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Collection
Frank R. Diffenderffer Collection
Title
Frank R. Diffenderffer Collection
Object ID
MG0166
Date Range
1738-1920
Content Note: The Frank R. Diffenderffer Collection contains documents collected by Mr. Diffenderffer. These documents are primarily from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and include letters, legal and court papers, indentures, receipts, property and probate records, and financial and military
  1 document  
Collection
Frank R. Diffenderffer Collection
Title
Frank R. Diffenderffer Collection
Description
The Frank R. Diffenderffer Collection contains documents collected by Mr. Diffenderffer. These documents are primarily from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and include letters, legal and court papers, indentures, receipts, property and probate records, and financial and military papers. The people and businesses represented include George Ross, Jasper Yeates, A. Herr Smith, Timothy Matlack, Mount Hope Furnace, and the Lancaster, Elizabethtown & Middletown Turnpike Road Company.
System of Arrangement
Collection retains original arrangement.
Date Range
1738-1920
Year Range From
1738
Year Range To
1920
Date of Accumulation
1738-1920
Creator
Diffenderffer, Frank Ried, 1833-1921
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
Storage Wall
Side 04
People
Adams, John Quincy
Adreas, Agnes
Albright, W.
Anderson, James
Andrews, Jacob W.
Andrews, James P.
Ashbridge, Elizabeth
Ashbridge, J. H.
Ashbridge, Sarah
Ashbridge, Sidney
Atlee, Samuel
Attlee, Samuel
Autstch, Adam
Bare, Martin
Barlow, Thomas
Barnitz, Joseph
Barr, John
Barton, David R.
Barton, W.
Bauer, Adam
Beams, Jacob
Beard, Robert
Bearn, John
Beck, Martha
Beck, Paul
Beck, Samuel
Bender, Leonard
Benezet, Daniel
Benner, Henrich
Berntheisel, Henry
Berry, William
Bickham, F. A.
Bickman, George
Bletz, Jacob
Blumer, Abraham
Bollinger, Esther
Bombarger, Martin
Bomberger, John
Bower, Samuel P.
Bowman, Henry
Bowman, J.
Bowman, Samuel
Bowman, W.
Boyd, James
Boyd, Samuel
Bradford, Samuel J.
Breck, Samuel
Bredenstein, Philip
Brown, David
Brown, Matthew
Brown, William
Broud, Bill
Bruener, G.
Bryan, George
Bryan, George I.
Burd, Edward
Burkholder, E.
Burt, Nathaniel
Caldwell, James
Caldwell, Oliver
Caldwell, Robert
Calhoun, John C.
Cameron, James
Cameron, John
Campbell, Sarah
Carpenter, Abraham
Carpenter, Daniel
Carpenter, Jacob
Carpenter, William
Cather, Robert
Chambers, Stephen
Chambers, W.
Charlton, Thomas
Clark, Brice
Clark, John
Clark, Washington
Clemson, Joseph
Cochran, A.
Cochran, William
Coleman, William
Connor, Kitty
Cookson, Thomas
Cooper, William
Creasy, Solomon
Creasy, Solomon M.
Crone, Robert
Cunningham, Hugh
Cunningham, Thomas
Damant, James
Damisch, Fred
Davis, Zaccheus
Deckert, Jacob
Dederick, Henry
Dering, Henry
Derward, Jonas
Detrick, P.
Dickert, Jacob
Dieterick, Jacob
Diffenderffer, David
Diffenderffer, Frank Ried
Diffenderffer, Harold F.
Diffenderfer, Michael
Diffenderfer, Philip
Diller, Peter
Doerses, Frederick
Dougherty, William
Douglass, George
Douglass, James
Doyle, Thomas
Dryer, Andrew
Dubbs, Joseph H.
Duck, Geotge
Duncan, Daniel
Eagen, James
Eagen, Thomas
Eberman, John
Eberman, Philip
Eckert, George
Eckman, John
Eftwein, Johannes
Eichholtz, H.
Eichholtz, Leonard
Eliot, Daniel
Emanuel, John
Ench, Jacob
Espy, George R.
Evans, Frances
Evans, Isaac
Evans, James C.
Evans, Samuel
Ewing, John
Faghterin, Mary
Fahnestock, Samuel
Fehl, Andrew
Feltman, George
Ferree, Conrad
Ferree, Polly
Fissel, Michael
Flowers, Christian
Foltz, Bernard
Fordney, Casper
Fouts, Martin
Franklin, Thomas
Franklin, Thomas E.
Franklin W. B.
Frantz, Phil
Frey, J.
Fultz, John
Galbraith, Bertram
Galloway, Joseph
Geddis, Samuel
Gibble, L. W.
Gibbons, William
Gildersleve, Jonathan H.
Gildersleve Sarah
Gill, Deborah
Gill, Eramus
Gill, James
Gill, Matthew
Givler, Mary
Golden, Jeffery
Graass, Jacob
Graeff, Matthias
Graeff, W.
