Sir Walter Scott in 1830, cites Francis Buchanan of Arnpryor (alternate spelling: Arnprior), who was executed at Carlisle on 18 Oct 1746 for high treason for his role in the Jacobite uprising, as being the chief of the family Buchanan. Jesse (1846), Fillan (1849), The Scottish Antiquary (1890) and a history of Clan MacNab (1899) cites Francis Buchanan of Arnprior as being the Chief of Clan Buchanan. Francis Buchanan of Arnprior was the grandson of the John Buchanan of Arnprior who was the manager of the estate of John Buchanan of Buchanan (the last recognised Clan Chief who died c1681). Prior to the Chief's second marriage (1677), he had arranged for Elizabeth, the only child of his first marriage, to wed Robert Buchanan, son of John Buchanan of Arnprior, and in due course inherit the Buchanan estate and chiefship – a bond of Tailzie. This marriage did not take place and the arrangement was cancelled. Francis Buchanan of Arnprior married Elizabeth Buchanan, who was the daughter of Janet Buchanan, who was the second daughter of John Buchanan of Buchanan, i.e. Elizabeth was the granddaughter of John Buchanan of Buchanan (the only child of the Chief's second marriage). The Clan historian, William Buchanan of Auchmar, a contemporary of Francis Buchanan of Arnprior, notes that Francis Buchanan owned part of the old Buchanan lands but makes no reference to the supposed chiefship and, if anything, alludes to treachery to John Buchanan of Buchanan by John Buchanan of Arnprior (Francis Buchanan's grandfather). William Buchanan of Auchmar also makes no mention of Francis Buchanan having married the last chief's granddaughter. It is possible that Scott, a historical novelist, simply embellished the facts for literary purposes. Nevertheless, assuming that Scott, et al. are right and the chiefship had passed to Francis Buchanan (possibly via marriage to the heir of the last chief), then Buchanan of Auchmar may have misrepresented the Buchanans of Arnprior to bolster his own claim to the chiefship.