Bios:  BUCHANAN, George T., Indiana Co, PA

SUBJECT: BUCHANAN, GEORGE T.
SUBMITTER: E.K. Warner
EMAIL: wgene@twd.net
DATE: Jul 23, 2000
PASSWORD>
SURNAMES: Buchanan, Davison, Irwin, Lydic, Widdowson
as recorded by Prof. J. T. Stewart in
“Indiana County, Pennsylvania - Her People, Past and Present”
Published by J. H. Beers & Co., 1913 Reformatted by E.K. Warner, July
2000

GEORGE T. BUCHANAN, wholesale grocer, of Indiana, has one of the largest
establishments in that line in western Pennsylvania, and is probably
best known in business circles in that connection. He has acquired
other important interests in this section of the State, however, and
in all his associations is known as a man of unquestionable ability
and integrity. He was born June 27, 1867, in Cherryhill township,
Indiana county, son of William L. and Mary M. (Widdowson) Buchanan.
The family is of Scotch-Irish extraction and Mr. Buchanan's great-grandfather
was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, of Scotch parentage. He and his
wife came to this country from the North of Ireland, after their marriage,
and settled first in Butler county, Pa., where he followed farming
and distilling. Thence they removed to Westmoreland county, Pa., where
he died, in Loyalhanna township. His children were: William, Arthur,
John, George, Frances, Margaret, and perhaps others.

George Buchanan, grandfather of George T. Buchanan, was born in 1810
in Butler county, Pa., and in his youth attended the country schools
near home. When a boy he would gather hickory bark after his work
was done, to make a fire bright enough to enable him to study evenings,
and by perseverance he became a well-educated man, following school
teaching for some time. He learned the trade of carpenter, and was
engaged principally as a cabinetmaker and farmer. After in-is marriage
he located in Loyalhanna township, Westmoreland County, where he was
employed at his trade, and thence removed to Rayne township, Indiana
county, where he passed the remainder of his life, dying there in
1861, when fifty-one years of age. He was a devout member of the Wesleyan
Methodist Church and became quite well known in that denomination,
being a local preacher. But his absorbing public interest was the
subjection of slavery and the slave traffic. He threw all his influence
into the anti-slavery cause, and being endowed with considerable talent
as a campaigner and public speaker took considerable part in the Abolition
movement in that capacity, as well as in his connection with the "underground
railway," by means of which he helped many slaves to escape and
gain their freedom. He was always outspoken and uncompromising in
his stand against slavery, and having the courage of his convictions
and the gift of presenting his views well was a strong influence in
the anti-slavery ranks for a number of years. In his earlier manhood
Mr. Buchanan was a Free-soiler, the only one in Loyalhanna township,
and he joined the Republican party upon its formation. His wife, Ann
(Irwin), was born in 1820 in Ireland, and early left an orphan, coming
to America with her father's people when twelve years old. She died
April 2, 1892, when seventy two years old, in Mechanicsburg, Indiana
county. She, too, was a member of the M. E. Church. Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan
had a family of six sons and three daughters, the daughters dying
in infancy. The sons were: William L., James S., of Rayne township;
George, who is deceased; Dr. John I., deceased; Cyrus A., of Indiana;
and Harvey S., of Indiana.

William L. Buchanan was about fourteen years old when his father moved
the family to Rayne township, Indiana county, and there he grew to
manhood. He began his education in the subscription schools, his first
teacher being his cousin, William Buchanan, and later went to public
school. His first work for himself was as a farm laborer, working
by the month, and later he drove mules on the old Pennsylvania canal.
After coming to Indiana county he farmed during the summer season,
in the winter and spring being employed in the lumber woods and at
rafting. He served in the Union army throughout the Civil war, under
two enlistments. In 1861 he became a private in Company A, 61st Pennsylvania
Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Creps and Col. O. H. Rippey, of
Pittsburgh, enlisting in Indiana county, for three years. The command
was attached to the Army of the Potomac. He had assisted in the organization
of the company, and went with it to the front, seeing thirty-eight
months of hard service in the field before he was incapacitated. He
took part in the battle of Fair Oaks, the seven days' fight, the engagements
at Malvern Hill and Antietam, and all the battles of his command up
to and including Gettysburg, and subsequent activities. In 1863-64
he was a member of a light brigade of picked men from regiments of
different corps, who did skirmish and reconnoitering duty. After Chancellorsville
this brigade was disbanded, the men being returned to their respective
regiments. Mr. Buchanan had been promoted June 13, 1862, at Harrison's
Landing, to first sergeant. At the end of his term he was discharged,
Feb. 14, 1864, at Brandy Station, Va., and reenlisted for three years,
on the field, in the same company and regiment. He came home on a
thirty-day furlough, during which time he married, and after rejoining
his regiment again saw considerable active service until he lost an
arm at Fort Stevens, in the defenses of Washington, whither the 6th
Corps, to which the 61st Regiment was attached, had been sent. They
met Early as he was moving out to the works in his march on the city,
and in the encounter Mr. Buchanan received a minie ball in his right
arm, close to the shoulder, his injuries being so severe that the
member was amputated on the field. He was taken to a hospital in Washington
and thence to a hospital in Philadelphia, from which he was discharged
Oct. 18, 1864. Up to the time he was wounded at Fort Stevens he had
never lost a day's duty on account of sickness, though slightly injured
several times. He was in command of his company at the time, all the
commissioned officers having been either wounded or away on furlough.
The regiment stood first in loss of officers during the Civil war,
and ranked about fourteenth or fifteenth in loss of men.