Graff, Benjamin
Graff, Henry
Graff, Jacob
Gratz, Hyman
Groff, Abraham
Groff, David
Groff, Isaac
Gross, Michael
Grove, Abraham
Grubb, Baird
Grubb, Curtis
Grubb, Henry
Habacker, George
Habacker, Wager
Hartz, John
Hake, Elizabeth
Hake, Jacob
Hale, Charles
Hambright, Henry
Hamilton, James
Hamilton, William
Hand, Edward
Hart, Elizabeth
Hartand, John
Hartmyer, Frederick
Haton, James
Hatz, John
Hayn, Christopher
Hehl, Matthew
Henderson, Mary
Henry, Christopher
Henry, Elizabeth
Henry, Joseph
Henry, Josiah
Henry, John Joseph
Henry, Mary
Herr, Christian
Hensel, William Uhler
Hibshman, Henry
Hoff, John
Hoofnagle, P.
Hoover, Jacob
Host, Catharine
Host, Michael
Howell, William H.
Howell, William Wilson
Huber, J.
Huber, John
Hubley, Adam
Hubley, John
Hubley, Joseph
Hubley, M.
Hubner, Nathanael
Huston, Alex
Hutchinson, E.
Jacks, James
Jenkins, Ron
Johns, Elizabeth
Johns, Jacob
Johns, Paul
Johnston, Sam
Jones, John
Jones, Owen
Jones, Paul T.
Jordan, J.
Kauffman, Abraham
Kauffman, Joseph
Kehler, Andrew
Kelly, Joseph P.
Kelly, William
Kenedy, John
Kittera, John Wilkes
Kittera, Thomas
Kline, David
Kline, George
Kline, Michael
Kling, M.
Konigmaker, James
Krebil, John
Krieg, Philip
Krug, Edward
Krug, H. V.
Krug, Jacob
Krug, Valentine
Kuhn, Frederick
Kuhn, Jacob
Lanck, Jacob
Landes, John
Lauman, Ludwig
Lechler, John
Leman, H. E.
Lewis, Abraham
Lewis, Ellis
Liews, Eliza
Lightner, Nathaniel
Likens, James
Lind, John
Long, Charles E.
Long, Jacob
Longenecker, David
Lowery, Alexander
Lowery, Lazarus
Lowman, Ludwig
Lutz, Peter
Lynch, Thomas
MacGonigle, Jonathan T.
MacGregor, John
MacGregor, Peter
Machold, Lewis Frederick
Marshall, Christopher
Matlack, Timothy
Mattes, George
Mauer, Peter
Maus, Peter
Mayer, John
Mayer, Lewis
McGown, William
McClure, David
McClure, Randle
McKim, James
McKinney, Mordecai
Mease, James
Mease, John
Mercer, John Q.
Messersmith, George
Metzer, Jonas
Metzer, Norman
Miller, David
Miller, Harry
Miller, Henry
Miller, James
Miller, John
Miller, T. H.
Minnich, Lizzie
Mohler, Henry
Montgomery, Jane
Montgomery, S. H.
Moore, James
Moore, John
Musser, John
Myer, John
Myer, John P.
Myer, Josephine
Myers, Christian
Myers, Eckert
Myers, Henry
Myers, Jacob
Myers, John
Myers, Joseph
Myers, Josephine
Myers, S. H.
Myers, Sidney
Muhlenberg, F. A.
Muhlenberg, G. H. E.
Muhlenberg, Henry
Muhlenberg, Henry A.
Munster, Paul
Nager, Ben Willis
Nagle, John
Neal, John
Nees, Adam
Neisser, G. Br.
Nelson, William
Nicholson, John
Norgrave, H.
Odonel, Charles
Old, James
Parvin, Francis
Passmore, John
Patton, James
Pendleton, George H.
Pennypacker, Samuel W.
Penrose, Clement
Petersby, Richard
Physick, Edmund
Pine, Michael
Pohlman, Abraham
Price, Eli K.
Purviance, Samuel
Ralston, Robert
Ramsay, Catharine
Ramsay, David
Ramsay, James
Ramsay, Nathaniel
Ramsay, William
Randall, Samuel
Rank, Samuel
Redsecker, Jacob
Reed, E. L.
Reed, George
Reedly, George
Reedly, John
Reigart, Adam
Reigart, Emanuel
Reigart, Jacob
Riche, Thomas
Rieger, Ann
Rohrer, John
Ross, George
Ross, James
Roth, Jacob
Schaum, Philip
Scheaffer, John
Schnierer, John, Mrs.
Schweinhaupt, Br.
Sell, Henry
Seward, Hugh
Shafer, John
Shaffer, Jacob
Sharer, David
Shearer, Jacob
Sheef, William
Sheldon, William
Shippen, Edward
Shireman, Jacob
Shol, Peter
Shware, Peter
Simon, Joseph
Simon, William
Sindersmith, S. V.
Singer, Casper
Singer, Emanuel
Skiles, William
Slaugher, Hiram
Slaymaker, Amos
Slaymaker, Henry
Slough, Matthias
Smith, A. Herr
Smith, Eliza
Smith, Joanna
Smith, Thomas
Smith, William
Snapp, Samuel
Solomon, Myer
Spencer, S. S.
Sprecher, Frank L.
