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Andrew Buchanan of Chingford 1807-1877
By Andrew Buchanan and Neal Harkness Buchanan


1995
Christchurch
NEW ZEALAND

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Read this account and see the pictures and also the genealogy in .pdf files:-

File 1  |  File 2  |  File 3  |  File 4  |  File 5  |  File 6

or here is just the text from the book...

Introduction

Chapter 1 Andrew Buchanan
Chapter 2 Ancestors
Chapter 3 Descendants
Chapter 4 Noel Lee Buchanan
References
Appendices
A. Text from family bible
B. Descendants of Andrew Buchanan
C. Family trees

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this book is to bring together a number of documents and reminiscences on the life and family of Dr. Andrew Buchanan, 1807 - 1877, who lived in New Zealand from 1857 to 1873.

He has been called "Andrew Buchanan of Chingford" after residences of that name in England and New Zealand.

This book includes information on his family, his ancestors and a list of his descendants. The main sources of information are various publications which are referenced in the text. Unpublished sources include letters, and a diary kept by Andrew Buchanan in 1865 and 1873. Handwritten notes from an old family bible have been reproduced in full.

Acknowledgments are made to the many individuals, too numerous to name, who willingly assisted with information and photographs.

CHAPTER ONE

ANDREW BUCHANAN

Andrew Buchanan was born in Jamaica on 10 December 1907, the son of George Buchanan, a sugar planter. His mother was Jane Gowie, daughter of a Scottish planter on the Island of St. Kitts.

With the emancipation of the slaves in the West Indies many planters left the islands and returned to England, and the Buchanans were among these. In 1816 they settled at Sherborne in Dorset, where Andrew was educated.

He was tall and erect, but of slight build, he stood 6ft. 2in. in his stockings, and stooped a little in later years. His weight never over eleven stone, his hair black and inclined to be curly, his features aquiline, grey eyes overshadowed by strong eyebrows.....according to relatives "a marked Buchanan face". (Fulton 1922)

After leaving school he went to Paris to study medicine and surgery.

In 1830 while he was still in Paris, there was an uprising in Poland, where the Poles were trying to free themselves from the oppression of more powerful neighbours - Russia, Prussia and Austria. Andrew Buchanan's sympathies were with the Poles, and he joined them as an army surgeon, and remained with them until the uprising was put down by the Russians.

Medical Practice

Andrew Buchanan returned to London, and later went to Scotland, where he studied and graduated from St. Andrew's University with a degree in medicine. Back in London he was made a public vaccinator in 1833, vaccinating more than 1000 people each year, and for the next 25 years he carried a large and successful practice. He was one of the Governors of St. George's Hospital. In 1835 he married Emma Harkness, daughter of Dr. John Harkness. They had a home at Stephney in London and a small farm at Chingford in Essex where they spent weekends ( Fulton 1922, Scholefield 1940 ).

Andrew Buchanan took a warm interest in colonial matters, being a frequent speaker at the Colonial Society, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a Fellow of the Colonial Institute, and a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons.

Children

The dates of birth and christening of their eight children are as follows. All were born in Stepney London.

Name, Birthdate, Christening
Emma, 2 July 1835, 4 September 1835
Agnes, 18 February 1837, 17 March 1837
Edith Mary, 17 November 1838, June/July 1839
Fanny Chaytor, 13 April 1841, 21 April 1841
Janet Curling, 27 March 1843, 21 April 1843
Arthur Vaudrey, 26 January 1846, March 1846
Noel Lee, 6 March 1848, 6 April 1848
Emily Batson, 6 April 1850, May 1850

Travel to New Zealand

Andrew Buchanan travelled to New Zealand on the Dinapore in 1857 with his wife Emma and eight children. Among the passengers were British Army officers Humphrey Jones and Alexander Clerk who married Emma Buchanan and Edith Buchanan, respectively, soon after their arrival in Auckland. Bishop Selwyn officiated at the double wedding ceremony on 1 December 1857.

