Fonds F597 - Buchanan family fonds

In 1817, William Buchanan emigrated from Scotland to what is now Kemptville, Ontario. Two years later he was followed by his wife, Anne Hunter, and children. While some of William's descendants left the area, representatives of the family continued in the Kemptville region to the present day. In 1868, John Hunter, brother of Anne Buchanan, died, leaving no will. As Hunter was unmarried, the estate had to be divided between his nine nieces and nephews. There followed a relatively long correspondence between persons in England and the Buchanans in Kemptville, as the estate settlement dragged on. In 1930, a rumor started that a William Buchanan of Kemptville had entailed his estate for 99 years after his death. As of 1930 the 99 years had apparently elapsed and the estate, amounting to some $850.000 was to be divided among living descendants. The papers include some correspondence on this issue.