AX i HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL X3SAY VPOX THE w FAMILY AND SURNAME BUCHANAN . TO "WHICH IS ADDED A BRIEF INQUIRY INTO THE GENEALOGY AND PRESENT STATE OF ANCIENT SCOTTISH SURNAMES, AND MORE PARTICULARLY OF THE HIGHLAND CLANS. By WILLIAM BVfat.A^AS, of Auchmar. G L A SfeOAV 17 2 3 : PRINTED BY WILLIAM DUNCAN. CINCINNATI: REP1HNTUD BY J. A. &. U. P. JAMES. 16 4 9. 1786134 Jf- fmrw ' .,••:; - ; . \ us - \ m (. \ •• m % I i (J : ;' ^^^^S^^PC^ <5a 9 u ; /"7 /? /; Jouc/ia/zan of v hat. zJtk *<&i&L*y txr *^**-Cb^ :2kTi-£ Buchanan, William, d. 1747. E An historical and genealogical essay upon tlie family I 831 and surname of Buchanan. To which is added a brief .127 inquiry into the genealogy and present state of ancient Scottish surnames, and more particularly of the High- land clans. By William Buchanan, of Auehmar. Glas- gow, Printed by W. Duncan: Cincinnati, Reprinted bv J. A. & U. P. James, IS JO. fm vi, t/j—233, [2i p. front, (.coat of arr.'.s) 20} . First published in 1723. 1. Buchanan family. 2. Names, Personal. 3. Clans and clan svstem. I. Title. 16-23498 -r Library of Congress (Js* ^CS479.B8 1849 PREFACE. The subject of the following book may possibly appear a little too confined to the most part of readers, in regard the affairs of private families' can be of so very little concern to the public, and besides genealogies themselves are commonly reckoned so dry and tasteless a thing that very few people think it worth while to be at much pains about them. It is not my design to answer all the argu- ments which may be urged on this head. I persuade myself no man thinks it lost labor to enquire into the descent of princes, and other eminent personages; and why should it be looked on as altogether unnecessary to know that of private families, especially when they have produced persons of extraordinary characters and reputa- tion in the world? The public historians cannot be sup- posed to know any thing of such minute passages, with- out the help of such private memorials ; and therefore it is necessary that some one or other should take upon them that lower employment of gathering together the materials that may be serviceable to the higher order of writers. Instead therefore of incurring censure for the choice of my subject, I ought rather to have the thanks of my readers for not going out of my depth, by under- taking what I had not sufficient abilities for. IV PREFACE. The family of Buchaxan has had the honor to produce a great many persons, who make a very considerable figure in our history ; and as it is natural for us to be curious about the smallest circumstances relating to great men, those of that temper will here find what in a great measure may serve to gratify their curiosity. Besides, this family is now grown so very numerous, that it can- not but be of very great use to those of the name, er that are any way allied to it,to have a full and distinct account of its affairs. So that though perhaps this treatise may not be of such general use, yet it will at least serve them for whom I principally intended it, to wit, those of the name and family of Buchanan. , None of my readers need be afraid of being imposed upon in my management of this work. For though in- deed in some cases, where authentic records could not be had, T have been obliged to take up with the best attested, and most generally received traditional accounts, yet for the most part I am supported in what I say, by ancient charters of uncontested authority. And besides, when- ever I am obliged to make, use of tradition, I always advertise my reader of it ; and giving him the most pro- bable account to confirm my own opinion, leave him to make what judgment he pleaseth himself upon the matter. In giving an account of the family of Buchanan,! have been very exact in looking over the writings belonging to it, now in the hands of his Grace the Puke of Montrose, which the Laird of Gorthy was pleased to supply me with. This account, though a great many documents are lost, has been of considerable use to me : as has also the tree of the famih of Buchanan in Lenny's hands, which PREFACE. V though a great part of it cut off, and some of it contra- dictory to more certain evidents, yet is in the main a very valuable piece of antiquity. I have had also the perusal of all the writings in the hands of the Buchanans of Drumikill, Lenny, Carbeth, Spittel, Auchineiven, and Gartinstarry, which though very distinct, yet would not have been full enough, had I not obtained an ancient cbartulary among the records of Dunbarton-shire, con- taining the whole progress of the Earls of Lennox, and their vassals, from the beginning of the reign of King Alexander II, Anno 1214, till the latter end of the reign of King Robert III, which has been of singular service to me. The chartulary of Paisley has also furnished me with several things very useful for my purpose- Some people indeed of the name of Buchanan., from what inducement I will not pretend to determine, have been pleased to refuse me the necessary helps for giving an account of their families. If I have therefore been anyway defective in what relates to them, they have none but themselves to blame for it, who have deprived me of the means whereby I can do them justice, which was my sole intention in undertaking this work. In order to make this piece of more general use, 1 have subjoined to it an account of the Highland Clans, in which I flatter myself, the curious will find something that has not yet been touched upon by any of our writers, and which may be very agreeable to such as are fond of our Scottish antiquities; there being not only an abstract of all that our historians have delivered unto us on that subject, but also all the old uncontroverted traditions we have among us relating thereto, which though they can- not be vouched by written authorities, yet it would be Vi PREFACE. over great incredulity to pay no manner of regard to them; especially since we have for the most part no better documents for the origin of most nations in Europe. I do not think myself obliged to make any apology for the style of the ensuing sheets. The subject of them excludes every thing of labor and elegance. All that can be looked for in them is plainness and perspicuity, both which it has been my greatest pains to endeavor after. If I have succeeded so as to satisfy those for whom I chiefly intended these pages, I am content, and shall desire no other reward for my labors, than that they will charitably excuse whatever errors I may have fallen into, on account of the sincerity and honesty of my in- tentions. 1 submit the whole to the candid reader, and shall no longer detain him from the perusal of the work. ; ESSAY UPON THE FAMILY AND SURNAME OF BUCHANAN. I may upon very solid grounds presume, that any one who offers to treat of the genealogy of any Scottish sur- names, which can lay any just claim to considerable an- tiquity, especially such as are planted in, or near the more remote or Highland parts of this kingdom, cannot in reason be supposed to have records, or written docu- ments, upon which anything that ordinarily is, or rational- ly may be advanced upon such a subject, can be founded there being for the most part little diligence used by these surnames or clans in obtaining, and though ob- tained, in preserving any such documents ; as is evidently instanced by the deportment of the nobility and barons to king Robert the I, upon his requiring them to produce their evidents : there being also many contingencies, particularly the feuds so frequent betwixt families of these clans, carried on to such a degree of violence and animosity, and so detrimental to the private affairs of all concerned therein. Besides, the public commotions, affecting the nation in general, may in reason be imagin- ed a palpable means o( the loss of many private evidents in custody of those, subject in a greater measure to such inconveniences, than were many other surnames planted in the more inland places. Though indeed some who 8 AN ESSAY UPON THE FAMILY treat of the origin even of some of those last mentioned, are obliged to found their allegations in relation to the origin of these surnames, of which they treat, upon pro- bable and solid tradition. As for instance that exquisite the historian of the celebrated surname of Douglass ; also historian of the surname of Lesly ; as indeed in general all who treat of that subject use the same method in re- lation to the more ancient surnames. The reason being obvious which obliges them so to do, if that allegation be as generally allowed, as the same is asserted by the great- est part of our modern writers, that there can be no writ- ten record or evident evinced to have existed, or at least be produced of a more ancient date than the reign of king David I, which commenced in the year 1 124.