According to Eliza Stack ( 1938 ) who was on the same ship, "the voyage was long and tedious, and not marked by any striking incidents", taking about four months from 13 April to 5 August 1857.

Clovernook

In Auckland, Andrew Buchanan bought a property called Clovernook from Mr. John Stokes on 9 October 1857 for £1000. A series of paintings by John Kinder of St. Mark's church in Remuera show that the house was constructed between 1857 and 1859. According to the title deed, Andrew sold it to Mr. Charles Stichbury in September 1861. The Buchanan connection with the house did not end then, however, because Andrew Buchanan's diary shows that his daughter Emma and her husband Humphrey Jones were living there in 1865, presumably leasing it on their own account or through the army.

Neal Buchanan visited Clovernook with his family in 1960.

The house was demolished in 1962 for construction of a motorway, but remains of the foundations are still in place. A partial history of the property is given by Grattan ( 1963 ). Archaeological excavations are described by Wilson and Turner ( 1993 ). Dominic Wilson has provided useful information and is continuing to investigate the history of the site.

Move to Otago

Hearing that there was good land in Otago to be had at a reasonable price Andrew Buchanan went to Dunedin to investigate. He rode with Campbell Thomson of Rocklands Station, up through the Strath Taieri and Maniototo. In 1860 he obtained a property called Patearoa from W H Valpy. Two years later he moved his family from Auckland to Otago. They arrived by the schooner Clutha, bringing their horses, and some carpenters and kauri timber to build a house. When the schooner arrived at Port Chalmers the horses were lowered over the side, and allowed to swim ashore before being lead up through the bush to Dunedin. Going up the harbour the Clutha became stuck on a sand bank opposite what is now Macandrews Bay some of the timber had to be unloaded before the ship could go on to Dunedin (Fulton 1922).

Chingford

The Buchanan's settled in the North East Valley suburb of Dunedin, in their new house which was called Chingford after their old home in England (Fulton 1922). From the Crown Grant Application Book in the Hocken Library, the Chingford property was purchased in two sections, on 30 January 1862 and 14 May 1863. The house was built by Mr. R. Coombs who also travelled from Auckland on the Clutha.

Andrew Buchanan is listed in the Roll of Electors for Roslyn, 1866, with place of abode as Chingford, North East Valley. His qualifications as an elector was his freehold ownership of the two sections and 21 acres of land.

After Dr. Buchanan left New Zealand in 1873, his daughter Janet and her husband William Baldwin lived there for a time. The house was later bought by Mr. P. C. Neil, a well known Dunedin citizen, who made considerable additions. Chingford was bequethed to the city of Dunedin on Mr. Neill's death in 1936, allowed to fall into disrepair and was demolished in 1968.. The original stone coach-house is still there, used as a Community Arts Workshop. Much of the area is now playing fields with many magnificent trees in the grounds. Brief descriptions of the house, with photographs, are given by Hemdry (1976) and McCoy and Blackman (1968). Gary Blackman has provided much useful information on Chingford.

Chingford, about 1880. Reproduced with permission of Hocken Library, Dunedin.

Patearoa

Andrew Buchanan bought the Patearoa sheep station in 1860. This consisted of 30,000 ha. (75,000 acres) from Lammerlaws to Sowburn Point, 25 km (16 miles) south of Ranfurly in the Maniototo Valley, Central Otago, in a large treeless area of mountains and wide river valleys. Some details of life there can be gleaned from the diary of the neighbouring Puketoi Station, 8 km ( 5 miles ) away across the Taieri River. The first apparent reference to Andrew Buchanan in the diary is on 23 October 1861 when "Mr. Wain came and went to look out a site for the Doctor's house along with Murison and McM." The house was not completed until about 1863 according to a letter dated 1864 (reproduced later in this book).

