This 1889 reprint covers a great deal of Scottish and English family history. Starting with the Norman settlers in Dumfriesshire, the work quickly moves into the activities of genealogical significance within the ruling classes. Some of the family names covered include: Bruce, Carlile, Corry, Kirkpatrick, Johnstone, Baliol, Douglas, Kerr, Crichton, Carruther, Maxwell, Gordon, Jardine, Cummings, Fleming, Carlyle, Murray, Irving, Charteris, Stewart, Fergusson, Grierson, Herries, Maitland, Boswell, Sharpe, Kennedy, Dunwiddie, Bell, Rome, Gladstone, and Graham. The Johnstone family receives attention in seven of the twelve chapters. This is a well-rounded history and an asset to anyone trying to find a connection in this part of Great Britain.