|
|
|
DAVID REED BUCHANAN, whose productive farm of sixty-five acres lies in Mt. Pleasant Township, Jefferson County, Ohio, has lived almost all his life in this county and for a number of years has been a representative citizen of this township, but he was born at Harrisville, Harrison County, Ohio, September 26, 1845 and is a son of William R. and Abigail (Mercer) Buchanan. William R. Buchanan was born in Washington County, Pa. and from there moved to Harrison County, Ohio, where he followed his trade of cooper. For twenty-four years he served in the office of Justice of the Peace. He died in 1873, aged eighty years. He had been twice married and of the six children born to his first union, three came to Jefferson County: Ross; Thomas, who married Lizzie Collins; and Mary Ann, who was the wife of James Connley, and died near Sherpherdstown. WIlliam R. Buchanan was married second to Abigail Mercer, who died about 1868, and they had three children: David Reed; Wilson, who lives at Short Creek, Ohio; and William, who is a college professor at Richmond, Va. David R. Buchanan obtained his education in the schools of Harrison County and Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson County. He has devoted the larger part of his life to agricultural pursuits and both before and since his marriage was employed on a number of the farms in this section at different times, always proving himself an excellent helper in all farm work. After marriage he worked on the Theoker farm for two years, on the Parker place, in Belmont County, for three and one-half years, for two years on the Dr. McGlenn farm in Warren Township, and then rented the Edward Jones farm for three years and later became an employee there, for seven years and seven months being in the employ of Edward Jones. He also engaged in farming on Dr. Mitchell's place, and for four years was on the Joseph Kithcart place. For the past sixteen years he has carried on general farming and raised stock on the farm he now owns. Every dollar that Mr. Buchanan possesses he has earned by his own labor, with the exception of the sum of $200, which he received when he sold his coal for $26 per acre. He is a thoroughly experienced farmer and the proof of this is shown by the excellent care he gives his own land and the generous way in which it repays him. He has done considerable building since he has owned the place. On September 7, 1869, Mr. Buchanan was married to Miss Gertrude Dessell, who was born in Germany and accompanied her parents to America, where her father died soon afterward. Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan have had eight children: Abbie Jane, who is the wife of William Lawrence, residing in Mt. Pleasant Township, and has two children--Gertrude Helen and Mildred; Annie, who died when aged twenty years; Martha Elizabeth, who married Edward Roudabush, of Cleveland; Sophia, who married Kenworthy Hooper, of Dillonvale, and has five children--Annie, Helen, David, William and Jessie; Nellie, who lives at home; Oliver David, residing at Amsterdam, who married Ola Watkins, daughter of John Watkins, and has one child, Zana; Samuel, who resides at Adena, and James Alexander, who is employed in the Westinghouse shops at Wilmerding. Mr. Buchanan is a member of the Presbyterian Church at Mt. Pleasant. In politics he is a Republican. For ten years he served as township trustee.  Return to Family Tales
 Return to Home Page |