Stauffer, Henry
Stedman, Alex
Stedman, Charles
Steinert, Christian
Steinman, Charles
Steinman, Frederick
Steinman, George
Steinman, John F.
Stevens, R. S.
Stevenson, George
Stone, John
Stoneman, Tobias
Stones, John
Stuart, Robert
Swan, John G.
Swain, R.
Swentzel, H. Y.
Swift, Joseph
Tanger, David R.
Titball, Joseph
Trimble, James
Trissler, John
Trissler, Joseph David
Turner, Ambrose
Turner, Catharine
Wagen, Philip
Walk, Deetrick
Walker, John
Wallace, John
Wallace, William
Warden, M.
Warfel, John
Washington, Samuel
Watson, David
Webb, James
Weber, Adam
Wegman, Mary
Weitzel, George
Wenger, Roland
Werner, Jacob
Wertsburger, Henry
West, William
Wetherill, Samuel P.
White, George
White, T.
Whitaker, George
Wildred, Daniel
Williams, Evans P.
Williams, John
Wistar, Thomas
Witlow, Hugh
Witman, John
Witman, Michael
Witmer, Abraham
Witmer, Benjamin
Witmer, David
Witmer, Henry
Wolford, Ludwig
Wood, George
Work, Joseph
Wright, James
Wright, John
Wright, S. W.
Yaner, Jacob
Yeates, Jasper
Yeates, John
Young, Henry
Young, Mattias
Zahm, Godfrey
Zantzinger, Adam
Zantzinger, Ester
Zeigler, George
Zimmer, Henry
Subjects
Bonds
Business records
Certificates
Court records
Finance, Personal
Invoices
Letters
Lotteries
Minutes (Records)
Probate records
Receipts (Acknowledgments)
Schools
Stocks
Search Terms
Accounts
African Methodist Episcopal Church
Armor's Old Bookstore
Articles of agreement
Beaver Creek
Black Horse Farm
Bonds
Business records
Certificates
Charles E. Wentz and Bros.
Christ Lutheran Church
Cocalico Creek
Conestoga Steam Mills
Constables
Correspondence
Court records
Farmers Bank of Lancaster
Farmer's Hay and Straw Market Association
Finance, Personal
Finding aids
Franklin Savings and Building Association
Grosh and Levering
Hamilton Lots
Indentures
Indian Queen Hotel
Invoices
Lancaster Cemetery
Lancaster County Agricultural Park
Lancaster County Historical Society
Lancaster, Elizabethtown and Middletown Turnpike Company
Letters
Lotteries
Manuscript groups
McDowell's Mill
Minutes
Mount Hope Furnace
Northern Central Railway Company
Pennsylvania Council
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company
Probate records
Protestant Episcopal Church
Receipts
Sam Wetherill and Sons
Schools
Shaffner and Ziegler
St. James Episcopal Church
Steinman and Son
Stocks
Trinity Lutheran Church
W. Kirkpatrick and Company
Zahm and Jackson Jewelers
Extent
1 box, 27 folders, 1 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0166
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Notes
Preferred Citation: Frank R. Diffenderfer Collection (MG0166), Folder #, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Accession Number
1964.013
Other Numbers
MG-166
Classification
MG0166
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
This collection was cataloged prior to 1997. Added to database 23 September 2021.
Accession # L64-13
Documents
Less detail
Collection
Black History Collection
Title
Black History Collection, Series 1
Object ID
MG0240_Ser01
Date Range
1780-1834
Collection
Black History Collection
Title
Black History Collection, Series 1
Description
Series 1, Register of enslaved women and their children who were born after 1780, is a compilation of papers filed by holders of enslaved persons that show date; name and place of residence of slaveholder; name of mother (usually an enslaved person) and child; date of birth; sex of child; age when the child will be freed; official seal and signatures; and date when filed.
Date Range
1780-1834
Year Range From
1780
Year Range To
1834
Date of Accumulation
1780-1834
Creator
LancasterHistory (Organization)
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
Storage Wall
Side 06
People
Anderson, James
Atchinson, John
Baker, John H.
Barton, William
Bayly, James
Bigham, William
Black, Aaron
Boggs, Alexander
Boyd, William
Breading, David
Caldwell, Andrew
Carpenter, Samuel
Clark, Bryce
Clemson, James
Conkle, William
Cook, James
Cooke, Samuel
Crawford, James
Cunningham, Janett
Currin, James
Davis, Edward
Dewers, Thomas
Edwards, Susanna
Edwards, Thomas
Evans, James
Evans, John
Evans, Mrs. Frances
Ewing, John
Fordney, William B.
Franklin, Benjamin
Frazier, Phebe
Galbraith, Bertram Gillespie
Gale, Anthony
Gamble, James
Gibbons, Daniel
Brubaker, Marianna Gibbons
Gibson, William
Givens, Joseph
Graves, B.
Grubb, Peter
Harrison, Thomas
Haydon, George
Heaton, Jeremiah
Henderson, Archibald
Henry, William
Hubley, John
Hudson, Edward
Jacobs, Cyrus
Jenkins, John Carmichael
Johnson, Henry
Johnston, John
King, Robert
Leman, Christian
Lockhart, Josiah
Long, Stephen
Lownes, Caleb
Martin, James
Maxwell, Robert
McCally, James
McCamant, Isaac
McClure, William
McIntire, William
McLaughlin, George
Michener, James B.
