Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Brunton, George
BRUNTON, GEORGE (1799–1836), Scottish lawyer and journalist, was born on 31 Jan. 1799, and was educated at the Canongate High School, Edinburgh. He was admitted a solicitor in 1831; and in the following year, with Mr. David Haig, brought out ‘An Historical Account of the Senators of the College of Justice, from its Institution in mdxxxii,' 8vo, Edinburgh and London, 1832. This volume, which was at first undertaken as a republication of the ‘Catalogue of the Lords of Session] prepared by Lord Hailes in 1767, with a continuation to the time nf its issue, became a collection of short biographies. Brunton was a frequent contributor to periodicals, and an advanced liberal. He established in 1834 a weekly Saturday newspaper called ‘The Patriot,' which was dropped upon his death (Tait's Edinburgh Magazine, November 1836). Brunton died on 2 June 1836, at Paris, whither he had gone in search of health.
[Edinburgh Almanac, 1831-7; Caledonian Mercury, ll June 1836; Gent. Mag. July 1836; Tait’s Edinburgh Magazine, November 1836; Irving's Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen, 1881.]