From the time of his return from the army until his retirement a few
years ago Mr. Buchanan was engaged in farming, milling, stock dealing
and merchandising, having farms in Cherryhill (115 acres) and Green
(sixty acres) townships, Indiana county, and conducting stores at
Dixonville and Indiana. For several years he was located at Marion
Center, this county, engaged in the hotel business, and eventually
removed to the borough of Indiana, where he dealt in agricultural
implements for some years. Thence he removed to Dixonville, where
he was in business nine years, having a general merchandise store.
He retired shortly before the death of his wife, and has not been
engaged in any active business pursuits since, now making his home
in Indiana. Mr. Buchanan was one of the organizers of the Marion Center
National Bank, and served as director until 1911, when he resigned.
He is still a large stockholder in the Savings &; Trust Company of
Indiana. His ability and honorable dealings brought him success in
his enterprises, and he has had high standing in the various communities
where he has become known through his business associations.

Mr. Buchanan is a member of the Veteran Legion and G. A. R., Post
No. 28, and also of the Cosmopolitan Club of Indiana. In politics
he is a Republican but independent in voting, supporting what he regards
as the best men and measures.

On March 22, 1864, Mr. Buchanan married Mary Matilda Widdowson, of
Cherryhill township, Indiana county, daughter of Thomas and Jane (Lydic)
Widdowson, and she died at Indiana March 25, 1906. She was a member
of the Baptist Church and one of its devoted workers, a member of
the missionary societies and interested in other church activities.
She is buried at Oakland cemetery. Three children were born to Mr.
and Mrs. Buchanan: Josephine, who died in infancy; George T.; and
William Orrin, of Larimer, Pa., who carries on an extensive mercantile
business, having establishments at Irwin and Larimer, in Westmoreland
county, this State.

George T. Buchanan received his early education in the common schools
of Indiana, and was a member of the second class to graduate from
the Indiana high school, in 1883. Subsequently he attended the State
Normal School at Indiana, and then taught for two terms before entering
upon his business career. He was associated with his father in the
implement business for a time, after which they were interested in
partnership in the general merchandise business at Dixonville. In
May, 1890, the year following the Johnstown flood, Mr. Buchanan engaged
in the retail grocery business at Johnstown, where he remained four
years. His next experience was as traveling salesman for Francis H.
Leggett & Co., of New York City, wholesale grocers, for whom he sold
goods on the road for a period of ten years. At the end of that time
he settled down in Indiana, buying a half interest in the wholesale
grocery establishment with which he has since been connected. In 1909
he bought out his partners, and has since carried on the business
alone. He has a very commodious building, 40 by 120 feet in dimensions
and three stories high, and occupies three warehouses besides. Mr.
Buchanan has made a most creditable record since he entered this concern.
His success in building up and holding trade, his business now amounting
to four hundred thousand dollars annually, is the best evidence of
his progressive and enterprising nature and executive ability, which
combined with untiring energy have brought him such high success.
His active policy has been the means of advancing his business to
a foremost place among the prosperous concerns of the kind in western
Pennsylvania, and his foresight has enabled him to do more than keep
abreast of the demands of his trade—he anticipates them and has attractive
propositions for his customers which keep the trade interested in
every line he carries. His reputation for just and honorable dealing
has proved a valuable asset in his independent career. Mr. Buchanan
has become interested in various other industries in the locality,
being a director of the Savings & Trust Company of Indiana, a director
of the Indiana Woolen Mills Company, and associated with several enterprises
which are factors in the development and prosperity of this section.

On May 21, 1891, Mr. Buchanan was married to Jennie R. Davison, of
Indiana county, daughter of William S. Davison, of Green township,
and they have two children: Edith, who is a graduate of the Indiana
State normal school; and William Paul.

Mr. Buchanan is a prominent member of the Baptist Church, which he
is serving as deacon, and he has also been interested in the Sunday
school, of which he has been superintendent since 1902. He labored
zealously and contributed liberally to secure the establishment of
the Young Men's Christian Association at Indiana, whose building was
erected in 1912-13. He has been a director of this institution since
its formation. Fraternally he holds membership in Indiana Lodge, No
313, F. & A. M., of the borough of Indiana; and he also belongs to
the Cosmopolitan Club.




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