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WHO WAS WHO in PLUM TOWNSHIP
~ Titusville Herald
By H. W. Strawbridge ~ 1950s - 60s

Alexander Buchanan

Alexander Buchanan was born around 1838, a son of Archibald and Elizabeth Buchanan. It has always been the presumption that he was born in Ireland. However, a member of the Buchanan family says that he was born in Scotland, and that the Buchanan family lived through a famine in Scotland for four years, then journeyed over to Ireland in hopes it would be better there. But there was famine there too, so after a short stay in Ireland the family sailed to America in August, 1850.
Alexander had five brothers and four sisters. The entire family finally came to Venango county and located on Oil Creek, just south of present Rouseville. Here Alexander resided until 1861.
Alexander, or “Alec”, as everybody called him, had an interest in the famous Buchanan Farm which was noted among the richest oil strikes on Oil Creek. Two of the family, Archibald and John Buchanan each owned a farm where Rouseville now is situated. Their farms adjoined both Oil Creek and Cherry Run. Three partners, Rouse, Brown and Mitchell, leased the Buchanan Farm at a royalty of one-fourth of the oil produced. Due to successful oil strikes on it, a village quickly came into existence and was first called Buchanan Farm. However, the name Rouseville soon took its place.

Disastrous Oil Fire

It was on April 17,1861, while drilling down a certain well on John Buchanan’s farm (John was Alec’s brother), that a strong vein of gas and oil was struck, attracting a large number of persons to the scene. Probably from 90 to 100 people were standing around when the gas which filled the atmosphere ignited, causing a big explosion and disastrous fire that made oil history lore. Many burned to death, including H.R. Rouse, one of the men who did the leasing. Alec and another of his brothers, James, were nearby at the time and they also got some burns, though not serious. In fact they had left Rouse only a short time previous to the explosion. Alec lost his investment of $3,000 in this fire.
On Feb.23,1861, Alec married Miss Elizabeth Strawbridge, a daughter of Benjamin and Elvira Sheffield Strawbridge of near Wallaceville. She was born Jan. 21,1830. She had been a farm-reared girl and was unusually strong. She could stand with both of her feet in a half-bushel measure, then lean over and pick up a bag of wheat. She was commonly called “Lib” Buchanan.
After their wedding Alec and Lib moved into Cherrytree Township where he bought land in 1863 approximately in the center of the township. He eventually sold this farm.
During the Petroleum Center oil boom, he and Lib ran a boarding house there and built up quite a pile of cash from this. He deposited the proceeds from the sale of his Cherrytree Township farm and other financial accumulations in a Titusville bank which was swept away in the Panic of 1873. Thus he met with two losses of fortunes in 12 years.
Alec and Lib were known to have lived at a couple of other places in Cherrytree Township. They lived at the present Mrs. Carrie Peebles place (when the former house stood there), and also at the Sopher place which was just a ways northwest of Mrs. Peebles; place. Alec and Lib also lived in Cochranton for some time too. He used to brag up Cochranton quite a bit. It is thought that their only child, a girl, was born at Cochranton. Unfortunately, the little girl lived only a few weeks, dying of scarlet fever. No one seems to know for sure just where the girl was buried.

Fine, Honest Neighbor

Alexander Buchanan was a stock built man, said to be the shortest of his father’s family. He was a fine neighbor, honest, and possessed attractive traits of character. His educational advantages were limited, but he possessed excellent business qualifications. He accepted his losses of fortunes with pluck and courage, and set forth to again acquire a comfortable competence.
He was a very jolly man. A nephew, Eugene Buchanan who lives part of his time with his son at Hamilton’s Corners and the other part with his daughter in Franklin, said he never saw his Uncle Alec angry. Alec loved children. Often he and Lib would visit his brother, James’ family (James was the father of Eugene Buchanan). They always went there at Christmas and New Year’s times. Alec liked singing and they would always be singing.
One Christmas Day none other than Santa Claus came into the house, laughing and giving candy to the children. However, James; oldest son suspected something, so he sneaked up behind Santa and pulled off his hat, and there was jolly Uncle Alec.
Alec used to get a good laugh when a neighbor boy, Jesse Peebles would ride by in a little cart with a buck sheep hitched to it.
Alec and Lib often visited Martin Ghering’s family near Troy Center. His acquaintance with Mr. Ghering was formed a few years previous when Mr. Ghering worked three years for Alec. One time, while visiting up there, the Ghering’s oldest son, Albert, who was about five years old at the time, was attacked by a mean gobbler and knocked down. Alec ran over, picked him up and got quite a laugh over it. Albert Ghering, now 75, still remembers of Alec mentioning this in later years and laughing over it.
Another Troy Center man, Ernest Prather, well remembers his great uncle Alec. Once Alec gave a dime to Mr. Prather when he was a boy.
Alec once went over to John Hancox’s place south of Stone Springhouse Corners and stayed quite a while trying to induce Mr. Hancox to let him (Alec) have his second son, James Hancox, to keep and raise, but Mr. Hancox wouldn’t consent. The son, James, was 10 or 11 then, and is now nearly 82 and can still remember the incident.

