Buchanan Family of Grant County
The history of a family written by a member of it naturally partakes largely of the personal element. The mutations of time change all things an all peoples and while "new occasions teach new duties" and this history deals with the past and its evolutional changes, it is also the story of the present, told today, which in time shall become the history of the past.
According to MacIams's "Clans and Customs," a history of Scotland, the genealogist of clan Buchanan derive it from a son of O'Kyan, and Irish prince, who came to Scotland in time of Malcolm II anno 1016 and obtained the lands of Buchanan in county Stirling.
The condensed history of clan Buchanan, which tells of its honorable military history, its adherence to Bruce, refusing allegiance to King Edward I of England in 1296; their marriages, births and death, all changing incidents of life; their landed possessions which stretched over a distance of about eighteen miles on the north side of Loch Lomond, justly celebrated in song and story, with the house of Buchanan on its banks, now the country place of His Grace the Duke of Montrose; the war-shout "Clan Innis" which passing quickly would in a few hours muster the clan of fifty heritors and their followers, all of their name; their armorial bearings, motto and badges, buttons peculiar to the Highlanders; the sporan bearing the war cry "Clan Innis;" the hose, the bonnet with its badge of two feathers, and family portraits which are today in the possession of Herbert Buchanan Esq. of Arden, all matters of historical record have no particular bearing upon this paper other than to note their origin as a family and the significance of their Christian names. It is a far cry from Scotland, 1240 to America, 1914, but more than six hundred years ago the Lairs of Buchanan, chiefs of their clan, were the Sirs Alexander, James, John, George and Walter, and wherever the family of Buchanan is known in America these names have been repeated again and again.
This much by way f historical record, while tradition tells us that the American Buchanans trace their lineal descent from the three brothers of the name who were brought to this country while mere lads, too young doubtless to appreciate the importance of preserving knowledge of family connections in Scotland. Being separated these brothers became the heads of families, one branch in Pennsylvania, one in Virginia and one in Eastern New York.
The family to which the late Alexander Buchanan, for more than sixty years a resident of Marion belonged, was of the Pennsylvania wing. His father, James M. Sr., was disinherited for marrying Rachel McCarthy, a young Irish girl employed in is father's family in the capacity of nursery governess. James Buchanan Sr. moved to Trumbull County, Ohio, then in the Western Reserve and attached for government to the state of Pennsylvania, where were born to them nine children, of which Alexander was the fifth.
His early life was spent on the farm until his fifteenth year, when he was apprenticed to a cabinet maker with whom he worked until he attained his majority. His apprenticeship was served at Youngstown, Ohio, where he attended the village schools during the winter months. James Buchanan Sr. moved to Grant County in 1838, locating on what is known as the Robert Wilson farm, southeast of Jonesboro. After some year they moved to their farm in Wabash County, southeast of the village of Ashland;, now Lafontain. Alexander Buchanan came to Marion in 1840, and with the late David Norton as partner manufactured furniture. This partnership lasted for several years. After their dissolution, and realizing the need of an undertaking establishment, Alexander Buchanan opened up the first one in the then village of Marion, and built the first hearse he used, his wife making the curtains and trimming for it. In the meantime he continued to manufacture furniture, many pieces of which are still to be found in Grant and Wabash Counties. Some of the best known men in the country worked with him notably Isaiah Cox and Daniel Barley, the latter of whom also served as postmaster for many years. In 1851 Alexander Buchanan sold his business to Samuel Whisler and having been elected county sheriff qualified for that office, which he filled for three consecutive terms, was again elected in 1867, serving three years under a new enactment by legislature, retiring from active political life in 1870, but never during life losing interest in the Republican party to which he was a faithful adherent from its birth.
When the first call for three months men to enlist in the war of the Rebellion was made, Mr. Buchanan enlisted as first lieutenant of Company I of the Twelfth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and before taking the field was made its captain, serving his term of enlistment was mustered out, and was prevented from re-enlisting because of loss of his home by fire. At the time of his death, which occurred June 17, 1902, Alexander Buchanan had been for twenty-six years the senior member of the firm of Buchanan & Son, undertakers and marble and granite dealers.
September 9, 1841, Captain Buchanan was married to Miss Julia Ellzroth, daughter of Frederick and Katherine Ellzroth, pioneer settlers of Marion. Mrs. Buchanan passed away in March, 1886. Six children were born to them, namely: Simon Monroe, Harriett, Laura, James Monroe, David and Mary Christfield. Their first born and two younger children died in childhood. The second daughter, Laura, was married to H. C. Hathaway at Richmond, Indiana, December 9, 1869. They are the parents of four children, three of whom are still living.
James Monroe Buchanan was born August 21, 1850, and received his education at Miss Julia Norton's school and the :Old Academy" in Marion and at Stanford Biblical Institute at Sanfordville, New York. during his early manhood he served his father as deputy during his incumbency of office and afterward was associated with him in a general merchandise business until in 1876 he established the business of undertaking and granite and marble dealing, which has descended from grandfather and father to its present owner and proprietor, James Walter Buchanan.
James M. Buchanan was untied in marriage on May 26, 1875, to Mary Thompson, youngest daughter of the late Samuel R. and Martha Thompson, pioneer settlers of Grant County. To them were born two children: Bertha, who married Otis E. Little of Boston, Massachusetts, June 6, 1900; and James Walter, who married Miss Elizabeth Hoobler April 12, 1910. The latter are the parents of a little son, nearly three years of age, the sixth James Buchanan in direct descent, five of whom have lived in that county.
James Monroe Buchanan passed away in the prime of life and usefulness April 1, 1913, aged sixty-two years. It is perhaps given to few men to leave a record of such unblemished character and upright living at home and abroad, wherever the vocation of a busy life called him. A man of broad outlook, generous impulses, tender charity and enduring friendship, few deaths have occasioned such a general sense of loss as has his, and only recently a friend in speaking of him said, "Today as at the time of his death I regard the death of such a man a public calamity, but the influence of such a life will live while memory of him lasts."
At the suggestion of a friend and church brother, is quoted the following tribute read at the first meeting of the official board held after his death, fittingly submitted by Captain J. W. Miles, who for more than a quarter of a century had been a brother trustee with James Buchanan in the Temple Congregational Church, of which they had been members since early manhood, the parents and families of both also being members, while the grandparents of both men had been among its founders: "It is eminently fitting for the official board of the Temple Congregational Church of Marion, of which our late brother James M. Buchanan for many years was an honored member, to give an expression of its sense of loss at his passing from us, and to offer an expression of condolence to his immediate family whose loss is greater than words can express. The members of this board and of the church, as well as all who knew Brother Buchanan, can bear witness to his integrity and his good character as a Christian man and citizen. But it is in the church where his loss will be more keenly felt than anywhere outside of his family. His activity in the church he loved was known to all of us. Her interest and her success were dear to his heart, but his Christian work was not confined to his own church -he was a Christian at work everywhere."
Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914.