Middleton, Anne
Middleton, John
Miller, John
Moore, Zachary
Neal, Thomas
Neel, Thomas
Nicholas, Michael
Old, James
Oldden, John
Patterson, James
Peden, Hugh
Porter, Andrew
Porter, William
Potts, David
Ramsey, Elizabeth
Reigert, Christopher
Ross, George
Samson, George W.
Sanderson, George
Scott, Alexander
Sewell, Charles S.
Skiles, Henry
Slaymaker, Amos
Smith, Joseph
Smith, Margaret
Smith, William
Spear, Robert
Steel, William
Stevens, Thaddeus
Thomas, Mary B.
Walker, Isaac
Wallace, Robert
Watson, John
Weld, Theodore D.
Whitehill, James
Wilson, Samuel
Work, Joseph
Yeates, James
Zantzinger, Paul
Other Creators
Pennsylvania. Court of Quarter Sessions (Lancaster County)
Subjects
African Americans--History
Slaveholders--Pennsylvania--Lancaster County
Slavery--Pennsylvania--Lancaster County
Search Terms
Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery
Court of Quarter Sessions
Enslaved persons
Finding aids
Labels
Manuscript groups
Persons of color
Slaveholders
Slavery
Extent
17 folders, 89 items, 648 pages to scan, .25 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0240_Ser01
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Related Item Notes
Copies of MG0240, Series 1, Folders 1-9 are also on microfilm in the Research Center Library (Drawer 3, sec. 2, #206) and bound (326 R294p Oversized)
Black History Collection (MG0240) https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/2b3d42c6-a313-4ebc-966f-516114048136
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Black History Collection (MG0240), Object ID, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL. Date accessed (day, month, year).
LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, these items reflect the racial prejudices and actions of the era. In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment--contact research@lancasterhistory.org prior to visit. Restricted access for the Mayor's Register of Coloured Persons found in Series 2, Folder 2: Use transcript in Folder 3 or microfilm.
Copyright
Images have been provided for research purposes. Please contact research@lancasterhistory.org for a high-resolution image and permission to publish. There is no fee for publication of items in MG0240_Ser01.
Credit
Courtesy of Lancaster County Archives and LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-240, Series 1
Classification
MG0240
Description Level
Series
Custodial History
Processed prior to 1997 and updated from 2007-present. Added to database on 10 January 2022.
Digitization of this document was funded by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, PHMC Appl ID # 202010016624, 2020-2023.
Less detail
Collection
James Buchanan Collection
Title
James Buchanan Collection
Object ID
MG0096
Date Range
1816-present
  1 document  
Collection
James Buchanan Collection
Title
James Buchanan Collection
Description
The James Buchanan Collection, 1816-present, contains material that pertains to the life and legacy of James Buchanan and his Lancaster home, Wheatland. The collection includes correspondence of James Buchanan and letters written by his niece, Harriet Lane Johnston. Newspaper articles discuss Buchanan's life and Wheatland, tell the story of Buchanan's romance with Ann Coleman, and report on commemorative events. Legal and personal business are represented by deeds, financial matters, and Buchanan's probate records.
Political papers include the Presidential appointment of Buchanan as Minister to Russia, certification to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate, and a series of letters regarding the Atlantic slave trade in 1819 and Liberia in 1858. In letters, Buchanan outlined his reasons for not wanting to run for Governor, wrote about the confidence bestowed on him by the Democratic Party, and established a fund for the city of Lancaster to purchase wood and coal for poor women during the winter. After the Crimean War, Buchanan wrote to the ambassador to the United Kingdom and observed that Russia seemed to be intent on recovering its military prestige and had made vast naval preparations.
There is an assortment of ephemera, such as programs for memorial celebrations, material related to John Updike's play Buchanan Dying, commemorative stamps, sheet music, and invitations. Souvenir pamphlets from Wheatland provide history about Buchanan's home and the museum. Speeches range from those given by Buchanan to several that honor his life and Presidency. A scrapbook describes the establishment of Wheatland as a museum and contains newspaper articles about archaeology on the site in 1948.
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.
Date Range
1816-present
Creation Date
1816-present
Year Range From
1816
Creator
LancasterHistory (Organization)
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
Storage Wall
Side 03
People
Buchanan, James
Johnston, Harriet Lane
Other Creators
Buchanan, James (1791-1868)
Subjects
Ambassadors
Historic houses
Legal documents
Legislators--United States
Letters
Memorials
Monuments
Personal correspondence
Presidents--United States
Russia
Slavery
Statues
Wheatland (Lancaster, Pa.)
Search Terms
Ambassadors
Buchanan Collections
Historic houses
James Buchanan
James Buchanan Presidential Library
Legal documents
Letters
Memorials
Monuments
Correspondence, Personal
Presidents
Russia
Senators, United States
Slavery
Statues
Wheatland
Extent
2 boxes, 80 folders, 1 scrapbook, 1 oversized item, 4 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0096
Location of Originals
Location of originals is noted when known.
