Collection consists of records of the Grand Army of the Republic and allied organizations. Most papers are from G.A.R. Post 478 (Mount Joy) and Post 84 (Lancaster). Included are minute books, burial records, membership applications, correspondence, national and state G.A.R. orders, encampment information, and Post correspondence. Many records are in book form.
Soldiers and sailors honorably discharged from the Army, Navy or Marine Corps of the U.S. who fought in the cause of the Union from Apr. 12, 1861 to Apr. 9, 1865 were eligible to become members of the Grand Army of the Republic. Allied Orders include: Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, Woman's Relief Corps, Sons of Veterans U.S.A. (later Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War) and their Auxiliary, as well as the Daughters of Veterans (later Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War).
Printed version of the will of James Buchanan directing that his body be interred in the Woodward Hill Cemetery; that all debts (“which are small”) be paid out of the estate; that the furnishings of the house be divided among Harriet L. Johnston, Edward Y. Buchanan and J. Buchanan Henry, with the provision that Esther Parker be given $200 worth of the articles; bequeaths his wearing apparel, gold watch, watch chain and seals to Edward Y. Buchanan; bequeaths $5000 to Esther Parker; bequeaths his two certificates of loan, Nos. 43 and 43 or the sum of $2,000 if the certificates have been disposed of “for the use of poor and indigent females of the city” to be added to the $4,000 already provided; bequeaths $1,000 to the Presbyterian church in Lancaster of which he is a member; directs that all the real estate he owns be sold; directs that the proceeds from the sale of real estate, rents, etc., be distributed as described to his relatives: Harriet Lane Johnston, Edward Y. Buchanan, J. Buchanan Henry, John B. Lane, James B. Lane, Elliott E. Lane; Mary E. Dunham, Maria B. Weaver, Jessie Magaw, James B. Weaver, John Bliss Weaver and Maria Magaw. Codicils bequeath sums of money to Martha J. Lane, William B. Reed (to write his biography), his wife, Mary L. Reed; domestics Peter Hillyer, Mary Smithgall, Lizzie Stoner; and finally, bequeaths the dwelling at Wheatland and all its land of 22 acres to Harriet Lane Johnston. Lancaster. Carbon copy of the will.
James Buchanan Papers, Penn State University Libraries,
https://libraries.psu.edu/findingaids/1458.htm
Related Item Notes
James Buchanan Family Papers
MG-96 James Buchanan Collection
Historical Society of Pennsylvania microfilm
Photograph collections
Curatorial collections
Wheatland Mansion
Notes
May 2020 PastPerfect Conversion
Access Conditions / Restrictions
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Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Accession Number
JBMS1995.336
Other Number
JBFP Part 1, Series 2, Subseries 4, Folder 4
Description Level
Item
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.
