Alexander Signs Out

One of the things that has been constant throughout my research into Alexander has been his signature - I have seen it in loads of places from the one done in 1760 as a 14 year old orphan to the ones written to Jefferson etc etc. Very distinctive and strong signature.

The page above should be a link or go here to see the signatures larger.

Today I found his signature from eight years later from the last one I had - from 1806.

"So help him God - ADonald"

I found it rather moving how much it had changed in just a few years.

Ok - a quite summary of Alexander's life - some of the highs and lows.

Born in 1745, orphaned in 1760 and sent to America.

Business thrives - back to GB during the war and a bit of King's hand kissing to pledge allegiance to the Crown - then back to America where he mixes with the powerful elite, weekending with Washington etc.

Then things start to go wrong.

Business goes bust in 1793 - "It requires a considerable strength of mind to enable me to bear up under what has lately happened to me. Well Born, Genteely brought up and educated and left a fortune by my Father when I was only fourteen years of age of upwards of Five thousand pounds Stg, having always been industrious, Free from gameing and every kind of extravagance, and at a time when I though my self indpendent and in a fair way of making a fortune, to be brought to distress and ruin by improper conduct in my Partner, and at my time of Life is what does not fall to the lot of many People." 

Without wishing to sound like "Our Tune" things however did get worse - much much worse. He went into mining and after many an argument with James Watt (Gilbert Hamilton's brother in law funnily enough) goes bust again - but this time he is bankrupt and has to surrender himself in this charming pub - The Bull Inn - in Nuneaton at 11am on 23 August 1800. I think this should obviously be part of the next Donald tour Colin?

Anyway, this time he ends up in the King's Bench Prison - on the site of Educate's offices. We should get a drink there if nowhere else.

Alexander then gets out of prison and moves back to Nuneaton - and here he is, in his 62nd year having to sign everything over to Gilbert Hamilton - including all his debts that he has owning to him from America - although  we know those aren't really going to come good. He hands power of attorney to Hamilton in his partnerships in:

James and Robert Donald and Company
Cochrane Murdoch and Company - his first bosses in 1760, he was indentured to them
Murdoch Donald and Company
Thomas and Alexander Donald and Company
Alexander Donald and Company

He then dies two years later in 1808 - and is buried in Chilvers Cotton, Nuneaton. The church was blown up by a German bomb during the second world war, so things didn't really improve.