Butler's desk with bookcase, cherry, Federal style. Secondary wood is poplar. Bookcase section is 54.5" high, has restrained cornice over frieze over two large double-panelled doors. Doors rails are through-tendoned into stiles. Interior bolt at bottom of left drawer missing. Stamped eagle lock escutcheon likely a replacement. Interior side dadoes support four original shelves w/ molded front edge; A fifth shallower shelf is a later addition.
Desk section is 43 1/2" high. Butler-type top drawer over three lower graduated drawers w/ diagonally striped veneer facings and cockbeaded edges that have been planed flat. Stamped oval brasses replace original round pulls (marks visible underneath). Lock escutcheons are brass insets. Large butler's desk drawer hinges down to reveal interior w/ center bank of pigeon holes under a single long center drawer, all flanked by vertical manuscript drawers which are in turn flanked by four stacked, graduated drawers at each side. Most drawers are numbered on bottom and most fitted with tiny brass pulls. Reeded quarter columns at front and back corners. Applied strips of reeding at front and side edges of top. Four turned feet with reeded cuffs.
Inscriptions: inside central drawer above cubby holes are pencilled names in modern cursive: Barbara Fisher/ Ellie McMellen, Sadie McMellen/ ( ? ) McMellen."
Maker unknown.
Provenance
According to John J. Snyder, Jr., secretary was owned by James Buchanan's physician, Dr. Henry Carpenter. Original owner was likely either father-in-law John Mathiot (elected sheriff of Lancaster Co. in 1818 and Mayor of Lancaster City in 1831) or his father Henry Carpenter (1773-1835), a surveyor and merchant. Passed down within Carpenter family until 1977 when Snyder, Jr. purchased it at public auction. Donated to Buchanan Foundation May 6, 1988 in memory of Snyder's spaniel Sukey. Transferred to HCLC due to lack of space at Wheatland.
Carpenter, born in 1819, was one of the community's leading physicians. He was founder of the Lancaster County Medical Society in 1844. Dr. Carpenter lived in a brick house on the west side of the first block of South Queen Street.
Sound;refinished. Several wide horizontal cracks at sides of desk. Scars overall; deep dent to top front edge of chest, just right of center; large burn mark at left as well as dark stains. Bottom of top drawer repaired and patched along lower edge, especially at left. Drawer hardware replaced, inside bolt on left door missing; several small interior drawer pulls missing with some large holes.
Object ID
G.04.28.1
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Usage
Carpenter family
Credit
Gift of James Buchanan Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Miss Hetty's clear glass cordial with 2-inch deep cup, 2.625-inch stem and circular base. 10 vertical 1.125-inch ovals around the cup. Stem enlarges, bulb-like, near the base.
Note: See object file for additional information.
Provenance
Hetty Parker had them (from Wheatland) and gave them to donor's mother (whose aunt was friend of Hetty's)--originally were at least 1/2 dozen. Passed to donor (Nellie J. Montgomery).
Portrait of James Buchanan, painted by William McMaster. The artist painted this as a copy of his July 1856 Buchanan portrait after the General Election in November 1856. This portrait was commissioned by the Empire Club, which was a powerful political organization in New York during the mid-19th century. Captain Isaiah Rynders was the founder of the Club; his "sluggers" committed voter intimidation and election fraud on behalf of Tammany Hall throughout the 1840s and 1850s. The Empire Club purportedly paid McMaster $1,000 (equal to $28,571 today) to paint a copy of McMaster's July 1856 Buchanan portrait. This copy was hung in the Capitol Rotunda when Buchanan took office; however, at some point during his term, as his popularity began to sink, it was removed. Mounted in a Rococo Revival gilt wood and gesso frame with ornamental projecting corners featuring ornate scrolling foliage patterns with centre repose engraved with sculptural shells & acanthus leaves and fleur-de-lis patterns.
Wheatland the Country Residence of Hon. James Buchanan
Description
Color lithographic print of "Wheatland the country residence of Hon. James Buchanan Published by Edwin Clark Lancaster Drawn by J.F. Reigart." The lithographic print is framed in a 19th century gilded art frame.
Small watch key with hollow tin tip; brass head, circular, attached by clip to ivory piece. Flat, oblong, stained. accessioned twice BG35.81 and 89.175
Provenance
Watch Fob had been given by Buchanan to father or husband of Mrs. Anne Sutton of Lancaster.
