speaking of Spedlin's Castle on the west side, and in which my mother and her parents dwelt. My mother was cook to Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick of Closeburn in the year 1740, still memorable for frost; and, I think, not long after that year my father and mother had been married. Soon after this, Sir Thomas took a lease for them from the Duke of Queensberrv of the free-stone quarry of Gatelo Brig. Here my father built a substantial and comfortable house for himself and family, with ground that kept one horse and one cow, at a moderate rent, in the parish of Morton, near Thornhill. In the year 1745, as the army of Prince Charles Stuart was on their retreat from England, their road was through Thornhill; but a party of them, and I think it had only been a straggling or foraging party, came by my father's house. They took my father prisoner along with them. My mother got a very great fright. She, no doubt, thought she never would see him more; but they took him only a mile or two, asked many questions, and made him show them a smithy where they could get their horses shod, and then set him safely at liberty. He had at this time two children. He had now got into plenty of business as builder and hewer on the duke's estate and from Sir Thomas, and employment for a number of men, occasionally at least. At last he found that Galloway was a place destitute of free-stone, and of consequence of gravestones, or any to work them. After repeated trials of carrying gravestones into Galloway and selling them, answered his expectations of a profitable concern. About this time one Sandy Rae, from somewhere in the Highlands, was frequently in the country in and about the parish of Morton, as a wandering boy, friendless and nearly destitute of clothes. He was often admitted to a night's lodging when he came the way to my father's house. After acquaintance, he came to be employed to do an errand and other little services he could do; and finding a considerable share of sharpness in him, he gave him new clothes, and made him an apprentice to himself. He learned the trade well. My father brought him along with him in several trips into Galloway, and sometimes my father would return and leave Rae to finish the stones. Sometime (about August), 1758, my father neglected to return to his family, and made but few remittances. His son Walter, when a boy about ten or twelve years of age, came into Galloway in quest of him, and with some difficulty found him out. He did not allow him to return, but put him to school, and afterwards learned him the trade of stonecutter, in which he was expert, Sandy Rae settled in Galloway in the parish of Crossmichael. He married and had a family. There are two of his sons still alive; one a schoolmaster in Wigtown, the other a surgeon in Gatehouse of Fleet. In 1768 my father made us a visit, after an absence of ten years, and brought us into Galloway, and took a house for us in the village of Balmaclellan, near which some of us have resided ever since. As his business lay now entirely in the churchyards, it could not last long in any one place, and it therefore behooved him to travel. And I believe there are few churchyards in Galloway, and especially in Wigtownshire, but he wrought in, and large portions of his handywork are yet to be seen. When he found himself through age not so fit to travel as formerly, he kept a pony to carry him and his tools. He purchased his gravestones at Dumfries, Locharbriggs quarry, or Whitehaven, as he found most convenient. In the year 1800 or 1801 he went to Dumfries, in order to get some gravestones at Locharbrigg quarry. After stopping there five or six days, and all that time complaining of a pain in his bowels, he set out for Bankend, in the parish of Caerlaverock, where there is a free-stone quarry, and where the stones would be much more convenient for water-carriage, as I suppose they were intended for Wigtownshire. He was got within a very short distance of the house of Bankend, when some persons at the door observed him approaching apparently in an uneasy posture, or some rather strange appearance about him; while they were looking at him, he fell from the horse. They came to him immediately, the white pony standing beside him. They carried him into the house: he was able to speak, and told who he was and where his sons lived. He was born in 17[ 12 ?], died on the 29th January 1801.

"I shall here trouble you with a small anecdote of my father's brother Francis: although it is not a feather in his cap, it shows the spirit of the times and disposition of the people. In 1745, when the Highland army was on their march to England, they stopped sometime at Lochmaben. Many of the country people, on seeing the baggage but weakly guarded, attempted to rob them of their pistols, dirks, &c, which were bound together in parcels, or carts, or whatever way of conveyance they had. Among the rest of the plunderers was my uncle Francis. He attempted to get possession of something, but one of the guard presented his musket, but luckily for uncle she missed fire. Uncle knocked him down; another of the guard came to his assistance, which he knocked down likewise, but he now found it safest to run; and I think he had taken something with him, as they pursued him to Kirkmichael, which is not less than six miles from Lochmaben."

The memorial stone lately erected by the Messrs. Black is not the only one to the memory of "Old Mortality," as I find the following in the churchyard of Balmaclellan; which contains, however, some dates which do not agree with the statement of his son Robert. This memorial stone was erected in 1855 by Thomas Paterson, who is still alive, son to the above Robert. Robert says that his father died January 29, 1801; while the tombstone gives Feb. 14, 1801. The following is a copy of the tombstone in Balmaclellan churchyard:—

"To the
Memory
of Robert Paterson, stone-engraver, well known as 'Old Mortality,' who died at Bankend of Caerlaverock 14 Feb. 1801, aged 88. Also of Elizabeth Gray, his spouse, who died at Balmaclellan village, 5 May, 1785, aged 59. Also of Robert their son, who died 30 April, 1846, aged 90. Also of Agnes M'Knight, his spouse, who died 5 August, 1818. Also of John their son, who died 29 Jan. 1810, aged 13. Also of Alexander, who died at Wakefield, 26 Oct. 1837, aged 42. Also of Robert, their son, who died at Liverpool, 3 Feb. 1865, aged 65. Erected by Thomas Paterson, 1855."

