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Alexander Beatson

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Alexander Beatson
portrait by his aunt, Catherine Read
Born24 October 1759 Edit this on Wikidata
Died15 October 1830 Edit this on Wikidata (aged 70)
OccupationBotanist Edit this on Wikidata
Parent(s)
  • Robert Beatson Edit this on Wikidata
  • Jean Read Edit this on Wikidata

Alexander Beatson ( 24 October 1759-15 October 1830)[1] was an officer in the East India Company's service, governor of St. Helena, and an experimental agriculturist.

Life

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He was second son of Robert Beatson, Esq., of Kilrie, Fife County, Scotland and Jean Read, sister of the painter Catherine Read.[1] He obtained a cadetship in 1775, and was appointed to an ensigncy in the Madras infantry, 21 Nov. 1776. He served as an engineer officer in the war with Hyder Ali, although he appears never to have belonged to the engineers. As lieutenant, he served with the Guides in Lord Cornwallis's campaigns against Tippu Sultan; and eight years after, as a field officer, was surveyor-general with the army under Lieutenant-general Harris, which captured Seringapatam in 1799. He attained the rank of colonel 1 Jan. 1801.

After leaving India, Beatson was governor of St. Helena from 1808 to 1813. The island, which then belonged to the East India Company, was in a very unsatisfactory condition. The scanty population had been nearly swept off by a measles epidemic a short time previously, and, although recruited by emigrants from England and by Chinese coolies, was in a wretched state. The acts of the home authorities in suppressing the spirit traffic and other matters gave rise to great discontent, resulting in a mutiny in 1811, which was put down by the firmness of Beatson, who also introduced a better system of cultivation and many other beneficial measures.

After his return to England, he devoted much attention to experiments in agriculture at Knole farm and Henley in Frant, Sussex, near Tunbridge Wells. He became major-general July 1810, lieutenant-general June 1814, and died 15 October 1830.[2]

Family

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On 28 December 1805 he was married to Davidson Reid (sic) (1787–1865) who was 18 at the time of marriage. She returned to family members in Edinburgh after his death and is buried in the churchyard of St John's on Princes Street.[3]

She was born in Kinghorn in Fife the daughter of David Reid and Jean Renny. They had 13 children.

Works

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Beatson was the author of the following works:

References

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  1. ^ a b Grout, Andrew. "Beatson, Robert". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/1826. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ "Person Details for Alexander Beatson, "England Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991" — FamilySearch.org". FamilySearch. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  3. ^ Grave of Davidson Reid, St Johns, Edinburgh

References marked "via DNB" are from the DNB article but have not been independently verified.

  • (via DNB) Dodswell and Miles's Alph. Lists Ind. Army
  • (via DNB) Vibart's Hist, of Madras Sappers and Miners, vol. i.
  • (via DNB) Beatson's writings.
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Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChichester, Henry Manners (1885). "Beatson, Alexander". In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 4. London: Smith, Elder & Co.