Liked Tea and Cigars

Alec smoked a lot of cigars. He also was a great fellow for tea, wanting it for most of his meals. He looks very modern in his photograph. Other than his necktie, it looks like a picture taken in this age.
In February 1879, Lib Buchanan’s mother, Mrs. Strawbridge, died. Then Alec and Lib moved onto the Strawbridge farm in Plum Township and helped out her aging father during the remaining four years of his life. It was here that Alec lived the rest of his life.
After Mr. Strawbridge’s death in 1883, the large 233 acre farm was divided among nine children. Alec and Lib got 23 acres which included the house. The barn was separated so Alec built a new barn a short distance east of the house.
Since his farm was then a small one, he worked for years as a huckster. He would gather a lot of produce in the area, even as far up as Diamond and Troy Center, then take it to Rouseville and Oil City for selling. Once he was arrested in Oil City for peddling without a license. He took out his bulging pocketbook, handed it over to the officials and said: “Take plenty, there’s lots of it there.” But they took only what the charges amounted to and made him buy a license.
Alec liked horses too. He kept a nice working team besides a fine driving horse. One time he went out to the barn and found a nice colt dead. He came running to the house, shouting: “Hey, Lib! Lib!Lib! The colt’s sick! The colt’s sick!” He let this sink in awhile then said to Lib: “I think it’s going to die.” Again he waited, letting her realize the words, then capped it off by saying: “By golly, it is dead!”. His idea was to break the news gently to her.
When a neighbor, R.P. Seely had his first separator threshing machine, the men were once threshing at Alec’s place. They were threshing right along with every going fine – no trouble whatever. This of course, pleased Alec and he strutted up to Mr. Seely and said in a quick voice: “Hi Park! Let ‘er go! She’s a goin’ along fine!” A short while later it was a different situation. Worried Alec came running to Park and shouted, “Hey Park! She’s sputtin’ some over!” He meant some grain was being carried over with the chaff and straw.

Related to President Buchanan

Alec was related to President James Buchanan. It is said the Venango County Buchanans had visited the famous man at his place, and in turn the bachelor president had visited the family up here. Naturally, Alec was a Democrat. A humorous incident is recalled in this political respect.
A Chapmanville man, Thomas Murray. Had been a Democrat, but he changed over to Republican, unbeknownst to Alec. When voting one day, Alec asked Mr. Murray to make out his ticket. When asked how he wanted to vote, Alec replied: “Mr. Murray, write my ticket exactly as you wrote your own.” So he made out a straight Republican ticket!
With his accumulated wealth Alec combined charity and brotherly kindness that gave him the name of everybody’s friend. The church, the widow, the orphan and children were recipients of his bounty. He and Lib attended the Methodist Church in Wallaceville.
In February, 1892, a debating society was organized in Wallaceville with Alexander Buchanan as its president. The series of debates opened on the evening of Feb. 19, and following the debate, a ball was given by the society with music by the Cherrytree orchestra.
In March, 1897, Alec bought 30 acres across the road from his place. Mrs. Buchanan’s sister, Mrs. Maria James of Nebraska state owned it. It had been her share in her father’s estate. That fall Alec had the small barn build across the road that still stands there.
Alec Buchanan died Friday morning, March 18, 1898, after a lingering illness that baffled the skill of the best physicians. It seemed to be a form of stomach trouble. Internal hemorrhages finally took him. Listed under the cause of his death at Franklin are the words, “Not known.”
During his illness he was heard to say: “We must all depart from this earth, and whatever is God’s will, I am willing to abide by.” He bore his suffering without complaint. He was 80 years old.

Large Throng Attends Funeral

The funeral was conducted on Sunday morning, and the large Methodist Church in Wallaceville was able to hold but half of the great throng that sought to pay their respects. The pastor, Rev. J.C. Rideout, preached an impressive sermon from Isaiah 3:10 – “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.” Alec was buried in the church cemetery.
Two separate eulogies were written in his memory in newspapers, one of which was written by Mrs. Golda Sterling Rose, who lives presently in Rouseville.
Mrs. Lib Buchanan lived on the old place for several years. She made a home for two of her husband’s grandnieces, May and Mary Buchanan.
Mrs. Buchanan spent her last four years in Titusville, dying at the home of her niece, Mrs. Hattie Sullivan, on Sunday, Jan. 31, 1926, aged 96. She had been the oldest child of her father’s large family, and coincidentally she was the last survivor.
The home of Alec and Lib Buchanan near Wallaceville is now owned by the Charles Patterson family.

Transcribed by Paula Harry
dharry@pa.rr.com

Disclaimer:there may be errors due to transcription of information from both early and late (current contributors) work.