| Administrative History | Francis Garden, Lord Gardenstone [1721-1793]. Landowner, lawyer, and Beattie's earliest patron. Became sheriff of Kincardinshire in 1744, and spent part of each summer at Woodstock, near Fordoun, where he first met Beattie. He introduced Beattie to James Burnett, Lord Monboddo. Elevated to th judiciary in 1764 and became Lord Gardenstone. He developed the village of Laurencekirk, where he also established a library for travellers. Beattie's brother David was for many years his factor on the estate of Johnston. Though Gardenstone features only occasionally in the Beattie correspondence, he and Beattie remained friends, and Gardenstone continued to take an interest in Beattie and in his poetry. He showed his regard for Beattie in 1781 by offering him the house and the farm of Johnston, the largest estate at Laurencekirk |