Samuel Buchanan

Samuel Buchanan came from Ireland in 1702 and settled in Pennsylvania in the early 1700s and moved on to Virginia. He died in Washington County, Virginia in 1774. He was the father of John Buchanan the great, great grandfather of Ernest Buchanan and the other children of Samuel Newton Buchanan and Rachel Ferguson Buchanan. John Buchanan was married twice and had the following children: Thomas, Samuel, James, William Edmiston, Matthew, Robert, Andrew, Martha, Ann, Elizabeth, Alexander, and Nancy. According to Washington County, Arkansas history, six brothers came to Washington County from Lincoln County, Tennessee and settled in the vicinity of Cane Hill. Their names were; James, John, Andrew, Alexander, Robert and Isaac. Andrew and John were Ministers of the Presbyterian Church. These pioneers organized the first church and Sunday school in northwest Arkansas at Cane Hill, August 30, 1828. Andrew Buchanan settled in Prairie Grove. Robert "Bob" Buchanan on Richland Creek near Wesley, Arkansas. Buchanan home, a mile east of Tuttle, built from bricks made on farm by slave labor. L to R: Mrs. Augustus P. Buchanan, Mary Eva Buchanan, Irene (in chair), Samuel Buchanan holding Homer and Rachel Ferguson Buchanan. Robert "Bob" Buchanan married Mary Stagner on September 14, 1819. One was from Kentucky, the other from across the line in Tennessee. Bob was 19 years old and Mary was 16. They came to Arkansas on horse back with the other Buchanan families in 1827. They had two sons, Newton Lafayette Buchanan and Augustus Pierson Buchanan. Their sons were born in Arkansas. Robert "Bob" Buchanan was a government surveyer. The county lines of Washington and Madison Counties originally followed the White River and Richland Creek. Robert "Bob" Buchanan helped to establish them in their present location. Augustus Pierson Buchanan, son of "Bob" Buchanan was a county surveyer. He helped to survey property lines. Augustus Pierson Buchanan was wounded in the war of the states. He made his way back home and hid in a cave near by. The slaves carried food to him. When the war was over and the slaves were free, they did not want to leave. They were treated well and it was a sad parting. Some of them chose the Buchanan name. The old brick house that Augustus Pierson Buchanan hired a mason to build, is still standing firm and proud. It was started before the war and finished after peace came. The bricks and the mortar which were used to bind the home together were made on the farm. It is located on Highway 74, between Tuttle and Wesley. The present owner is John Murphy. The early settlers came looking for cheap land or land to homestead. They had to build their first homes of logs. Some had earthen floors and later some had split log floors called "puncheon floors". The Buchanan family did not want low land near the creek or river where the flood waters could carry their rail fences away. They had to depend on food they could raise and game they could hunt in the woods. The chores had to be done before dark. Fire light, betty lamps, and a few candles were their source of light after dark. They saved all the scraps of fat to make soap. Lye was not available in stores, they had to make their own. The wood ashes were saved and put in an ash hopper. Water was poured on so the dripping would fall into a container. That was drip lye, this was mixed with the fat and cooked to make soap. I remember, when I was a child, traveling all the way to Eureka Springs in a wagon with Mother and Dad and some of my brothers and my sister. I was fascinated by the rushing water in the springs. These springs are covered now. It was a long trip by wagon and the road was rough. I thought we would never get home. A stranger who came along asking for a night's lodging was not turned away. My mother made pallets on the floor and made room for them. I remember my mother washing bed clothes for a week after some of these guests had departed. She was afraid they might have left some little unfriendly critters or the "itch". Augustus Pierson Buchanan: born January 7, 1836 and died March 30, 1881. Martha Emily Pierson: born January 20, 1838 and died December 1920. Their children, Lavina Augusta, Robert Pierson, Fulton, Mary Eva, Isabella, Samuel Newton. Samuel Newton Buchanan: born October 11, 1878 and died January 8, 1961. Rachel Ferguson Buchanan: born July 30, 1882 and died March 6, 1936. Their children, Irene, Homer, Ernest, Augustus, Lawton, Fulton, Clemma, and Marie. By: Mrs. Clemma Buchanan Pitts