Letter from James Buchanan to Harriet Lane Johnston
Description
Letter from James Buchanan to Harriet Lane Johnston returning a corrected deed; enclosing Mrs. Ellis’ letter; saying that Mr. Schell has left and enjoyed the “young ones”; noting that Jessica is turning into a young lady at age seventeen; regretting that Mrs. Lane still has not visited; noting that James Buchanan spent the day; and that the Nevins “are kind & sociable as ever and that James thinks that there is a “promising condition between Harriet & the embryo Bishop.” Wheatland.
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
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Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Accession Number
JBMS1995.100
Other Number
JBFP Part 1, Series 1, Subseries 1, Folder 191
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.
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.
Silver serviing spoon with the silver mark for Philadelphia silversmiths Bailey & Co. and Christmas 1864 engraved on the handle accompanied be an engraving on the back of the handle that reads J.B. from H.R.L. (James Buchanan from Harriet Rebecca Lane.) 136 Chestnut St., Philadelphia
Provenance
Lane, Harriet R.
Christmas gift to Buchanan, James
To Johnston, Harriet Lane
To Lane, John Newton (son of James B. Lane) To Fay, Patty Lane (JB Lane daughter)
To Sebrell, Patty Lane Fay (JB Lane granddaughter)
Originally Bailey & Co, the company was founded by Joseph Trowbridge Bailey and Andrew B. Kitchen. It was located at 136 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1840 Joseph’s brother Eli Westcott Bailey, a New York City jeweler and importer hurt financially by the Panic of 1837, came to Philadelphia and entered the firm. The name continued as Bailey & Kitchen. When Joseph died, Eli became the senior partner of Bailey & Co. until he retired in 1867.
Length (cm)
22.86
Length (ft)
0.75
Length (in)
9
Object ID
W.1998.001.003
Notes
Originally Bailey & Co, the company was founded by Joseph Trowbridge Bailey and Andrew B. Kitchen. It was located at 136 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1840 Joseph’s brother Eli Westcott Bailey, a New York City jeweler and importer hurt financially by the Panic of 1837, came to Philadelphia and entered the firm. The name continued as Bailey & Kitchen. When Joseph died, Eli became the senior partner of Bailey & Co. until he retired in 1867.
Silver dome shaped cover. Silver surface decorated with inscribed floral patterns on both sides of the dome. One one side the floral decor also features the inscribed letters JB.
Provenance
Buchanan, James
To Johnston, Harriet Lane
To Lane, John Newton (nephew)
To Fay, Patty Lane Fay (daughter)
To Sebrell, Patty Lane Fay (PL Fay daughter) To James Buchanan Foundation
Parisian Pink decorated china platter. pink and gold border with a gold medallion at the center of the platter. Designed by Jean-Pierre Feuillet. Some wear on interior and exterior gold border.
James Buchanan purchased the platter as part of a Parisian Pink china service from the retiring French Ambassador, Louis Adolphe Aimé Fourier, comte de Bacourt at his Washington diplomatic residence in the year 1846.
The catalog number written on the bottom of the platter is 98.1.18 and will need to be changed to W.1998.001.016.
One pair of Chippendale brass and iron andirons. Contains large reeded ball at top, three graduated small balls center and large ball at base. Snake turned base with two small balls each side of snake turning. Rear of base small turned ball with double column base.
Balloon back walnut chairs with serpentine splat. Louis XV style back is rounded and finger molded with no additional carving. Flaring upholstered seat-black horsehair-with serpentine front with beaded molding at bottom of skirt. Cabriole front legs, rounded, with slightly curved square back legs terminating on flat feet.
Artifacts mentioned by Ara Hatch in New York Dalily Times 11/10/1856. Person had visited Wheatland.
Height (cm)
87.15248
Height (ft)
2.8593333333
Height (in)
34.312
Width (cm)
45.72
Width (ft)
1.5
Width (in)
18
Depth (cm)
40.9575
Depth (ft)
1.34375
Depth (in)
16.125
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2022-04-20
Condition Notes
Reupolstered; James Buchanan Foundation records indicate the seats were originally covered in green morrocan leather.
Object ID
W.1936.001.015
Notes
The chair was presumed to belong to James Buchanan by the James Buchanan Foundation representatives in 1936 when they bought certain furnishings that were still in the mansion during the Willson-Rettew Estate sale.
Mentioned by Ara Hatch in the N.Y. Daily Times (visited Wheatland 10 November 1856.)
