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                 City Bank, Montreal
                     Toronto, 23d August 1864

My dear Sir,

            I have much pleasure in sending

you the enclosed acknomt of your Reports presented to the Canadian Institute here, which I am certain will be much valued for the information they contain -- I only regret you had not an opportunity of seeing the President Dr. MCaul who is so well known for the attention paid by him to every means for promoting the education and instruction of the people.

    Should you at any time have

occasion to pass in their direction allow me to state that nothing will give me greater pleasure than to see you here and thereby trust it in my power to show you any attention which I am anxious to do from the fact of so accidentally making the acquaintance of one descended from the same stock and name as myself.

    I only came to this country some [eleven?]

years ago having then been obliged to travel with my paternal property, which had been a distinct family property in the direct male line for exactly 300 years, and it was a great trial as you may imagine, but such is life. I became security for a speculating Brother in law - hence the mischief. The property sold for upwards of 20,000 [pounds] [?] [then thus] been resold for upwards of 30,000[pounds]. I am indirect descent from the family of Gartur a younger son of that family. David Graham having married the only child & heiress of Blairchoille in 1564 thro whom that property latterly called Leitchtown or Leichtown came down to me. It got the name of Leech- town - that is the Town of the Leech from a succession of the owners having been bred medical men, the common name for such in Scotland during the olden times. Pray excuse this explanation in reference to myself.

       You mentioned being connected

with the Gartur & orchill families. The Gartur family is now extinct - the last heir male in the direct line having died beginning of the present century & the property now in the hands of Erskine of Cardross an adjoining proprietor. The Orchill family still exist but the property of orchill now possessed by a female descendant of the last heir male who died some 40 years ago.

  Again allow me to express the

pleasure I experienced in shaking hands not only with a namesake but with one claiming kindred by the same Head of the Family as I did myself and belive me to remain with much regard

             My Dear Sir,
             Yours very Sincerely
               James Graham

To Lt. Col. J. D. Graham

         U.S. Engineers
               Boston