Newspaper articles were preserved as photocopies.
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 (JBFP)
Historical Society of Pennsylvania microfilm in the LancasterHistory Research Library
LancasterHistory Library collection
Photograph collection
Curatorial 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
Images have been provided for research purposes only.
LancasterHistory retains the rights to the digital images and content presented. The doctrine of fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder. Fair use includes comment, criticism, teaching, and private scholarship. Any images and data downloaded, printed or photocopied for these purposes should provide a citation. All other uses beyond those allowed by fair use require written permission.
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.
To make a request, please contact archives@lancasterhistory.org for a high-resolution image and permission to publish.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Classification
MG0096
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Digitization of the James Buchanan Collection was funded by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, PHMC Appl ID # 201808013051, 2019-2020.
James Buchanan and Wheatland Scrapbook, February 1936-May
1948 was cataloged as part of a project funded by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, ME60112, 2007-2008.
Documents
Less detail
Collection
James Buchanan Family Papers
Title
James Buchanan Family Papers, Part 8 Papers of Others (Not Part of the Family), Series 2 Financial and Legal Documents
Object ID
JBFP Part 8 Series 2
  1 document  
Collection
James Buchanan Family Papers
Title
James Buchanan Family Papers, Part 8 Papers of Others (Not Part of the Family), Series 2 Financial and Legal Documents
Description
James Buchanan Family Papers, Part 8 Papers of Others (Not Part of the Family), Series 2 contains financial and legal documents. Series 2 includes financial and legal documents within three subseries. Subseries 1 has bills, receipts, ledgers and accounts. Subseries 2 has deeds and land records. Subseries 3 has legal papers.
The financial and legal documents are arranged chronologically, spanning almost 100 years, from 1770 through 1866. The bulk of the items, dated between 1784 and 1790, are promissory notes, receipts of payment and rental slips. There is a large gap between 1790 and 1849. The items from the 1800s include bills of sale, accounts and receipts. The deeds and land records include one hand-drawn survey for an unknown location (1858) and a title report for property in Warren County, New York (1865). The legal papers include documents filed with the courts, transcriptions of a legislative act from Maryland, notes, purchase contract, as well as two foreign documents, possibly a German enlistment record and a Swedish passport, both for Eugene Francois Theodore de la Croix.
Admin/Biographical History
The origination of many of the items contained in this part of the collection are unknown. It is also unclear of the relationship they have with James Buchanan. In the first subseries, there are two names that reappear often from 1770 to 1790, Daniel McCausland and James Crawford. All of these items are either promissory notes, receipts of payment of loans or letters from Daniel to James requesting that he pay a certain sum to the bearer of the note and the reverse would show the receipt of payment of that loan. There is some mention of a Revolutionary War Colonel James Crawford from Lancaster and Daniel addresses one of the notes to "Col. Crawford" so this may be the same individual. (See 8.2.1.001) There is a gap in the receipts and promissory notes from 1790 to 1849. This is also where we see the money on the documents change from pounds and shillings to dollars and cents. There is a bill of sale of the Lancaster Intelligencer newspaper from Edwin W. Hutter by a S. Boyd Hamilton in July 1849, as well as some follow up correspondence regarding that sale. However, in an article published in the Intelligencer on August 7, 1849, Mr. Hutter states that his successor is Captain George Sanderson of Carlisle, Pennsylvania (Lancaster Intelligencer, August 7, 1849, p. 2), which is confirmed in the December 4, 1849 edition which names the editor as "Geo. Sanderson (Lancaster Intelligencer, December 4, 1849, p. 1). The name McCausland reappears in the next subseries for legal papers, however, it is not a William McCausland, Jr. This is in reference to a law suit he filed against James Crawford and William McCausland for money due to him in outstanding rents and profits. There is a deposition notice addressed to "Col. Crawford" so it is likely to be the same James Crawford who had business dealings with Daniel McCausland.
An interesting piece in this subseries is a large transcript of the Court Papers filed in the action by the stockholders of the Marietta & Susquehanna Trading Company against five of their Trustees. The Trustees were entrusted to resolve the company and collect all outstanding debts. However due to a robbery at the bank wherein all of the notes were stolen, they were unable to collect any of the debts. The background of this case is illustrated in Francis Lyman's A Mysterious Bank Robbery (LCHSR 905.748 HSP v. 94, p. 384-385), where it is alleged that one of the Trustees/Defendants, Jacob Grosh, committed the crime. The remaining items are random and vague in the origination and contextual relationship.
1 Ellis, F & Evans, S. (1883). History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Everetts & Peck. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=WsQxAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA52&dq=%22James+Crawford%22+Lancaster,+PA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDkQ6AEwBWoVChMIhPb155rHyAIVAV0eCh2FDgt6#v=onepage&q=%22James%20Crawford%22%20Lancaster%2C%20PA&f=false
System of Arrangement
JBFP Part 8 Series 2 Financial and Legal Documents
Subseries 1 Bills, Receipts, Ledgers, Accounts
Subseries 2 Deeds and Land Records
Subseries 3 Legal Papers
Year Range From
1770
Year Range To
1866
Creator
James Buchanan Foundation for the Preservation of Wheatland (Lancaster, Pa.)
