Church of Scotland Minister, Langholm Parish

James Buchanan was the Langholm Parish Church minister for 42 years from 1879, aged 36, until his death in 1921.

His congregation lost 58 of its young men in the Great War, remembered in a memorial at the church (below).

James married Marion Vassie, daughter of a Lanark tanner, and had five children:

• Mary (1886-1962), a missionary in the Himalayan foothills in the mid-late 1910s.
• John (1890-1966), a doctor (captain) in the Royal Army Medical Corps in Egypt in the Great War.
• James (1892-), a tea planter in India who served in the Surmah Valley Light Horse, Indian Home Defence.
• Marion (1897-1963), captain of the Langholm Girl Guides.
• Dorothy (1899-1985), the UK’s first female chartered civil engineer.

James became involved in official Common Riding duties during the war as the result of provost Easton declining to participate (see, for example, 12th and 13th July in the Diary). In 1917, on behalf of the town, he handed the burgh flag over to Cornet Stewart for the ceremonies and received it back later in the day.

James was secretary and treasurer of the church’s Woman’s Association for Foreign (Female) Missions. His main community pastime was curling.

Born	Airdrie, Lanarkshire, 1843
Parents	John Buchanan (1812-1877), Gowans Donaldson (1812-1890)
Siblings	2nd of 4 siblings: 2 brothers, 2 sisters
Marriage	Marion Vassie (1864-1930), Lanark, 1885
Children	3 daughters, 2 sons
Died	The Manse, Langholm, 1921, aged 78