[2] He was born on 21 July 1835 at Assynt in Rossshire, and educated at Kiltearn Free Church School, and at the Royal Academy in Tain.
[3] He studied Medicine at the University of Edinburgh graduating MA in 1860 and MB ChB in 1867.
[3] He worked as a General Practitioner in Kilmarnock until 1886, when he turned his whole attention to archaeological research.
[4] He was a member of many learned societies at home and abroad and published several books on the subjects of his research.
[3] His proposers were Rev John Duns, Sir Arthur Mitchell, Alexander Buchan and Ramsay Heatley Traquair.