Ballantyne, James (1772 -1833)

James Ballantyne, son of John Ballantyne, a Kelso merchant, and his wife, Jean, attended Kelso Grammar School with Sir Walter Scott. Before entering the office of a Kelso solicitor, Ballantyne spent the winter of 1785 1786 at Edinburgh University. At the end of his apprenticeship he returned to Edinburgh to attend classes in Scots Law, and renewed his acquaintance with Scott at the Teviotdale Club of which both were members. In 1795 he commenced business as a solicitor in Kelso, but as the business was not immediately successful, he undertook the printing and editing of the Kelso Mail in the following year. He printed Scott's Apologies for Tales of Terror in a small edition in 1799, and was then entrusted with the printing of The minstrelsy of the Scottish Border and in 1802 moved to Edinburgh, where he printed for, and for a time published, Scott's novels, under the name of James Ballantyne & Company, Scott having initially lent the firm money, and afterwards taken a half share in the business. Ballantynes were involved with Scott's publisher, Constable, and followed them into bankruptcy, James being afterwards employed by the trustees at a salary to continue the printing business. In 1816, Ballantyne married a Miss Hogarth