After moving his family to Dunedin in 1862, Andrew Buchanan often travelled to his farm at Patearoa. He did not practice medicine apart from emergency calls. On two occassions in the Puketoi diary he was called for his professional services, one being the death of John Black French at Puketoi, when an inquest had to be held. Another entry of note on March 17 1866 says that Dr. Buchanan called at Puketoi with Bishop Selwyn who had been preaching at nearby gold mining camps and sheep stations. Later, Andrew Buchanan's sons, Arthur and Noel, both spent time at Patearoa and Puketoi. The Puketoi diary was kept by Noel Buchanan at this time, and references to Dr. Buchanan and his family members are frequent in the diary from 20 May 1864 until 22 January 1869. Patearoa is now owned by the Beattie family and the old homestead is still in use. Mrs. Margaret Hudson ( née Beattie ) of Timaru has provided useful information about Patearoa.

Puketoi homestead (Beattie 1940)

Puketoi was owned by the Murison family in Andrew Buchanan's time. It is now owned by Mr. Geoffrey Crutchley. Part of the old homestead is still standing and is used for temporary accommodation. The Puketoi diary is in the Hocken Library Dunedin.

The following letters from Andrew Buchanan to one of his sisters (probably Elizabeth Sheriff if the Agnes in the letter is his other sister) gives a good description of travel to Patearoa.


Chingford, Dunedin, N.Zealand.
26th. March 1864

My dear Sister,
I have the pleasure of receiving your kind letter of 18th Jan. a few days ago, and I sit down to answer it at once, because I find that in letter writing, as in other things, delays are dangerous. It is very long since I have written to you, although I have constantly intended to do so. I am glad to hear that you and yours are well, but I should have been better pleased if you had entered more particulars about your children and grandchildren.

It is principally by telling trifling incidents about mine that I manage to keep up correspondence with the few friends and relations I have in England, an object I have much at heart. The adventurous propensity which took me to Poland in 1832 [ note: 1830 in Fulton ] and bought me to N.Z. in 1857, is still strong in me.

Not content with building a house in Auckland, and then another here, I have just finished a third on my sheep run, 80 miles up the country, and I am at this moment undergoing all the discomforts, fatigue and expense of once more moving the greater part of my family to a new home quite in the wilds - to get to which I have to travel by a track, and pay £10 a ton cartage for every stick of timber, every article of furniture, and every morsel of food. And yet strange as it will perhaps seem to you, I quite enjoy the going backwards and forwards and the occupation of station life.

My wife and eldest son are there, and I intend to start in a day or two with my daughter Fanny and Harry Harkness, my brother in-law who lives with us. I have a very light American trap with high wheels and wide axles which is difficult to upset, and well calculated to go over rough ground, and with a pair of good horses, I do 40 miles a day very pleasantly in fine weather, and safely in rough. Of course we have to ford rivers and go up and down rather steep places, but my wagon is furnished with a brake ( an American contrivance I believe, for I never saw it in England), by treading on the handle of which I can stop the hind wheels without moving from my seat, and so can trot down almost any hill, to the greatest saving of my horses flesh on a journey. Arthur, now 18, is learning to be a sheep farmer. He is very steady, intelligent, and active, and takes great interest in his work. I hope that in about two years he will be able to take charge of the run, and I begin to look forward to paying a visit to the old country. At present I have a manager.

My second son, Noel, and Emily my youngest daughter, will remain at school in Dunedin, where I think they have a very fair means of education, and where I am sure they will be well taken care of. We are all perfectly well.

My two eldest daughters Emma and Edith are in Auckland with their husbands who are with the troops at the seat of war. They are thoroughly sick of it, but there is not a present any prospect of peace. I am truly glad that in this middle island we have few Maoris, and are not in any way affected by the war except that we shall have to help pay the bill. Emma has no children. Edith has a girl and boy, who are very engaging.

