James Buchanan Family Papers, Part 1, Papers of James Buchanan, Series 1 Correspondence
Description
The James Buchanan Family Papers, Part 1, Papers of James Buchanan, Series 1 Correspondence, Subseries 1 contains letters to James Buchanan and Subseries 2 contains letters from James Buchanan. Within these subseries, the letters are arranged chronologically, dating from 1819-1868.
This collection contains letters, both to and from James Buchanan. The letters from Buchanan range from the different periods of his life-as a private citizen and lawyer, senator, and ambassador to Russia and Britain; his Presidential term from 1857 to 1861; and his later years until his death in 1868. The earlier letters include details of his travels, political matters and the military, social engagements and responsibilities, his responsibilities as a political figure, and accounts of family chatter and gossip. He also discusses at length, in his letters to and about Harriet Lane, his opinions of whom she should marry, his opinions about her social encounters and interactions, her living situations, and her livelihood. Buchanan also often wrote about his Christian beliefs, especially during the later years of his life. Letters from his later years detail the day-to-day life at home in Wheatland, including some of his guests, his servants, and his illnesses as the end of his life neared.
The letters that are addressed to James Buchanan range in different topics, concerning military affairs, political and legal information, and family chatter. Other letters include details of Buchanan's financial matters that are in reference to loans, Buchanan's investments and purchases, deeds and bonds. There are also a number of thank-you letters and notes of recommendation.
Many of the letters are to his niece, Harriet Lane and nephew, James Buchanan Henry. Other correspondents are H. B. Swarr, Henry A. Muhlenberg, family members, Francis Scott Key, Riggs & Co., James L. Reynolds, and many political colleagues.
Admin/Biographical History
James Buchanan was born on April 23, 1791 to James Buchanan and Elizabeth Speer. He was the second child born out of ten children, and he would go on to outlive all but one of his siblings. Most popularly remembered as Pennsylvania's only President and as a lifelong bachelor, Buchanan committed a lifetime to politics. In 1821, he left his law practice and embarked on his political career after having been voted into the U.S. House of Representatives. He would remain in the House for five consecutive terms before serving as the U.S. Minister to Russia, a Senator in the U.S. Senate, the U.S. Secretary of State, the U.S. Minister to Great Britain, and finally, the 15th President of the United States. He died in his bedchamber at Wheatland at 8:30 AM on June 1, 1868. He was 77 years old. [https://www.lancasterhistory.org/about-wheatland, accessed 10/24/2019]
System of Arrangement
James Buchanan Family Papers, Part 1 Papers of James Buchanan is arranged into six series.
James Buchanan Papers, Dickinson College Archives & Special Collections http://archives.dickinson.edu/collection-descriptions/james-buchanan-papers
James Buchanan and Harriet Lane Johnston Papers, Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/collections/james-buchanan-and-harriet-lane-johnston-papers/
James Buchanan Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, http://www2.hsp.org/collections/manuscripts/b/Buchanan0091.html
James Buchanan Papers, Penn State University Libraries, https://libraries.psu.edu/findingaids/1458.htm
Related Item Notes
James Buchanan Family Papers
James Buchanan Collection (MG0096) https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/lhdo3760
Historical Society of Pennsylvania microfilm
Photograph Collection
Curatorial Collection
Wheatland Collection
Wheatland Mansion
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), Part #, Series #, Box #, Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment. Please contact archives@lancasterhistory.org at least two weeks prior to visit.
Copyright
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Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Description Level
Series
Custodial History
The James Buchanan Family Papers were collected by the James Buchanan Foundation for the Preservation of Wheatland. This collection was relocated from the Wheatland mansion to the LancasterHistory archives in the Spring of 2009.
Digitization of the James Buchanan Family Papers was funded by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, PHMC Appl ID # 201808013051, 2019-2020.
Report of the trial and acquittal of Edward Shippen, Esquire, Chief Justice, and Jasper Yeates and Thomas Smith, Esquires, Assistant Justices, of the Supreme court of Pennsylvania, on an impeachment, before the Senate of the Commonwealth, January, 1805
One of a pair of Empire side chairs (with 2013.008.22) with yellow upholstered seat and cherry wood frame. Elements of entire frame are flat with rounded fronts. Back uprights have slight cyma curve, surmounted by a long, wide concave tablet. Tablet has low relief foliate carved ends while most of face is covered with a panel of mahogany veneer. Tablet extends beyond back uprights. Horizontal splat at center of back is pierced carved with a central rectangle flanked by half-moon carved shells, and is then supported by paired, loosely scrolled lyre-like "legs" that attach to chair posts. Trapezoid slip seat upholstered in an ivory cotton brocade. Front legs have a slight cyma curve.
One of a pair of Empire side chairs (with 2013.008.21) with yellow upholstered seat and cherry wood frame. Elements of entire frame are flat with rounded fronts. Back uprights have slight cyma curve, surmounted by a long, wide concave tablet. Tablet has low relief foliate carved ends while most of face is covered with a panel of mahogany veneer. Tablet extends beyond back uprights. Horizontal splat at center of back is pierced carved with a central rectangle flanked by half-moon carved shells, and is then supported by paired, loosely scrolled lyre-like "legs" that attach to chair posts. Trapezoid seat. Front legs have a slight cyma curve.
