Biography GEORGE TALBOTT BUCHANAN Submitted by Valerie Crook ********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ********************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III pg. 28 GEORGE TALBOTT BUCHANAN is postmaster of Wellsburg, having been assistant postmaster under his father, the late Talbott H. Buchanan. Four generations of the Buchanan family have been represented in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia. They are Scotch Highlanders, Robert Buchanan coming here and locating on a farm in Brooke County when his son Robert, grandfather of the Wellsburg postmaster, was a lad. They acquired land in Independence Township, and Robert lived there until his death at the age of seventy. His son Thomas lived out his life on the same farm. Talbott H. Buchanan was born on the old homestead in 1864, and it was his home until he sold the place in the early '80s and moved to Wellsburg. Here he was in the wholesale grocery business under the firm name of Brown and Buchanan until the death of Mr. Brown about 1895. Soon afterwards Talbott H. Buchanan became deputy sheriff. He was deputy at the time of the noted trial of Van Baker. Baker was the first man ever sentenced to life imprisonment from Brooke County. Later Talbott H. Buchanan engaged in the insurance business, and soon after the election of President Wilson was appointed postmaster of Wellsburg and filled that office until his death on Easter Sunday, 1917. The site of the present Post Office was secured during his admin- istration. He was a vestryman and warden of Christs Episcopal Church, and his widow is very active in church affairs. He married Julia Burley of Moundsville, also of an old Scotch family prominently connected with other West Virginia families. She is living in her fiftieth year. George Talbott Buchanan, only child of his parents, was born at Wellsburg May 28, 1890. He acquired a public school education, and was about twenty-three years of age when he became assistant postmaster under his father. His father was succeeded by Henry Zilliken, who died on Christ- mas Day, 1917, and in May, 1918, George T. Buchanan was appointed his successor, receiving his commission under Wilson's second administration. The Wellsburg Post Office building was completed ready for occupancy in December, 1916, costing about $80,000.00. The appropriation for the Federal Building at Wellsburg was secured while the late W. P. Hubbard was in Congress. The Post Office has fifteen employes, with four rural carriers. Mr. Buchanan is also official custodian of the building. Soon after his appointment as postmaster he was called to the colors, on August 3, 1918, and was in service at Camp Lee and Fort Moultrie, South Carolina. He had an active part in all the loan drives, though the Victory Loan was made while he was in the army. His office well upheld its share of respon- sibility in the sale of stamps. July 23, 1919, Mr. Buchanan married Jane Simpson. She was born at Pittsburgh, but as a child was taken to Ham- ilton, Canada, where her father, George A. Simpson, for a number of years has been sales manager for the Canadian Steel Company. Mrs. Buchanan is an active member of church and social clubs at Wellsburg. Mr. Buchanan is a past master of Wellsburg Lodge No. 2, F. and A. M., is affiliated with West Virginia Consistory No. 1 of the Scottish Rite, Osiris Temple of the Mystic Shrine and a member of the local team of nine members doing the work of two of the degrees of the Scottish Rite. He is a vestryman and treasurer of Christ Episcopal Church. Submitted by Valerie Crook