Janet Mrs. ( Baldwin ), expects to be confined in August, for which event she is coming to stay with us a Patearoa Station, Maniatoto, New Zealand where please to address to me when next you write. I enclose a short note her mother had from her when she first arrived at their run, which is about 40 miles from ours. By it you will be able to form some ideas of her doings. I have every reason to be thankful that I am still surrounded by my children and that I can see them from time to time.

When she speaks of swimming the Molyneux, you must understand that they crossed in a boat, but the horses had to swim.

I beg you to accept my photograph which was done since the one Aunt Eleanor sent you to look at, but which has the same unpleasant scowl and screwing up of the eyes, that a strong light always produces on me. From her letters Agnes seems quite happy with her new husband, But her marriage was rather a surprise to us.

I am, my dear sister, Yours affectionately,

A. Buchanan

Andrew Buchanan retained an active interest in his farming venture for many years. Among John Robert's papers in the Hocken Library is a letter from Dr. Buchanan, dated March 1873, the year he returned to England:

I saw Mr. Shennan this morning and asked him if he would do you and me the favour to value the furniture etc., at Patearoa for us, and he kindly consented to do so. I also took the opportunity of consulting him as to the probable value of sheep next November, when I am to give delivery and I mentioned to him the price you and Mr. Gordon had agreed on was 9/- each. (I think that was the sum you told me.) But Mr. Shennan said that as the sheep were merinos, whilst Gordon's were half breeds, he thinks that merinos would not be worth as much as the others by at least 6d a head. If you have no objection therefore, I would like to name 8/- to 8/6 each. I hope to have the opportunity to seeing you on the matter tomorrow, as I promised to write to Groom about it on Thursday.

And then in a postscript:

After having written the foregoing, I found in my box at the Post Office, your note of yesterday's date, in which you suggest that 9/- be fixed for the price of sheep delivered. in excess or short of 25,000. I happened just now to see Driver in the street, and asked his opinion. He said after a little consideration, he thinks 8/- would under the circumstances be fairer than 9/- bearing in mind the uncertainties of the future, and that wool is more likely to fall than to rise. As his views then seem to concur with those of Mr. Shennan, I would propose that we agree to make 8/- the price to be fixed on.

Political Life

Andrew Buchanan was nominated to a seat on the Legislative Council (Upper House) by Governor Gore Brown, and was appointed to it in 1862 (Fulton 1922). The nomination must have been in 1861 because Sir George Grey replaced Gore Brown as Governor in October 1861. During Andrew's 12 years in the Council he was active in improving the conditions of people in mental hospitals, and in many other aspects of life in the community. He spoke to the Council on a variety of subjects. Brief references to his speeches are made by McLintock and Wood (1987) and Jackson (1972).

An interesting account of life and politics of those times is given in the diaries which he kept in 1865 whilst living in Wellington and visiting Auckland, and in 1873 en route to England. The originals are in the Hocken Library, Dunedin and some quotes are given below.

Andrew's duties took him to Wellington frequently. A sea voyage to Wellington in July 1865 with his wife Emma is described in the diary. Canterbury passengers boarding at Lyttleton near Christchurch included Cracroft Wilson, also J.B.A. Acland from Mt. Peel who shared lodgings with Andrew Buchanan in Wellington and who is frequently mentioned in the diary. Comparisons between Otago and Canterbury included the following:

We could not help but be struck and pleased with the civility of all the people at Lyttleton. Coming from Otago, where the Scotch uncouthness and rudeness are almost universal among the lower classes, this was very marked. Your raw Scot, though no doubt possessed of some sterling qualities, has not the smallest idea of "the small sweet courtesies of life", and is consequently to me a very repulsive animal. (22 July)

Lyttelton 1860s

The political scene in New Zealand was in disarray in the 1860s largely because of the land wars with Maori tribes, often mentioned in his diary. The Government changed 10 times in the 17 years that Andrew was in New Zealand. Among other difficulties, a faction of settlers in the South Island wanted to secede to avoid the cost of the wars:

An adjourned debate on the separation of the two islands, brought by Russell of Auckland, was resumed at 12. It was great fun hearing it, both parties being riles and hard words banded from side to side.All the Auckland men except Mason, and nearly all the Otago men are banded together to support it. (9 September)

The frequent references to "The Governor" in the 1865 diary would be to Sir George Grey, whose appointment was terminated in 1868 after he connived with the Government to keep British troops in New Zealand after they had been ordered home (see Bateman 1986, Belich 1993).

