Dear Bob, I too am looking for a John McIntosh who was once a member of the Dumfries militia. I wonder whether any of the Johns you mentioned could have been him, or whether you have run into this one. This is all the info I have on him: John McIntosh was born 1779, married Elizabeth McLain, (prob born 3.11.1778, d/o George McLean and Christian Laidlaw at St Cuthberts, Edinburgh) was a member of the Dumfries militia at Dalkeith when his son George Laidlow Davidson Mackintosh (LDS microfiche badly transcribed as George Alexander McIntosh) was born 29 December 1808, baptised on 8 January 1809. Godfathers were Thomas McIntosh and Robert Crawford. (regular, not inserted) John was a bookseller and auctioneer at Kirkcaldy according to litigation information (1854). He died 6 December 1856 at Rose Street, Kirkcaldy aged 77 of general decay. According to his death certificate his father was Donald Davidson (sic) and his mother was Janet Davidson. I'm surprised by the 'dark complexions' referred to. Jane