Alexander Morison, Lord Prestongrange
Alexander Morison (or Morrison), Lord Prestongrange (1579–1631) was a 17th-century Scottish judge, Senator of the College of Justice and Lord President of the Court of Session.
Life
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He was the son of John Morison of Saughtonhall (1558–1615), a burgess and treasurer of the city of Edinburgh, and his wife, Katherine Preston, daughter of John Preston, Lord President of the Court of Session.[1] He was born in 1579 probably in Saughton Hall, just west of Edinburgh.
John Preston (his grandfather) had built Prestongrange, a fine mansion west of Prestonpans, and this house came to belong to Alexander through inheritance around 1600.[2]
He trained as a lawyer at the University of Edinburgh under Henry Charteris, graduating with an MA in 1598. He passed the Scottish bar as an advocate in 1604.[3][4]
In February 1626 he was elected a Senator of the College of Justice and took the title Lord Prestongrange. In 1627 he was elected Rector of the University of Edinburgh in place of Andrew Ramsay.[5]
He died at home in Preston Grange in East Lothian on 20 September 1631.[4]
Family
[edit]In 1610 he married Eleanor Maule daughter of William Maule of Glaster. They had four daughters and one son, Alexander, who inherited the Preston Grange estate.[6][7]
Their daughter Bethia married Sir Robert Spottiswoode.[8]
His sister Catherine, married William Scott, Lord Clerkington.
Trivia
[edit]Saughton Hall stood in 98 acres (40 ha) of ground and was demolished by Edinburgh Council in 1952 to make way for housing.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Morison of Prestongrange".
- ^ The Buildings of Scotland: Lothian:Prestongrange, Colin McWilliam
- ^ "Sir Alexander Morison from the Gazetteer for Scotland".
- ^ a b "Sir Alexander Morison (1579-1631) - Our History".
- ^ An Historical Account of the Senators of the College of Justice
- ^ "Alexander Morrison, of Prestongrange, 2nd son b. 1579 d. 20 Sep 1631: MacFarlane Clan & Families Genealogy".
- ^ "Pedigree: Alexander (Sir; of Preston Grange) MORRISON".
- ^ "Sir Alexander Morrison, of Prestongrange".
- ^ "Edinburgh History - Recollections of Saughton".