His Diary has many references to places and political activities of the day, such as:

I dined for the first time at Bellamy's...... The party besides myself and Acland consisted of Jolly, Stafford, Eyes and one more, Stafford talked a hurricane all the time, so that no one else had a chance. Although I am at all times a better listener than a talker, yet this is too much of a good thing. The dinner consisted of a variety of showy dishes, some of them having a flavour of having been warmed up, and both the wines and beer were bad. (30 July)

The Canterbury men who have meals at Bellamy's are Shepherd King's and seem to think it beneath their notice to enquire wether their dinner costs £1 or 30/-. I not only cannot afford it, but I think it foolish and wrong to submit to such excessive charges. (7 August)

Dined at the Club at 6.30 with about 20, among whom was Stafford, who is certainly less loud, egotistical and pretentious than he used to be. He sat opposite me, and I was able to take a fair shae in the talk. Vogel seems [to be] getting fat and stupid. (10 September)

His view of the press is revealed when:

We also looked at the reporter's gallery, as they complain that they cannot hear well. We directed that the contractor should see some of them and do the best he can to accommodate them, although the reporting has hitherto been done so badly, it would be of no great consequence if the body of them should stop work forthwith. (15 August)

His medical background was apparently useful, when he had to:

...meet Prendergast, who is introducing a bill to regulate the sale of poisons. He has asked me to confer with Drs. Renwick and Menzies and advise him on the proper schedule. We consulted some works on medical jurisprudence, and decided on a list which includes all the active poisons. Arsenic and strychnine when sold to be put into a bottle and corked. (14 August)

Lunatic Asylums

Shortly after his arrival in New Zealand in 1857, Andrew Buchanan was asked to appear before a committee of the House of Representatives, to give details of his knowledge and experience as a doctor in the mental hospitals of London (known then as lunatic asylums). The methods used in two of these were much more humane than in most places at the time, and he was able to report on the success of providing useful employment for the patients.

To Andrew Buchanan we owe much; to him we are indebted for the early introduction of the "humane method" of treatment of the unfortunate mentally afflicted. He was the one mainly responsible for wiping out in New Zealand of the abominable system of "madhouses", of grossly wicked entrustment of our diseased fellow creatures to the tender mercies of ignorant, brutal and often drunken officials ( Fulton 1922)

Sunnyside Mental Hospital Christchurch 1870s / Canterbury Museum In 1871 the House of Representatives appointed Andrew to act as chairman of a joint committee to report on the lunatic asylums. The appalling conditions in some of the asylums are described by Fulton (1922) and Andrew Buchanan's report which made it clear that most failed to provide proper accommodation and care for the mentally ill. The report concluded:

1. That Asylums in the Colony have not (save in some localities) either proper or sufficient accommodation for the reception and care of lunatics.
2. That it is expedient that the General Government should take measures to cause proper provision to be made in those parts of the Colony where the present provision is insufficient.
3. That a duly qualified Medical Officer from the United Kingdom, having special knowledge and experience in the treatment of the insane, be forthwith engaged and appointed, and who shall have the supervision and control of all the Lunatic Asylums in the Colony.
4. That the question of a General Central Asylum be postponed until the next Session, by which time information will have been obtained from Reports of the Inspecting Medical Officer, which will serve to guide the action of Parliament.
5. That whilst steps should be taken to improve all Asylums of the Colony, the state of that at Karori, near Wellington, urgently requires immediate attention and reform.