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
People
Buchanan, James
Cameron, Simon
Curtis, George Ticknor
Drayton, John Grimke
Foltz, Jonathan Messersmith
Foster, Stephen Collins
Foster, Morrison
Johnston, Harriet Lane
Muhlenberg, Henry Augustus
Subjects
Letters
Wheatland (Lancaster, Pa.)
Personal correspondence
Search Terms
Correspondence, Personal
Letters
Wheatland
Finding aids
Manuscript groups
Buchanan Collections
James Buchanan Presidential Library
Extent
1 box, 36 folders, 39 items, .5 cubic feet
Object Name
Archive
Language
English, German, Swedish
Object ID
JBFP Part 8 Series 2
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
Archives of Maryland Online. Session Laws 1862. (Vol 532. Pg. 267). Retrieved from: http://aomol.msa.maryland.gov/000001/000532/html/am532--267.html
Related Item Notes
James Buchanan Family Papers
James Buchanan Collection, MG0096
Historical Society of Pennsylvania microfilm
Photograph collections
Curatorial collections
Wheatland Mansion
Charles S. Foltz, Surgeon of the Seas: The Adventurous Life of Surgeon General Jonathan M. Foltz In the Days of Wooden Ships, Told from His Notes of the Moment. Indianapolis, IN: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1931. Call # 923.5 F671f
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
Images have been provided for research purposes only.
LancasterHistory retains the rights to the digital images and content presented. The doctrine of fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder. Fair use includes comment, criticism, teaching, and private scholarship. Any images and data downloaded, printed or photocopied for these purposes should provide a citation. All other uses beyond those allowed by fair use require written permission.
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.
Please contact archives@lancasterhistory.org for a high-resolution image and permission to publish.
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.
Documents
Less detail
Collection
Black History Collection
Title
Black History Collection
Object ID
MG0240
Date Range
1780-1984
Collection
Black History Collection
Title
Black History Collection
Description
This collection contains papers and local government records related to Black history in Lancaster County, including an index to Lancaster County's register of enslaved persons, Mayor's Register of Coloured Persons or Negro Entry Book, and a biographical account of Rev. James William Charles Pennington. There are official records for enslaved persons and their children in Lancaster County, as well as freemen within Lancaster City. The collection also contains a manumission paper from the state of Virginia, a certificate for free persons of color, and letters from anit-slavery societies.
System of Arrangement
Series 1 consists of the "Slave Registers," official county records registering enslaved women and their children after 1780.
Series 2 contains the "Mayor's Register of Coloured Persons," a manumission paper, correspondence, and other records.
Date Range
1780-1984
Year Range From
1780
Year Range To
1984
Date of Accumulation
1780-1984
Creator
LancasterHistory (Organization)
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
Storage Wall
Side 06
People
Allen, Richard
Anderson, George L.
Anderson, James
Anderson, Mildred
Atchinson, John
Bacon, Izard
Bailey, Bessie
Bailey, Charles
Baker, John H.
Ball, James H.
Barber, Florence
Barton, William
Bayly, James
Beaubian, Beulah
Beaubian, Charles S.
Bigham, William
Black, Aaron
Blonden, Louisa
Boggs, Alexander
Book, Anna H.
Book, Simon
Boyd, William
Bradley, Daniel
Breading, David
Bridgett, Alexander
Broadnax, Joseph
Brown, E. D.
Brown, Ernest
Brown, H. H.
Brubaker, Jack
Cain, Annie
Cain, Jennie
Cain, John
Cain, Louisa
Caldwell, Andrew
Carpenter, Samuel
Carter, John C.
Carter, John W.
Carter, Laura
Carter, Nettie
Clark, Bryce
Clark, Josephine
Clark, Russia
Clark, Ruth
Clemson, James
Cohn, Jason
Conkle, William
Cook, James
Cooke, Samuel
Cooper, Bella
Craig, Mary
Craig, Samuel
Crawford, James
Cunningham, Janett
Currin, James
Davis, Edward
Davis, Emily
Davis, Robert
Dewers, Thomas
Dorsey, Steven
Edwards, Mary
Edwards, Susanna
Edwards, Thomas
Edwards, Thomas L.
Evans, James
Evans, John
Evans, Frances
Ewing, John
Fordney, William B.
Foster, Carrie
Foster, Daniel
Franklin, Benjamin
Frazier, Phebe
Galbraith, Bertram Gillespie
Gale, Anthony
Gamble, James
George, H. E., Mrs.
George, Harriet
Gibbons, Daniel
Brubaker, Marianna Gibbons
Gibson, William
Givens, Joseph
Goins, Dora
Graves, B.
Green, Annie
Green, Charles
Green, Cora
Green, Jane
Green, Mary A.
Grubb, Peter
Hardy, Laura
Harrison, Thomas
Haydon, George
Hayes, Hannah
Hayes, O. H.
