James Buchanan was born on April 23, 1791 in Cove Gap (near Mercersburg), Pennsylvania. His father was James Buchanan and his mother was Elizabeth Speers Buchanan. He was an 1809 graduate of Dickinson College, where he excelled at both debating and his study of the law. He served as our nation’s 15^th President from March 4, 1857 to March 3, 1861. “Old Buck” was the last American President to have been born in the 18^th Century.

     Mr. Buchanan was a lawyer. He served as a Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the U.S. House of Representatives. He also served as U.S. Minister to Russia, U.S. Senator, U.S. Secretary of State, under President James Knox Polk, and U.S. Minister to England.

     James Buchanan was never married. He was our only bachelor President.  His devoted niece, Harriet Lane, served as his hostess for official functions held at The White House. President Buchanan served just before the Civil War began. Several events occurred during his term that propelled the country toward that conflict. Most infamous was the “Dred Scott Decision” of the Supreme Court. It said that Congress could not deprive slave owners of their rights in the new territories. Buchanan admitted Kansas to the Union as a slave state, causing a lot of bitterness.

     President James Buchanan died on June 1, 1868 at his home, Wheatland, near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He was 77.