This Thomas Paterson married Jane Murray, a grand-niece of the famous Dr. Alexander Murray, the linguist, and has issue a son Robert and a daughter.

"Old Mortality" is not yet forgotten by the old people of Balmaclellan. One old lady (eighty-three), Mrs. Janet Clement McLellan, “remembers seeing him just once. Her father, who lived at the present post office across the road from their (the Patersons') house, brought them all out to see the old man. He was a gay droll-looking auld body. He was riding on a wee bit white pony, with his budgels in a powk on before him. He had on an auld hat hanging ower his lugs, and the pony was ganging unco slow. She never saw him but once. She was then a young lassie." She knew Robert Paterson, late shoemaker here. “Robert was not very well liked—bad-tempered, but very honest and truthful." She says that they had all dure tempers.

In regard to the arrest of "Old Mortality" by the Highlanders, there are some additional particulars handed down by tradition in the parish of Closeburn, which give point to the anecdote and seem not unlikely to be correct, as they are in keeping with his character. It is stated that when the Highlanders reached Gatelaw Brig they entered the house of Robert Paterson and became very insolent to his young wife, who sent a message to her husband at the quarry that the Highlanders were plundering his house. On his arrival he showed no fear, telling them that they had been served right, and that they could expect nothing but calamity, as the hand of the Almighty was against them and all the bloody house of Stuart. This excited their ire, and they carried him off prisoner, keeping him under arrest till they reached Glenbuck, when he contrived to escape. Robert was said to have been the last prisoner carried off by the Highland host from Dumfriesshire. They had before this seized Mr. Corsan, provost of Dumfries, and taken him with them.

"Old Mortality" had five children: three sons, Walter, Robert, and John; two daughters, Margaret and Janet. I have procured some curious information respecting the life of John before he went to America, but this communication is already too long, so that I must retain it for another paper.

CRAUFURD TAIT RAMAGE

"OLD MORTALITY"

In my paper on "Old Mortality" I stated that he had five children: three sons—John, Walter (1749-1812), Robert (1756-1846); two daughters, Margaret and Janet. Robert was a respectable shoemaker in Balmaclellan, dying in 1846 at the age of ninety. Walter was, like his father, a stonemason, and I find a tombstone in Balmaclellan churchyard to the following effect:—

"Erected to the memory of Walter Paterson, stone-engraver, who died at the Holm of Balmaclellan on the 9th May, 1812, aged 63 years, and Mary Lock his wife, who died at Balmaclellan Kirk on the 16th Sept. 1819, in the 69th year of her age.

"As a tribute of affection, gratitude, and respect by their two sons Nathaniel and Walter, ministers of the Free Church of Scotland."
In regard to these affectionate sons who erected this memorial stone, I may state that Nathaniel was minister of Galashiels in Selkirkshire, but left the Church of Scotland at the secession of 1843, and is now Free Church minister of St. Andrew's, Glasgow. He is the author of a very popular little work, The Manse Garden, and was Moderator of the Free Church in 1850. His brother Walter, some time a professor in a Prussian university, was minister of Kirkurd in Peebles-shire, but seceded in 1843. He is author of the Legend of Iona.

It was, however, through John that the Patersons connected themselves with the most illustrious men of their age; and it is curious to trace the early history of this son of "Old Mortality." I give it in the words of his brother Robert in a letter addressed to Mr. Train, and for which I am again indebted to my friend the Rev. George Murray of Balmaclellan. He says:—