Heard, William Henry
Heaton, Jeremiah
Henderson, Archibald
Henry, Ella
Henry, Mary
Henry, William
Hill, Emily
Hill, Harriet
Hood, Solomon Porter
Hopkins, Ada
Hopkins, Sadie
Hopkins, Stanton
Hubley, John
Hudson, Edward
Hunter, Mabel
Hunter, Rosie
Hurdle, Emma
Hurdle, James
Jacks, James
Jackson, Florence
Jackson, Letitia
Jackson, Rebecca
Jacobs, Cyrus
Jenkins, John Carmichael
Johnson, Chester A.
Johnson, Estella Book
Johnson, Florence
Johnson, Henry
Johnston, John
Kelley, Calvin
Kelley, David
Keyes, Emma
King, Robert
La Barre, John
Leman, Christian
Link, John Lewis
Lockhart, Josiah
Long, Stephen
Lownes, Caleb
Lynch, Dora
MacNeal, William
Martin, James
Mason, Alice
Maxwell, Robert
McCally, James
McCamant, Isaac
McClure, William
McIntire, William
McLaughlin, George
Michener, James B.
Middleton, Anne
Middleton, John
Miller, John
Mitchell, Blanche
Moore, Martha
Moore, Zachary
Morrison, J. S.
Morrison, J. S., Mrs.
Moton, Charles
Murray, Clara P.
Neal, Thomas
Neel, Thomas
Nicholas, Michael
Nickumn, Theresa
Old, James
Oldden, John
Palmer, John M.
Patterson, James
Payne, Benedine
Peden, Hugh
Pembroke, Stephen
Pennington, James William Charles
Polite, Abraham L.
Polite, Blanche
Porter, Andrew
Porter, William
Potts, David
Price, J. C.
Ramsey, Elizabeth
Reigert, Christopher
Richardson, Ella M.
Robinson, Sara
Rosenthal, Isidore
Ross, George
Samson, George W.
Sanderson, George
Scott, Alexander
Sewell, Charles S.
Shissler, Simon
Shorter, George
Skiles, Henry
Slaymaker, Amos
Smith, Joseph
Smith, Margaret
Smith, William
Snow, Josephine
Spear, Robert
Spraggan, R. F.
Steel, William
Stevens, Thaddeus
Stewart, J. O.
Tall, Rebecca
Thomas, Mary B.
Thomas, Virginia
Thornton, Elizabeth
Toney, Joseph M.
Trout, Henry Leightner "Harry"
Tryman, Mary
Turner, Ruth
Walker, Isaac
Wallace, Robert
Waters, Ruth
Watson, John
Webster, Frank T. M.
Weld, Theodore D.
Whitehill, James
William, Ella
Williams, Mary
Wilson, Albert E., Sr.
Wilson, Edith
Wilson, Helen
Wilson, Laura
Wilson, Maude
Wilson, Samuel
Winston, Charity
Winston, William
Witcher, W. E.
Wolford, Edward
Woods, Elizabeth
Work, Joseph
Yeates, James
Zantzinger, Paul
Other Creators
Pennsylvania. Court of Quarter Sessions (Lancaster County)
Subjects
African Americans--History
Free Black people
Freedmen
Slaveholders--Pennsylvania--Lancaster County
Slavery--Pennsylvania--Lancaster County
Search Terms
Certificates
Court of Quarter Sessions
Enslaved persons
Finding aids
Free persons of color
Freedmen
Manuscript groups
Persons of color
Slaveholders
Slavery
Extent
1 box, 33 folders, 128 items, 1,178 pages to scan, .5 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0240
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Related Item Notes
Black History Collection (MG0240) https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/2b3d42c6-a313-4ebc-966f-516114048136
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Black History Collection (MG0240), Object ID, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL. Date accessed (day, month, year).
LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, this collection reflects the racial prejudices and actions of the era. In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment--contact research@lancasterhistory.org prior to visit. Restricted access for the Mayor's Register of Coloured Persons found in Series 2, Folder 2: Use transcript in Folder 3 or microfilm.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-240
Classification
MG0240
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
The collection was formerly called "The Slave Records of Lancaster County Collection." Name changed to "African American Records Collection" and arrangement changed on 13 June 2007. Name changed again in 2022 to "Black History Collection."
Added to database on 19 July 2017.
Less detail
Collection
Samuel R. Slaymaker II, White Chimneys Collection, Series 2
Title
Samuel R. Slaymaker II, White Chimneys Collection, Series 2
Object ID
MG0268_S02
Date Range
1759-1928
  1 document  
Collection
Samuel R. Slaymaker II, White Chimneys Collection, Series 2
Title
Samuel R. Slaymaker II, White Chimneys Collection, Series 2
Description
The Samuel R. Slaymaker II, White Chimneys Collection, Series 2 was carefully curated by Mr. Slaymaker and contains papers dating from the mid-eighteenth century to the early twentieth century. This series is primarily composed of correspondence related to business, railroads, legal affairs, and personal matters. The personal letters are rich in details of social history and genealogy. Legal documents include estate papers for the Fleming, Slaymaker, Leech, and Boyd families. The remaining documents include land surveys, receipts, tickets, accounts, bonds, and wills.
System of Arrangement
The Samuel R. Slaymaker II, White Chimneys Collection is divided into six series according to the original order; Series 1, 2 and 4 have been cataloged and are available for research.
