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