James Buchanan Jr. (1791 - 1868)

James Buchanan Jr. was the President of the United States. Join: US Presidents Project Discuss: presidents

Preceded by
Franklin Pierce

15th President of the United States
1857 - 1861

Succeeded by
Abraham Lincoln

Preceded by
John C. Calhoun

17th United States
Secretary of State
1845 - 1849

Succeeded by
John M. Clayton

Preceded by
William Wilkins

US Senator (Class 3)
from Pennsylvania
1834 - 1845

Succeeded by
Simon Cameron

Biography

James Buchanan Jr. is Notable.

James Buchanan Jr. was a Freemason.

James Buchanan, Jr. is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only one who never married numerous historians claim James Buchanan was gay. ^[1], and the last to be born in the 18th Century. In 1833 and the 1840s, he spoke of plans to marry, but these came to nothing and may merely have been due to his ambitions for a seat in the federal Senate or the White House. In the latter case, the aspirant was 19-year-old Anna Payne, the niece of former First Lady Dolley Madison.^[2]

Harriet Rebecca Lane Johnston acted as First Lady of the United States during the presidency of her uncle, lifelong bachelor James Buchanan, from 1857 to 1861.

Early Life

Born on 23 April 1791 in Cove Gap, Franklin County, Pennsylvania , he was the son of businessman and farmer James Buchanan, Sr. (1761–1821) and Elizabeth Speer.^[3]

James Buchanan Jr. is a member of Clan Buchanan.

Siblings

James was the second of eleven children, 3 died in infancy. There were 5 sons, and six daughters.^{[citation needed]}

1. Mary Buchanan 1789- m. Johnston.
2. Jane Ann Buchanan 1793- 1839 m. Elliott Lane
3. Mariah T. Buchanan 1795-1849 m. Yates.
4. Sarah Buchanan 1797-1825; m. James Johnston Houston
5. Elizabeth Buchanan 1800-1801
6. Harriet E. Buchanan 1802-1840; m. May 21, 1832, Mercersburg, Franklin Co., PA, to Robert Henry 1801-1838
7. John Buchanan 1804-1804
8. William Speer Buchanan 1805-1826
9. George Washington Buchanan 1808-1832
10. Edward Young Buchanan, Rev. 1811-1895; m. Ann Eliza Foster
11. Elizabeth E Buchanan, 1812-1902 ; m. Hugh Ferguson and Gaylord
12. Samuel Buchanan, 1813-1816

In 1797, the family moved nearby to Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, where their home was later converted into the James Buchanan Hotel in 2012.

Education

Buchanan attended the village academy (Old Stone Academy) and later Dickinson College. Although expelled for behavior, he eventually graduated with honors on 19 September 1809. Later that year he moved to Lancaster, and studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1812.

Military

A Federalist, James initially opposed the War of 1812, but when the British invaded Maryland, he joined a volunteer light dragoon unit to defend Baltimore.

Politics

Called "doughface," Buchanan was "a Northerner with Southern sympathies," which caused problems when it came to slavery. He could not maintain peace between the North and South, so the South seceded, heralding a looming civil war.^[4]

• Democrat
• Minister to the UK (23 Aug 1853 – 15 Mar 1856)
• 17th Secretary of State (10 Mar 1845 – 07 Mar 1849)
• Senator: PA (06 Dec 1834 – 05 Mar 1845}
• Minister to Russia (04 Jan 1832 – 05 Aug 1833)
• Chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary (04 Mar 1829 – 04 Mar 1831)
• House of Reps: PA 4th district (04 Mar 1823 – 04 Mar 1831)
• House of Reps: PA 3rd district (04 Mar 1821 – 04 Mar 1823)

Religion

• Religion: Presbyterian

Fraternal Affiliation

• Freemason:^[5][6]

Death

James passed away in 1868 and was interred in the Woodward Hill Cemetery, Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA.^[7]

Most Distant Known Ancestors

Paternal Thomas Buchanan: Link to 10 Generation Paternal Chart
Maternal Mary Patterson: Link to 10 Generation Maternal Chart

Legacy

Three states have named counties in honor of President Buchanan: Iowa, Missouri and Virginia.

Research Notes

Find Siblings.

Sources

1. ↑ Loewen, J; Salon.com; 2012, May 14. Our real first gay president and Robert Watson, Affairs of State: The untold story of presidential love sex and scandal, 1789-1900, Plymouth, 2012. Page 247. Cf. McSweeney’s: “SO, UH… JAMES BUCHANAN? (PART II)” by Chris White.
2. ↑ Baker, Jean H. (2004). James Buchanan. Times Books. ISBN 978-0-8050-6946-4.
3. ↑ Life of James Buchanan, fifteenth President of the United States. Volume 1 Page 2
4. ↑ Wikipedia
5. ↑ other Pres. Freemasons Initiated: 11 Dec1816, Lodge No. 43, Lancaster, PA; Master of Masonic Lodge No. 43. Lancaster, PA; District Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.
6. ↑ Wikipedia
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143/james-buchanan: accessed February 21, 2025), memorial page for James Buchanan (23 Apr 1791–1 Jun 1868), Find a Grave Memorial ID 143, citing Woodward Hill Cemetery, Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.

• Portrait & Bio. Album of Mahaska Co. IA (1887)

• https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=president+james+buchanan&title=Special%3AMediaSearch&type=image