Biographical/historical information

According to information provided by the family, three Buchanan brothers came from Pennsylvania to North Carolina in the early decades of the nineteenth century. One settled in Chatham County, one in the area of Sanford, and the other on the upper Cape Fear.

Scope and arrangement

The collection contains the papers of one of the brothers, Noah Buchanan, and his children. There is only one letter (1850) which concerns Noah Buchanan. The bulk of the correspondence is written to or from his sons Nathan J., Alvin G., and Dr. J. R. Buchanan. The receipts, accounts, bills of sale, etc., indicate the activities of Noah Buchanan from 1822 to his death in 1854.

Items of particular interest are the letters of Nathan J. Buchanan, written from Wharton County, Texas, to his brother Alvin G. Buchanan between the years 1855 and 1861. In these letters he relates, briefly, the rapid growth of Texas, the local weather, crops grown, prices for buying enslaved people, land costs, and the incursion of Mexicans and Indians into Texas. Also included in the correspondence are two letters (1861), possibly from a cousin of the Buchanans, W. J. Yarbrough, relating the location and activities of Camp Wiot [Wyatt], a Confederate camp located in New Hanover County, North Carolina.

The bulk of the collection consists of receipts, accounts, notes, bills of sale, etc. Of particular interest is a Warrant for Arrest, dated 19 May 1820, and issued in Chatham County, against John C. Boling for non-payment of debt.

The inventory of the estate of Noah Buchanan, conducted on 2 September 1854 by Alvin G. Buchanan, lists his property, financial holdings, and the name of each enslaved person he owned.

Miscellaneous material includes an 1861 leather bound notebook containing entries concerning farm work and a Democratic Party presidential campaign leaflet (1912) portraying Woodrow Wilson and Thomas R. Marshall and citing portions of recent speeches and public pronouncements.

Administrative information

Custodial History

November 9, 1967, 120 items; Papers (1820-1912) of the Buchanan family of Moore (now Lee) County, North Carolina. Collection includes correspondence, receipts, accounts, notes, bills of sale, and miscellaneous items. Loaned by Mr. Sammy Brown, Sanford, North Carolina.

Source of acquisition

Loaned by Mr. Sammy Brown

Processing information

Processed by D. Lennon, February 1968

Encoded by Apex Data Services

Descriptions updated by Jennifer Overstreet, July 2020

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.

Metadata Rights Declaration

Key terms

Personal Names

Marshall, Thomas R. (Thomas Riley), 1854-1925
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924

Family Names

Buchanan family

Corporate Names

Democratic Party (N.C.)--History--20th century

Topical

Agriculture--Texas--History--19th century
Presidential candidates--United States--History--20th century
Presidents--United States--Election--1912
Slavery--North Carolina

Places

Camp Wyatt (N.C.)--History
Lee County (N.C.)--History
Moore County (N.C.)--History
Texas--Description and travel
Texas--Emigration and immigration

Container list