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William L Buchanan

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WILLIAM L. BUCHANAN, postmaster at Sagamore, Armstrong county, was born in South Mahoning township, Indiana Co., Pa., June 3, 1881, son of Andrew S. and Leah A. (Rishel) Buchanan, both also natives of Indiana county.

William P. Buchanan, his grandfather, was a native of Huntingdon county, Pa., coming of Scotch-Irish descent. He was among the pioneers of Indiana county, settling in what is now South Mahoning township, where he cleared and improved a farm of ninety-six acres. He built and operated a gristmill, continuing to tun it for many years, and died on his property at an advanced age. His wife was Rebecca Spencer, and their children were as follows: Andrew S.; Jackson; Taylor; Jennie, who married Thompson Stumpf; and Samuel G.

The maternal grandfather, Lewis Rishel, was a pioneer of Canoe township, Indiana Co., Pa., where he opened up a farm and made many improvements upon his land. During the Civil war he entered the service of his country, belonging to an Indiana county regiment, but he never returned, and supposed to have been killed at Stone River.

Andrew S. Buchanan, son of William P. Buchanan and father of William L. Buchanan, prior to and after the Civil war was a teacher in the public schools of Indiana county. He was a soldier in the Civil war, as a member of Company A, 161st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and was honorably discharged before his term of service had expired owing to disability on account of sickness, He and his wife had the following children: Olive, who married Theodore Peterman; Charles W.; William L.; Earl, and Nettie.

William L. Buchanan was brought up in Indiana county, where he attended the common schools and Cove Academy, from which he was graduated in 1902. Later he attended the Indiana Normal School for three terms, and taught school in South Mahoning township three years. For one year he was principal at Pittsburgh. At this time he took up the study of civil engineering, but when a year later he was elected principal of the Sagamore public schools, he served during the term of 1908 in that capacity. On July 20, 1909, he was appointed postmaster at Sagamore, which office he still holds.

In June, 1907, Mr. Buchanan was married to Dora E., daughter of William and Mary Shepherd, of Cherry Tree, Pa., and they have one daughter, Mildred M. Mr. Buchanan is a member of the United Presbyterian Church. His fraternal affiliations are with the Odd Fellows, Knights of Malta and Knights of Pythias. Politically he is a Democrat, and has given his party faithful service.

Source: Pages 747-748, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed October 1998 by Doris Rizza for the Armstrong County Beers Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)

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