Robert Fulton, coppersmith

ROBERT FULTON

Coppersmith in Glasgow

was enrolled as a burgess and guild brother of Glasgow on 4 September 1703. The town council admitted him in right of him being the serving apprentice of Stephen Crawford, hammerman there [J. R. Anderson, The Burgesses & Guild-Brethren of Glasgow, 1573-1750 (Scottish Record Society, Edinburgh, 1925), page 255] https://archive.org/stream/scottishrecordso43scotuoft#page/254/mode...

The Guild of Hammermen

Robert Fulton's membership of the Guild of Hammermen in Glasgow was booked on 24 September 1703 [Harry Lumsden LL.B., and Reverend P. Henderson Aitken, D.Litt., The History of the Hammermen of Glasgow etc. (Alexander Gardner, Paisley, 1912), page 291] https://archive.org/stream/historyofhammerm00lums#page/290/mode/2up

First Marriage

Robert Fulton married Jane Hutton. A record of the marriage has not been found but it probably took place during the twelve month period before the birth of their first child on 12 August 1709 [Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, index, FamilySearch] https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTL5-5LK

Second Marriage

Robert Fulton married, as his second wife, Elizabeth Johns, the widow of Walter Peter, merchant, burgess, and guild brother of Glasgow [Scotland, Marriages, 1561-1910, index, FamilySearch] https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTBH-7NT Elizabeth was the daughter-in-law of Thomas Peter of Crossbasket and Cardarroch (1639 x 1640-1721). The request for marriage proclamation was booked at Glasgow on 18 September 1718 [Registrar General for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, Glasgow Marriages, 1687-1729, reference OPR.644/24].

Peter Family Gatherings, 1718-28

Following his marriage to Elizabeth Johns, Robert Fulton is noticed fairly frequently at Peter family gatherings. In particular, he is noticed acting as a baptismal sponsor, or Godfather, for six of the children of Thomas Peter and Janet Frew. Janet Frew's husband was the younger brother of John Peter, whose wife Beatrix was the youngest child and eventual heiress of Thomas Peter of Crossbasket and Cardarroch (1639 x 1640-1721).

On the first two of the above mentioned occasions Robert Fulton takes second place to a man named Thomas Peter, most probably the Laird of Crossbasket and Cardarroch (1639 x 1640-1721). On the next three occasions, following the death of Crossbasket, he is found acting as the principal witness, and, on the last occasion, he takes second place to Robert Buchanan. The evidence for this relationship follows:

(1) 23 July 1719 "Thomas Peter & Janet Frew a lawfull son Thomas Wit Thomas Peter & Robert Fulton Born on Friday the 17th instant at 5 o clock afternoon" [Registrar General for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, Glasgow Baptisms, 1719-28, reference OPR.644/10].

(2) 8 November 1720 "Thomas Peter & Janet Frew a lawfull son Matthew Wit Thomas Peter & Robert Fulton born on Wednesday the 2d November at 8 in the morning" [Registrar General for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, Glasgow Baptisms, 1719-28, reference OPR.644/10].

(3) 31 May 1722 "Thomas Peter & Janet Frew a lawfull son John Wit Robert Fulton & Archibald Kelso" [Registrar General for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, Glasgow Baptisms, 1719-28, reference OPR.644/10].

(4) 8 October 1724 "Thomas Peter & Janet Frew a lawfull daughter Agnes wit: Robert Fulton & Zacharias Murdoch born October 14 between 5 & 6 in afternoon" [Registrar General for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, Glasgow Baptisms, 1719-28, reference OPR.644/10].

(5) 25 November 1726 "Thomas Peter & Janet Frew a lawfull son Matthew Wit Robert Fulton & Robert Buchanan" [Registrar General for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, Glasgow Baptisms, 1719-28, reference OPR.644/10].

(6) 17 March 1728 "Thomas Peters & Janet Frew a lawfull son Simon Wit Robert Buchanan & Robert Fulton" [Registrar General for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, Glasgow Baptisms, 1719-28, reference OPR.644/10].

Burgess of Paisley in Renfrewshire

On 11 September 1722 Robert Fulton, coppersmith in Glasgow, is noticed in the company of Thomas Peter of Crossbasket (1703-73), when both men were enrolled as burgesses of Paisley. The record reads as follows: “The said day Thomas Peter of Crossbasket and Robert ffulton coppersmith in Glasgow were by the Baillies & Councell made burgess gratis [Renfrewshire Archives, Paisley Library and Museum, High Street, Paisley, Paisley Town Council Minutes, 1716-28, page 234, reference P1/1/17].

Death

Robert Fulton, coppersmith in Glasgow, died before 28 October 1733, the date upon which his son Robert was buried at Glasgow in Lanarkshire, Scotland [Registrar General for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, Glasgow Burials, 1723-39, reference OPR.644/46].

Children

Robert Fulton, coppersmith in Glasgow, had issue by his first marriage only. He and Jane Hutton, had seven children whose names have been identified from Glasgow's records. Their names follow:

(1) Grizell Fulton

(2) Elizabeth Fulton

(3) Margaret Fulton

(4) Robert Fulton

(5) Jane Fulton (Otherwise Janet Fulton)

(6) Thomas Fulton

(7) Magdalen Fulton

(8) Jean Fulton