Quadruple looped chain with ring on end; sliding metal bead, turned and molded; chain looped through ornate, thick ring around larger, thinner double ring connected to handle of signet. Ornate piece with scroll, acorn, foliate, and cabbage rose motifs. B
Provenance
said to have been worn by Buchanan during his Presidency. Given by Miss Mary Kittera Snyder to the donors. Mary was thought to be Buchanan's intended for marriage in the 1840s. She or her sister became postmistress of Selin's Grove PA. where the donors l
Passport for Samuel Ashmead, June 25, 1846. Signed by James Buchanan. Framed between two pieces of glass with narrow black wooden frame. Two small metal eye hooks with picture wire at top of frame.
Provenance
Samuel Ashmead was a botanist from the Germantown, PA area. He was the donor's husband's great-great grandfather. Passport hung in the donor's husband's grandfather's house for as long as she could remember.
Framed between two pieces of glass. Top right corner has 2 rips in paper caused by humidity and too small of frame. Paper has been folded into fourths with small hole at center of sheet. Also folds horizontally into thirds. Brown spots or stains all over
Object ID
W.MSS07.4.2
Place of Origin
Washington, D.C.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Framed black & white engraving of James Buchanan. Oval-shaped portrait with J.B. at center. he wears a black jacket, unbuttoned, with a buttoned vest and high white collar and white bow tie. Stern look on face, hair peaked at top.
James Buchanan, Fifteenth President of the United States
Description
Framed Currier print of James Buchanan. Buchanan sits at center, face diagonally to the left. He wears a white button-up shirt with high collar and white bow tie under chin. Black vest with four buttons all buttoned. Black jacket with lapels, two buttons
American Empire chair; back top rail is a wide concave veneer with gilded decoration surmounting downward sloping arm rests and an urn shaped vertical splat back. The arms are supported by curved uprights surmounting a plain curved apron with an upholstered slip seat. The front legs are flat and shaped in reverse ogee curves with front edges rounded. The rear legs are square and have a backward saber curve.
Provenance
Buchanan, James
To - Buchanan, Edward Young
To - Ewing, Alice C. Buchanan
To - Ewing, Alice B.
To - Niece, Marshall, Cornelia Lausdale Brooke (Mrs. Donnel)
James Buchanan to Edward Y. Buchanan to Alice Cunningham Buchanan to Alice Buchanan Ewing, her daughter. Alice B. Ewing her niece, Mrs. Donnell Marshall / Cornelia Lausdale Brooke, daughter to Cornelia Lausdale Ewing and Robert E. Brooke.
American Empire chair; back top rail is a wide concave veneer with gilded decoration surmounting downward sloping arm rests and an urn shaped vertical splat back. The arms are supported by curved uprights surmounting a plain curved apron with an upholstered slip seat. The front legs are flat and shaped in reverse ogee curves with front edges rounded. The rear legs are square and have a backward saber curve.
Provenance
Buchanan, James
To - Buchanan, Edward Young
To - Ewing, Alice C. Buchanan
To - Ewing, Alice B.
To - Niece, Marshall, Cornelia Lausdale Brooke (Mrs. Donnel)
James Buchanan to Edward Y. Buchanan to Alice Cunningham Buchanan to Alice Buchanan Ewing, her daughter. Alice B. Ewing her niece, Mrs. Donnell Marshall / Cornelia Lausdale Brooke, daughter to Cornelia Lausdale Ewing and Robert E. Brooke.
American Empire chair; the back top rail is a wide concave veneer with gilded decoration surmounting downward sloping arm rests and an urn shaped vertical splat back. The arms are supported by curved uprights surmounting a plain curved apron with an upholstered slip seat. The front legs are flat and shaped in reverse ogee curves with front edges rounded. The rear legs are square and have a backward saber curve.
Provenance
Buchanan, James
To - Buchanan, Edward Young
To - Ewing, Alice C. Buchanan
To - Ewing, Alice B.
To - Niece, Marshall, Cornelia Lausdale Brooke (Mrs. Donnel)
James Buchanan to Edward Y. Buchanan to Alice Cunningham Buchanan to Alice Buchanan Ewing, her daughter. Alice B. Ewing her niece, Mrs. Donnell Marshall / Cornelia Lausdale Brooke, daughter to Cornelia Lausdale Ewing and Robert E. Brooke.
