One of my most interesting recent contacts was from David Dickinson. It includes a link where you can read or download a history book for free. It isn't "Strathendrick and its Inhabitants from Early Times", but a related book by the same author. "I have just acquired a first edition copy of Strathendrick and its Inhabitants from Early Times, John Guthrie Smith, 1896, originally owned by A.W.Patrick Buchanan, late of Montreal. According to his inscription, it was likely acquired in August, 1897. I’m guessing this was his base for the Buchanan book he later wrote. The book deals heavily with Buchanan history, but includes some of my Galbraith history as well. I’m guessing that you know about the volume, as it is available on Ancestry.com. There is nothing like holding the real thing in your hands though. This copy is in very good shape, compared to a copy I found about 25 years ago in UBC Special Collections. "If on the off chance, you are descended from A.W.P.Buchanan, the same Ebay seller that I bought Strathendrick from has other items, including postal memorabilia with his name on the envelope. "Another work of Guthrie Smith is available online: Strathblane and its Inhabitants, 1886. "-Cheers, David Dickinson" In a later message David gave me the link to this book. It is an excellent resource. After looking at all of the references to Buchanans in this book, I have a better understanding of why John Guthrie Smith has such an excellent reputation as a genealogist and historian. (Strathblane is south of Strathendrick, and Buchanans of Carbeth lived there.) It also explains why Buchanan of Auchmar stripped the ironwork and weapons from the castle of the Marquis of Montrose, and the consequences for the Buchanans. (This was a puzzle to me as the Grahams and Buchanans were normally on good terms. But civil wars cause bizarre things to happen.) David continues in a later message: "This is our Clan website, but most of the good stuff is in the Members Only area: http://www.clangalbraith.org/ "This link might take you to Strathendrick: http://content.ancestry.com/Browse/BookList.aspx?dbid=17087 "I can send you a copy of the 1886 Strathblane book. It’s about 13 meg, or click here: http://books.google.ca/books?id=EkQ2AAAAMAAJ&dq=john+guthrie+smith&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=0ugWXgXhIS&sig=9CJgecijd_pJcQ1SUX3iVvtzYCo&hl=en&ei=65FDSsPfHYX2sQOJ64jvDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5

We had a telephone call about 8:15 this morning from our son Andrew, informing us that he and his wife Nicole are the happy parents of a new son, Elijah Thomas Buchanan. Mother and baby are doing well. We called to let our other childen know. Previously this morning, Laurel phoned. She said that her oldest daughter wanted to know before leaving for school. I thought that was kind of special! I called Mom to let her know. She has just had some more tests to try to find out where she is bleeding internally. This is definitely a worry. We hope and pray that the doctors can find the problem and correct it. Where genealogy is concerned, I have spent some time trying to trace a message board posting back to its source so I could verify the information. It looked promising but yielded no new information.