John Buchan, 1^stBaron Teedmuir, (August 26, 1875 – February 1, 1940) was a Scottish novelist,historian and politician who served as the 15^th Governor General ofCanada. The son of a Free Church of Scotland minister, he was born in Perth andraised in Fife, he won a scholarship to University of Glasgow, where he won ascholarship to study classics at Oxford. At Oxford he won the Stanhope essayprize and the Newdigate prize for poetry After a brief encounter with the legalprofession he pursued simultaneous careers as a writer and as a politician anddiplomat. He served as secretary to administrations in several African coloniesand wrote propaganda for the British war effort in the First World War.  He struck gold with The Thirty-Nine Steps in 1915 and is best known for his popular spythrillers. His produced 100 works, including thirty novels, seven short storycollections, and several notable biographies. He maintained a livelyinvolvement in public life, serving as president of the Scottish Historical Society,Unionist Party Member of Parliament, as well as other organizations.  His name was put forward in 1935 as aprospective governor general of Canada by Prime Minister Mackenzie King, a goodfriend.  Such positions were then offlimits to commoners and so he was elevated to the peerage by King George V. Heserved until his death in 1940 and was given a state funeral in Ottawa.