The James Buchanan Family Papers collection is organized into eight parts: Part 1 Papers of James Buchanan, Part 2 Papers of Harriet Lane Johnston, Part 3 Papers of James Buchanan Henry, Part 4 Papers of Edward Young Buchanan, Part 5 Papers of Other members of the Buchanan Family, Part 6 Papers of Hiram B. Swarr, Part 7 Papers of Jonathan Messersmith Foltz, and Part 8 Papers of Others (Not Part of the Family). The papers are arranged by category within each part.
The correspondence is both professional and personal. The letters provide information about family and social events, business and military affairs, social and political history, health and illnesses, religious beliefs, education, friendships, domestic staff, and Wheatland. Political letters specifically highlight the Democratic Party in the United States in the early to mid-nineteenth century, as well as foreign policy and politics while Buchanan was the ambassador to Russia and England. Personal letters share family, local, regional, and international news between family members and friends.
Financial and legal documents include business papers, property records, estate papers, plans for James Buchanan's tomb, and investments. James Buchanan's 1856 presidential campaign and 1857 inauguration are captured in campaign ephemera, political cartoons, Democratic tickets, invitations to the inaugural ball, newspaper articles, and a political song. Other items in the collection include speeches, ephemera, genealogy, diplomas and certificates, account books, scrapbooks, newspaper articles, invitations, programs, pastoral records, and poetry.
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
The James Buchanan Family Papers collection is arranged in eight parts:
English, French, German, Spanish, Swedish, Latin, Italian
Object ID
JBFP
Associated Material
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
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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Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Some items are photocopies from other collections--researchers must obtain permission for reproduction and publication from the owner of the original material. Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
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Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Description Level
Fonds
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.
Button from 1929 Lancaster County Fireman's Association Convention in LItitz, PA. Printed "9th Convention The Lancaster County Fireman's Ass'n Lititz ,Pa. June 8, 1929." Hole in center bottom of button with a metal wire ring holding a brown metal pretzel (1.5 w x 1.25 h) Plain white paper insert in back of button.
Button from 1936 Fireman's Day. White button with black firetruck in center. Black lettering says "Lancaster County FIremans' Day." Below firetruck" June 6, 1936 Christiana, PA." One inch of 3/4 inch wide red ribbon holds a 1 3/8 long gold colored metal fireman's helmet. Maker's name, Erisman Lanc. Pa., in blue ink on paper insert on back of button.
According to donor's records all buttons were from Fireman's Conventions; Fireman's Day seems to be another name for these conventions.
One of two. Button from 1937 Lancaster County Fireman's Convention. Button with blue ribbon ( 1.5in w x 3.25in L) White background with red text "Hope Fire Engine and Hose Company 125th Anniversary" around a central picture of a fire truck with "1812-1937" beneath it. On dark blue ribbon in silver letters "17th Annual Convention Lancaster County FiIremen's Association Manheim, PA. June 5, 1937_" Stamped silver fringe border at bottom edge.
Two of two. Button from 1937 Lancaster County Fireman's Convention. Button with blue ribbon ( 1.5in w x 3.25in L) White background with red text "Hope Fire Engine and Hose Company 125th Anniversary" around a central picture of a fire truck with "1812-1937" beneath it. On dark blue ribbon in silver letters "17th Annual Convention Lancaster County FiIremen's Association Manheim, PA. June 5, 1937_" Stamped silver fringe border at bottom edge.
Button from 1938 Lancaster County Firemen's Convention. Front of button pictures a lime kiln with "Quarryville, PA" beneath. Around the circumference of the botton, in black letter: "Quarryville Fire Company No 1 Home of the Lime Quarries." On a red robbon (1.625in w x 3.5in L) in gold letters: "18th Annual Convention lanster County Firemen's Association Quarryville PA. June 4, 1938"
Button from the 1939 Lancaster County Firemen's Association Convention
Description
Button from the 1939 Lancaster County Firemen's Association Convention. White button with picture of James Buchanan in center, text below "James Buchanan 1857-1861." Around the tope edge in black letter: "A Lancaster Fireman who became president." In silver letters on a 1.5in wide red ribbon below: " 19th Annual Convention Lancaster County Firemen's Association Lancster, PA. June 3, 1939." Row of printed-on silver tassels along botton edge of ribbon.
Button from the 1941 Lancaster County Firemen's Day. White button with photo reproduction of fire truck in front of "Christiana Fire Co." building. Below the fire: "built 1857." Above photo in back letters: "Lancaster County Firemen's Day." Below: "June 7, 1941 Christiana, PA." Half inch of half inch wide red ribbon holds a 1.375in long god colored metal fireman's helmet.
Button from the 1942 Lancaster County Firemen's Association Convention. White button with blue letters; " 22nd Annual Convention Lancster Co Firemen's Assn. East Petersburg Pennsylvania. June 6 ,1942" Red, white and blue ribbon.
Button from the 1943 Lancaster County Firemen's Association Convention. White button with red, white & clue US flag with 48 stars in center. Above: "Welcome Firemen" Below: "June 5, 1943 Columbia, PA." Half inch wide red ribbon hangs .625 in below, holding a 1.375 in long gold colored metal fireman's helmet.