"Mr. Train, I shall give you a short account of the early years of the life of my brother, John Paterson, before he went to America. There was a man of the name of John Gray, who had the farm of Lag-hall in tenantry. He also kept an inn for the convenience of the sea, it being at that time, I suppose, the principal sea-port of Dumfries, and only about two miles from that town, down the river on the Galloway side. This John Gray was a full cousin of my mother's, and came on a visit to see how my mother was getting on with the family, my father having been by this time a few years absent from the family; and my brother John being the oldest of the sons then alive, John Gray thought no doubt that he might be of some service to him, and likely, out of kindness to relieve my mother of a part of her charge, took little John along with him to Lag-hall. Here he resided for several years, and I make no doubt but here he first got a little liking for the sea, as he would likely employ his leisure hours among the small boats, and be acquainted with the sailors frequenting that place. He served in this place with his relations several years, after which he got leave to take a pleasure trip to Mary Port in Cumberland, where there happened just at that time to be a fair for hiring servants, and he there engaged himself as a farm-servant in that capacity for some years; and having saved some money, he took a farm for himself, and I remember him coming over here and purchasing two horses for himself to work his farm. He also some time after that bought a sloop, which he loaded with coal for Ireland at Mary Port; and in order that he might better know the markets, he resolved to go the first trip with her himself. The sloop being all loaded and all clear for sailing, he slept on board for a week; during all that time the wind was unfavourable, and it happened that something on his own farm required his immediate attendance. He accordingly left the sloop and went home, and the sloop sailed that very night for Ireland. She was never more heard of, so that he never knew what became of her. This was a severe loss to him, for his finances at that time could not be expected to be great: it was only what he had saved by hard labour. This farm was obliged to be given up, and all sold off. He left Cumberland and joined the family at Balmaclellan. My father being well acquainted all over Galloway, in a short time found him a situation as a farm-servant in the parish of Inch, near Stranraer. This was with a Dr. Ligget, who had newly taken a farm, and wanted to improve it in a way never adopted in that part of the country before, Galloway was, I may say, fifty years behind Cumberland in the method of farming. There was no lime used for the land, and in Galloway the custom of ploughing was with four horses and mostly three men. Dr. Ligget, in the course of his travels, had seen more modern ways of it, but he could not find a man in that place to suit him. John went to Dr. Ligget, and, after some conversation on farming, they came to an agreement, and the Dr. sent John to a wright to wait on him, and get a plough made as near his directions as the man could do it. When this was done, and the plough mounted, John went to the field with a pair of good horses. It appeared such a novelty that people came from a good distance to see a man guiding a plough and horses without any assistants. He was with Dr. Ligget some years, until the Golden Rule of Whitehaven, a ship of three hundred tons burden, advertised that she would receive passengers at the river Cree for America. John took his passage in her, and left his native country for America. The ship was just new built. It was her first voyage."

Such is the early history of John Paterson, who became afterwards the wealthy merchant of Baltimore, and whose daughter Elizabeth married Jerome Bonaparte, youngest brother of Napoleon I., and subsequently King of Westphalia. The compulsory repudiation of his wife by Jerome did not in the least invalidate the legality of the marriage; and by her he had a son also named Jerome, who died lately (June 17, 1870) at Baltimore. I cannot give the history of John Paterson during his gradual advance to fortune after his arrival in America. Can anyone supplement what I have furnished? I see that the widow of Robert, brother of Elizabeth, wife of Jerome Bonaparte, became Marchioness of Wellesley, and thus brought "Old Mortality" into connection with the late Duke of Wellington. Is this the case? What scion of the British aristocracy did the other handsome sister marry? Strange is the mingling of the families of the human race, and nowhere is it more marked than in the descendants of "Old Mortality." Rich and poor jostle each other in closest proximity. In this family we have one grand-daughter connected by marriage with the kings of Europe, and her aunt Margaret in the deepest poverty during the latter part of her life.

CRAUFURD TAIT RAMAGE

Notes:

The family connection with Jerome Bonaparte has since been proven to be a legend, and it throws other aspects reported here into doubt. The stories may have been embelished by Train for the benefit of Sir Walter Scott.

The letters of Elizabeth Patterson, who became Jerome's wife, were published in the 1870's. These letters were to her father. In chapter 1 of the book it states her father was William Patterson, a native of Donegal, Ireland, a successful Baltimore businessman. 

In "Notes and Queries, January 1909 a further article appeared:- 

THE BALTIMORE AND "OLD MORTALITY" PATERSONS.

After considerable discussion in 'N. & Q.’ a number of years ago, it was pointed out by DR. RAMAGE, in an indirect reference to the will of William Patterson, father of Elizabeth (Patterson) Bonaparte, that this William Patterson had no direct connection with John Paterson, son of "Old Mortality” who went to Baltimore in 1774 or 1776.

In view of this discussion and of assertions made in a recent issue of The Nineteenth Century, it may be well to place a portion of the will upon record. It is dated 20 Aug., 1827 :

"My family were of the Episcopal Church, the established religion of Ireland, in which I was born and brought up with great care and attention; and from the religious impressions which I there received, I am, under the guidance of a divine providence, indebted for my future conduct and success in life. My father was a farmer in the country, with a large family. His name was William. My mother's name was Elizabeth (her maiden name was Peoples). They were both descended from a mixture of English and Scotch families who had settled in Ireland after the conquest of that country. I was born on the first day of November, Old Style, in the year seventeen hundred and fifty-two, at the place called Fanat [now Fanad, about 12 miles from Londonderry], in the county of Donegal, Ireland, and was sent by my family at the early age of fourteen years to Philadelphia, for the purpose of being brought up to mercantile pursuits, where I arrived in the month of April, 1766."

Thus William Patterson's father was William (not John); his "family were of the Episcopal Church" (not Presbyterian); and his father's connection with Scotch Patterson was through a family which "had settled in Ireland after the Conquest."

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