Quadruple looped chain with ring on end; sliding metal bead, turned and molded; chain looped through ornate, thick ring around larger, thinner double ring connected to handle of signet. Ornate piece with scroll, acorn, foliate, and cabbage rose motifs. B
Said to have been worn by James Buchanan during his Presidency. Given by Miss Mary Kittera Snyder to the donors. Mary Kittera Snyder was thought to be Buchanan's intended for marriage in the 1840s. She or her sister became postmistress of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania
Small watch key with hollow tin tip; brass head, circular, attached by clip to ivory piece. Flat, oblong, stained. accessioned twice BG35.81 and 89.175
Provenance
Watch Fob had been given by Buchanan to father or husband of Mrs. Anne Sutton of Lancaster.
Mahogany sleigh bed. Sleigh-shaped bed with a headboard higher than footboard. Outcurved top rails. Cyma curved footboard. Headboard has side pieces with cyma curves. Low to ground. Side rails have curved top edge. Feet are rounded blocks that are caster
Provenance
Buchanan, James
to Johnston, Harriet Lane (niece)
to Kennedy, May (cousin)
to Taylor, Mrs. Edmund R. (Julia) (May's sister)
to Taylor, Mr. Edmund R. Taylor Jr. (Julia's grandson)
Walnut bed finish bleached by sun exposure, especially on back & headboard and footboard. Minor scratches on the wood througout.
Object ID
W.1989.344.001
Notes
Belonged to James Buchanan and Harriet Lane Johnston. According to letter from donor's wife, 'there is no written authentication of its origin, but my husband received the bed from his grandmother, Mrs. E.R. Taylor of Charles Town, Jefferson County, W. V
Mr. and Mrs. Edmund R. Taylor, Jr. donated a set of 8 linen handtowels marked with Harriet Lane Johnston's monogram and a letter from Francis Scott Key to James Buchanan at the same time of the bed donation. A campaign card was also donated at this time.
The matching sleigh bed is currently (2022) owned by Evelyn Byrd Hutton (evelynbyrdhutton@gmail.com), a sister of Betsy Henry Lehman & daughter to Reginald Buchanan Henry, Jr.
This sterling silver coffeepot has a hinged angular and oblong shaped lid with a finial top surmounting a flaired angular neck adorned with a Greek key above a bulging torso. The spout is square with a goose neck shape and flat opening. The pot handle is angular and square with ribbed band decor. The pedstal style base is supported by four ball feet.
See B.R. Howard Treatment Report for additional information.
Provenance
James Buchanan
To - Edward Y. Buchanan
To - One of Edward's children
To - One of Edward's Grandchildren
To - Mrs. Robert Maguire (Pauline) great, great granddaughter of Edward Y. Buchanan
Also engraved with 'This Belonged to James Buchanan Fifteenth President of United States' on bottom. (done by donors just before donation to Wheatland.)
Height (in)
10.75
Width (in)
13
Depth (in)
5.75
Object ID
W.1992.037.001
Notes
Donated by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Maguire of Shoreham, Vermont, delivered by Mrs. John Thayer of West Chester, PA. The Maguires also donated a pair of silver sugar tongs with acorn-shaped ends. (Accession #92.38)
Rosewood bed with walnut, poplar, and pine. Headboard higher than footboard, but identical in shape. Arched crest with c-curved finish. This is repeated with molding below and on footboard. Molding is cyma-curved and appears on the outside of footboard and inside of headboard. The top of each post is capped with a round finial that transitions to squat bun above a smooth cylinder above a ring and ball shape that transitions to ring and vase surmounting an octagonal post terminates on bun feet Scroll cut brackets connect the posts to the side rails that feature cyma-curved molding.
Bed is higher at headboard than at footboard. Footboard height is 42.625'.
Condition
Excellent
Condition Date
2022-11-10
Condition Notes
Restoration done in 1992-1993 by David Weaver, cabinetmaker, Quarryville, PA. Restoration of rosewood.
Object ID
W.1992.001.039
Notes
Harriet had this custom built with large dimensions to accomodate her Uncle James Buchanan's size. It was intended for his use whenever he would visit her at her Baltimore, Maryland home.
A ceramic pot decorated with flowers in brown, cream, green, red, white, yellow, and indigo. Also known as a cuspidor.
Provenance
According to Frank Mowrer (Real Estate & Ins.) this cuspidor belonged to James Buchanan. Frank bought it at a Public Sale of Buchanan's things held by George B. Wilson many years ago; before the restoration of Wheatland, for .35.