Plusieurs tres-bons cases : come ils estoyent adjudgees es trois premiers ans [1624-1627] du raign du feu Roy Charles le Premier en la Court de Bank le Roy, non encore publiees per aucun autre
colligees per le feu scavant & tres-erudite homme Monsieur Jean Latch ... ; avec deux tables parfaits des matieres notables, & nosmes des cases comprises la dedans publiees per Edward Walpoole.
Les reports du treserudite Edmund Anderson, chivalier, nadgairs, seigniour chief justice del Common-Bank : des mults principals cases argues & adjuges en le temps del jadis roign Elizabeth cibien en le Common-Bank come devant touts les juges de cest roialme
second part des reports du treserudite Edmund Anderson
Responsibility
colligees & escries per luy mesme & imprimees per l'original ore remaneant en les maines del imprimeur ; ove deux tables des nosmes des cases & des principal matters conteinus en yceux.
Printed by T.R. for Andrew Crook, Henry Twyford, Gabriel Bedell, Thomas Dring, and John Place, and are to be sold at their shops,
Date of Publication
1664-1665.
Physical Description
2 v. : ports. (engravings) ; 30 cm (fol.)
Notes
The printer's name is Thomas Roycroft. Cf. Wing.
Vol. 1: [12], 354, [36] p.; v. 2: [8], 211, [21] p., [1] leaf of plates.
"Divers cases queux aveign en le Court de gards icy ensua": v. 2, p. 187-211.
Includes index.
Errata: v. 1, p. [35] at end.
LC copy forms part of the Jefferson Exhibit Collection. Bound into 1 v. Imperfect: ports. wanting.
Jasper Yeates's Colonial Law Library.
Yeates's signature at top of title page.
Book number 746 as assigned by Yeates.
Sowerby, E.M. Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson,
English short title catalogue,
Wing, D.G. Short-title catalogue of books printed in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and British America, and of English books printed in other countries, 1641-1700 (2nd ed.),
Les reports de Gulielme Bendloes, serjeant de la ley : des divers resolutions et judgments donne par les reverendes judges de la ley : de certeine matieres en la ley en le temps del raigne de roys et roignes Hen. VIII. Edw. VI. Phil. et Mar. et Elizab. [1530-1627] : avecque autres select cases en la ley adjudges et resolves en le temps del regne de tresillustres roys Jaqves et Charles le Premier : jammais par cy devant imprimee. Ovesq ; un table bien perfaict de matieres notables contenues en les dits reports et cases. Et auxsi un auter table de nosmes del cases contenues en yceaux. Publies en le XIII. au [i.e. an] de treshaut et renosmes Charles le Second
"There is always a gap of forty-eight pages and forty-five years in the middle of this volumes-from p. 41 to p. 89"--Soule's Lawyer's reference manual.
Includes index.
Jasper Yeates's Colonial Law Library.
Yeates signature at top of title page under signature of former owner.
Printed for A. Crooke, W. Leake, A. Roper, F. Tyton, G. Sawbridge, T. Dring, T. Collins, J. Place, W. Place, J. Starkey, T. Basset, R. Pawlet, and S. Heyrick,
Date of Publication
1668.
Physical Description
[14], 940, 836, [8] pages, 1 unnumbered leaf of plates : portrait ; 39 cm (fol.)
Notes
Preface by Sir Matthew Hale. See DNB.
Frontispiece is portrait of author. See DNB.
Numerous errors in paging.
Six pages of hand-written material on front flyleaves.
Handwritten notes throughout both volumes.
Jasper Yeates's Colonial Law Library. of volume 1.
An essay on privateers, captures and particularly on recaptures : according to the laws, treaties, and usages of the maritime powers of Europe : briefly stated according to the modern law of the nations of Europe ... The rights and duties of neutrality
Sistema universale dei principi di diritto marittimo.
Place of Publication
New-York
Publisher
Printed by George Forman ... for I. Riley & Co.,
Date of Publication
1806.
Physical Description
2 v. ; 22 cm (8vo)
Notes
Revision of a work originally published in Italian under title: Sistema universale dei principii del diritto marittimo dell'Europa.
Vol. 1: xxxii, 424 p.; v. 2: viii, 430, [2] p.
Errata: v. 2, p. [1] at end.
Jasper Yeates's Colonial Law Library.
Yeates's signature at top of title page.
Book numbers 809-810 as assigned by Yeates.
Includes bibliographical references.
Sowerby, E.M. Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson,
Shaw, R. American bibliography,
Contents
V. 1. Of the empire of the sea -- Of the territorial sea -- Of the effects of the empire of the territorial sea -- Of the origin and progress of maritime law -- v. 2. Of the rights of belligerent and neutral nations -- Of the freedom of maritime commerce in time of war -- Of the collision between the rights of belligerents and neutrals -- Of the rights of belligerents on the sea and their consequences -- Of various other rights which may be excerised on the sea.
