Memoirs of the Fultons of Lisburn

JAMES BRANCH 33
through which the river Laggan winds past Lisburn, and is broken by a well-wooded ravine, on
a knoll by the side of the stream in which the old house, now partly ruined, is prettily situated.
" Homra Glen," as the place is called, was the family head-quarters for some years. Here
Richard's daughter Eliza was married in 1802, and here she died in 1805. From this, or whatever
cause, Richard sold the property in 1806 to Edward Gayer, and returned to live in Lisburn.
The Hertford Estate records show that he had retained a holding there, but that a much larger
one had passed to (or been acquired by) his eldest son Robert. The second son, Andrew, was
living in Bridge Street.
Richard's wife Elizabeth died 21st July i8i2, ill> aged 60. In 1S96 I had an interview with
Mr. Hugh McCall, an old native of Lisburn, who was born in 1805, the author of Ulster and its
Staple Industries, and other books, and the father of Mr. R. A. McCall, K.C. He well remem-
bered " old Dick Fulton " and many others of the family ; also Meades, Caldbecks, etc., and told
me a good deal regarding several of them, which I shall bring in as far as may be. He died on
12th March 1897, in his 93rd year. Richard increased his holdings in Lisburn again from
£1 6s. $d. per annum in 1802 to £17 15s. ^d. in 1818, but the increase seems to have been for
Town Parks, which were probably tenures at will only. Other properties were in the hands of
the sons, Robert and Richard. Although there is no reason whatever for supposing that any
pecuniary difficulties arose in these later years, it is a singular fact that no Probate or Adminis-
tration of his estate has been discovered. Doubtless the putting out of two sons and three
daughters suitably in life, and the maintenance of two sons in the army, as well as provision for
the three unmarried daughters at home led to arrangements in his lifetime which left little for
subsequent disposal.
The Belfast Newsletter of 27th April 1S23, contains the following obituary notice — "At
Killinchy, on 9th inst, in his 70th year, Mr. Richard Fulton, late of Lisburn, Merchant." Killin-
chy is a village charmingly situated on the hills of co. Down overlooking Strangford Loch, where
he may have been living latterly with his son Richard (see below, p. 34), or have gone for change
of air. He was buried in the large family grave on the east side of the Lisburn Cathedral, where
his wife, and their children Ann, Sarah, Margaret and Andrew, with two grand-children, had
already been laid. In later years, their son, Colonel James Forrest Fulton, erected a large tomb, b
with railings, "as a tribute of affection to his beloved Parents, Brothers and Sisters, etc., whose
names are inscribed underneath." Fourteen names follow, with dates and descriptions. The
issue of Richard and Elizabeth were as follows :
1. Robert, b. 29th September 1777.' 1 On attaining his majority his father appears to
have started him in life with a considerable holding in Lisburn (as already mentioned above).
Later on he owned (says Mr. McCall, c who knew him well) the great flour mill which had,
under the old regime, the monopoly of grinding the corn of all tenants of the Hertford
Estate, and eventually sold it to one Sam Kennedy. He d. in May 1833, aged 56,'' having,
by Jane his wife, who d. nth August 1S31, aged 63, had issue :
(1) Joseph, d. 7th December 1831, aged 36 years.
(2) James. (3) Robert, bap. 27th December 1807.' 1
(1) Elizabeth Ann, bap. 22nd September 1805.' 1
There is a separate gravestone over Jane, and her children James, Elizabeth Ann
and Joseph, giving some of these particulars.
2. Andrew, b. nth September 1779." He appears to have been settled in the Bridge
Street house after his father had vacated it, and to have lived there till 1806 at least. He
afterwards built for himself the house called " Sloane." He was in business as a woollen-
draper (in the old sense). He married Isabella Wightman, a sister of Frank, James, and
a T. and " M. L. <= M. d L. R.