A. Buchanan, M.D., Chairman

The Government took no action for several years. Fulton (1922) describes how Andrew Buchanan pursued this matter for several years, including a "vigorous attack" through the columns of The Otago Daily Times on 27 June 1872, leading to the eventual appointment of an Inspector-General of Hospitals and Lunatic Asylums.

Church Connections

Andrew Buchanan was a staunch Anglican. His diary records an active church life during his stay in Wellington, including his attendance at the laying of the foundation stone for Wellington Cathedral.

In Dunedin he was a supporter of the first Bishop designate of Dunedin, Henry Jenner, who came to New Zealand at the request of Bishop Selwyn. Jenner never took up his post because of local opposition to his reputation as a high church ritualist. Andrew Buchanan is mentioned by Pearce (1984) who describes this saga in great detail.

In 1873. on board the Nebraska I asked the Captn. if there would be a church service. He said that whenever was on board, he was in the habit of saying prayers - but not otherwise, as he himself cannot read well. But he seemed glad when I volunteered to read, which I afterwards did, and there were some 40 passengers attended. Next Sunday we are to have some hymns. (20 April)

Return to England

Andrew Buchanan left for England in 1873. A diary was kept in April and may 1873 on the ship Nebraska travelling from Dunedin to Wellington and Auckland, visiting Hawaii where he describes island life in some detail. The diary ends mysteriously on 17 May 1873 with two pages torn out.

Shipboard life was not exciting. I always turn out a day-break for my bath. Then go to bed and read till the breakfast bell rings. After breakfast I read or write till the cloth is laid for lunch (12.30). An hour after, I, Bannatyne, Williamson, and either Douglas or Fisher sit at whist....I confess I first had some scruples of conscience in sitting down to cards by daylight, but there is so much that is disagreeable on shipboard that the indulgence is excusable as it helps pleasantly to while away the time. (30 April)

Andrew Buchanan never returned to New Zealand. He died in Sherborne, England, in 1877. The Otago Daily Times published an obituary on September 9 1877:

The announcement of the death in London on the 4th inst. of Dr. Buchanan will be received with deep and heartfelt regret by his many friends throughout the Colony, as well as the public in whose service he laboured as a legislator for many years. It may perhaps be some consolation to his children and many friends to know the high respect and esteem entertained for him throughout the Colony, as is evidenced by the fact that although he ceased being a member of the Legislative Council, that body, out of respect for his memory, adjourned yesterday afternoon upon receipt of the tidings of his death. At St. Paul's Church in Dunedin, on 9 September 1877.

The Rt. Rev. Bishop Nevill spoke of the excellent qualities, genial character, and valuable assistance given him by Dr. Buchanan who had regularly attended church though living some distance away. The Dead March in Saul was played and the hymns were "Christ will Gather in his Own" and "Days and Moments Quickly Flying".

Andrew Buchanan in later years (Fulton 1922)

CHAPTER TWO

ANCESTORS

The Ancestors of Andrew Buchanan and Emma Harkness are shown under. This tree shows 17 generations on the Buchanan side, compiled from various sources. On Andrew Buchanan's side the ancestors back to Alexander Buchanan are from the old family bible. The earlier ones are from Guthrie Smith (1896) who gives details back to Sir Walter Buchanan, whose son John Buchanan married Janet de Lany about 1392 to become the first of the Buchanan's of Leny. The references quoted have minor inconsistencies regarding earlier generations.

Old Family Bible

The typed transcript of handwritten text from the front and rear end papers of an old Buchanan family New Testament (1754 edition) is found in Appendix A. This describes a line of descent from Alexander Buchanan of Glenie in Perthshire. He is the Gt. Gt. Gt. Gt. grandfather of Andrew Buchanan. (Note that "Glenie" in the family bible is more commonly spelt "Glenny" in other literature )

Several entries in the family bible refer to burial at churches in Glasgow.

