John Alston, Merchant and Banker in Glasgow

JOHN ALSTON

Merchant and Banker in Glasgow

John Alston, merchant, and afterwards banker in Glasgow, was a much respected citizen. He was born in 1743, and left Scotland for America in 1759. On his voyage he was captured by a French privateer. Being stranded on the Spanish coast, and there set at liberty, he returned to Scotland and re-embarked the same year. He was settled in Maryland till 1770, when he returned to Scotland and went into business in Glasgow. He was afterwards manager of the Thistle Bank. In 1772 he married Patrick, the only surviving child of Patrick Craigie, youngest son of Craigie of Dumbarnie, Perthshire. (5) He had six children, and died in 1818, his wife having predeceased him in 1786. The children were 1) Anne Hay, born 1773, and married in 1800 John Gordon of Auchenhead. She died in 1811, leaving one daughter, Isabella Craigie Alston, who married Mungo Campbell, (Black Mungo as he was called by his friends) of John Campbell, sen., & Co., and had two sons and one daughter. 2) George, of whom presently. 3) Isabella, born 1777, married David Connell, merchant, Glasgow, and had issue, Anne Craigie, who married Sylvester Douglas Stirling of Glenbervie. 4) Robert Douglas, born 1778, afterwards of Auchinraith (which see), died unmarried in 1846. 5) John Thomas, born 1780, married in 1810 Annabella, daughter of Robert Findlay of Easterhill, and had issue - John, died young; Robert Findlay, married his cousin, Anne Craigie, daughter of George Alston of Muirburn, who died without issue; Dorothea, unmarried; Anne Craigie, unmarried; Annabella, married J. B. Hanbury; Isabella Connel, married the Rev. Mr. Mant; and George Augustus, who married, but has no issue. Mr. John Thomas Alston was a merchant in Glasgow and in 1822, when George IV. visited Scotland, he was Lord Provost, and as such represented Glasgow very worthily at the Court of Holyrood. In 1826 Mr. Alston left Glasgow and settled in Liverpool, and sold Moore Park, his country residence (see Moore Park) to Mr. James Campbell. Mr Alston, when Provost, was offered knighthood, but of course refused it. Provosts in those days did not accept knighthoods nor have their portraits painted. The race seems to have been a different one, but no doubt the present must be much better. 6) Patrick Craigie, died an infant. The Old Country Houses of the old Glasgow Gentry: Craighead