Series 1 Trunk: SRS I and Minnie
Series 2 Document Boxes
Series 3 Family Papers
Series 4 Museum Cases and Metal Box
Series 5 Slaymaker Lock Company Records
Series 6 Papers of Samuel R. Slaymaker II
Date Range
1759-1928
Year Range From
1759
Year Range To
1928
Date of Accumulation
1759-1928
Creator
Slaymaker, Samuel Redsecker, 1923-1989
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
Storage Wall
Side 07
People
Slaymaker, Amos
Slaymaker, Henry Fleming
Slaymaker, Minnie Louise Cohr
Slaymaker, Samuel Cochran, 1828-1894
Slaymaker, Samuel Redsecker
Other Creators
Slaymaker family
Subjects
African Americans--History
Business records
Court records
Deeds
Family records
Invitation cards
Legal documents
Letters
Postmasters
Railroads--Pennsylvania
Railroads--Records and correspondence
Real property surveys--Pennsylvania
Kinzers (Pa.)
Lancaster County (Pa.)
Salisbury (Lancaster County, Pa. : Township)
Search Terms
Accounts
Business records
Columbia Store
Correspondence
Court records
Deeds
Enslaved persons
Family records
Finding aids
Invitations
Kinzers, Paradise Twp.
Legal documents
Letters
Manuscript groups
Persons of color
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company
Postmasters
Railroads
Railroads, Records and correspondence
Reading and Chesapeake Railroad
Reading and Columbia Railroad Company
Reading, Lancaster and Baltimore Railroad
Real property surveys
Receipts
Salisbury Twp.
White Chimneys
Wilmington and Reading Railroad
Extent
7 boxes, 113 folders, 3.5 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0268_S02
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Related Item Notes
See also Photograph and Object Collections
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), Series #, Box #, Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Restrictions are noted at the item level.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org. Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-268, Series 2
Classification
MG0268
Description Level
Series
Custodial History
Added to database 8 August 2022.
Much of this series was microfilmed by the Pennsylvania State Archives. The microfilmed items are noted within the finding aid and the microfilm is available in LancasterHistory's Research Center.
Documents
Less detail
Collection
James Buchanan Family Papers
Title
James Buchanan Family Papers, Part 1, Papers of James Buchanan, Series 1 Correspondence
Object ID
JBFP_Part01_Series01
Date Range
1819-1868
  1 document  
Collection
James Buchanan Family Papers
Title
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.
Series 1 Correspondence
Subseries 1 Letters from James Buchanan
Subseries 2 Letters to James Buchanan
Series 2 Financial and Legal Documents
Series 3 Campaign and Inaugural Materials
Series 4 Speeches and Writings
Series 5 Ephemera
Series 6 Miscellaneous Materials
Date Range
1819-1868
Creation Date
1819-1868
Year Range From
1819
Year Range To
1868
Creator
Buchanan, James, 1791-1868
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
People
Buchanan, Edward Young
Buchanan, James
Foltz, Jonathan Messersmith
Henry, James Buchanan
Johnston, Harriet Lane
Swarr, Hiram Behm
Other Creators
James Buchanan Foundation for the Preservation of Wheatland (Lancaster, Pa.)
Subjects
Letters
Personal correspondence
Search Terms
Buchanan Collections
Correspondence, Personal
Harriet Lane Johnston
James Buchanan
James Buchanan Presidential Library
Letters
Extent
4 boxes, 365 folders, 2 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English, French
Object ID
JBFP_Part01_Series01
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
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
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
Images have been provided for research purposes only.
LancasterHistory retains the rights to the digital images and content presented. The doctrine of fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder. Fair use includes comment, criticism, teaching, and private scholarship. Any images and data downloaded, printed or photocopied for these purposes should provide a citation. All other uses beyond those allowed by fair use require written permission.
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.
Please contact archives@lancasterhistory.org for a high-resolution image and permission to publish.
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.
Documents
Less detail
Collection
James Buchanan Family Papers
Title
James Buchanan Family Papers, Part 1 Papers of James Buchanan, Series 1 Correspondence
Object ID
JBFP Part 1 Series 1
  1 document  
Collection
James Buchanan Family Papers
Title
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
JBFP Part 1 Series 1 Correspondence
Subseries 1 Letters from James Buchanan
Subseries 2 Letters to James Buchanan
Year Range From
1819
Year Range To
1868
Creator
Buchanan, James, 1791-1868
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
People
Buchanan, James
Johnston, Harriet Lane
Henry, James Buchanan
Swarr, Hiram Behm
Other Creators
James Buchanan Foundation for the Preservation of Wheatland (Lancaster, Pa.)
Subjects
Letters
Personal correspondence
Search Terms
Letters
Correspondence, Personal
James Buchanan
Harriet Lane Johnston
Buchanan Collections
James Buchanan Presidential Library
Extent
4 boxes, 365 folders, 2 cubic ft.
Object Name
Correspondence
Language
English, French
Object ID
JBFP Part 1 Series 1
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
Historical Society of Pennsylvania microfilm in the LancasterHistory Research Library
Photograph collections
Curatorial collections
Wheatland Mansion
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available.
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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.
Documents
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