The "New Northwest Church" in Glasgow is now known as Ramshorn Church, or St. David's Church. In 1991 it was converted to a drama centre for the University of Strathclyde, and the extensive burial ground behind the church was intact. Lair 50 in the west wall can be located, but no relevant Buchanan gravestones can be identifieddstone slabs, laid flat, have eroded severely in the last 200 years.

The High Church is now Glasgow cathedral. George Buchanan was buried in 1773 in the Buchanan lair, opposite the principal door, beside some of his grandchildren who had died earlier. This area was completely re-landscaped in 1991 and some graves were moved, but the cathedral records include no Buchanans among them.

Strathendrick and its Inhabitants

The book Strathendrick and its Inhabitants from Early Times by J. Guthrie Smith (1896), gives a very detailed account of Buchanan relationships. In general it is the same as the family bible and old family tree, but gives much more detailed information and historical sources, from the 13th. century until about 1730.

Alexander Buchanan, who begins the family bible record. had at least two sons - Andrew and George.

Andrew Buchanan lived at Gartacharne, Water of Enrick, Stirlingshire. He purchased Gartacharne from Lord Napier in 1660. (Gartacharne is a small village south of Dryman at the south-east corner of Loch Lomond, opposite the island of Clairinch.) Andrew's eldest son, Alexander, inherited these lands from his father. Dr. Andrew Buchanan was descended from the second son, George who went to Glasgow and became a wealthy merchant as described below.

Old Family Tree

Several family members have versions of a Buchanan family tree (55 x 35 cm) showing about 30 generations of Buchanan's. One version ends with Noel's children, Silvia, George and Phyllis. Another includes seven offspring of Fanny Buchanan and William Low.

The early part of this tree appears to have been derived directly from The History of the Ancient Surname of Buchanan by William Buchanan of Auchmar (1743). The oldest ancestor in these sources is Anselan O'Cahan or O'Kyan who was rewarded by Malcolm II in 1016 AD for exploits against the Danes and others. On the old family tree, there appears to be an error in the second box of the right hand column where, according to all other sources, there should be another Andrew Buchanan between Alexander Buchanan and George Buchanan. Guthrie Smith (1896) refers to the old family tree and makes some corrections.

William George Buchanan Genealogy

The earliest part of the old family tree differs somewhat from other sources. A genealogy more recently researched for William George Buchanan of the Drummikill cadet line (who purchased the island of Clairinch in Loch Lomond in 1934 and bequeathed it to the Buchanan Society) shows another version of the earliest ancestors, abbreviated slightly as follows.

Hided
|
Macbethad
|
Maldoun Macbeth
|
Muredach
|
Absalom Macbed - steward to the Earl of Lennox 1216-1250 - had a charter to the isle of Clairinch confirmed by King Alexander II in 1231
|
Gilbert - Clerk to the earl of Lennox 1217 - 1274

Malcolm - did homage 1296 - served as a witness to a charter 1305
|
Maurice - served on a jury 1320
|
Maurice - married a daughter of Sir Walter Menteith of Ruskie
|
Walter - married Margaret Cunningham daughter of Laird of Glengarnock
|
John Buchanan - fourth son of Walter Buchanan - married Janet de Lany
( daughter and heiress of John de Lany )

This information was obtained from Mr. Claude Buchanan of Auckland, who has a full sized colour copy of the genealogical tree of William George Buchanan. The Original being held in the British Museum. At the bottom of the list, John Buchanan (fourth son of Walter Buchanan of That Ilk) was the first of the Leny line of Buchanans, from whom Dr. Andrew Buchanan was descended. Both Walter and John, above appear on the ancestor's tree for Dr. Andrew Buchanan.


Our thanks to Claude Buchanan, FSA Scot, Gartincaber, New Zealand for sending in this information.


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