The Grenada sentinel., 1906-07-07
WHERE BUCHANAN WAS BORN
Birthplace of Former President Now
the Home of Negro
Family


How few PennSylvanianS ever sto
to reflect that the Keystone state ha
given birth to but one president of th
United States - James Buchanan
FRANKLIN county claims the distinctio
of being the birthplace of this nota
BILE executive. says a Mercerburg col
reSpondeIce of the Philadelphia Rec
ord. He was born In a gorge in tn
mountains just off the turnpike whic
leads from MercersDurg to McCon
nellsburg on April %, 1871.
The house in which he first saw III
light of DAY considering that Their
were but two tiny windows to admi
the light, the expression seems rathe
paradoxicaD was a little log cabin. Ii
late years this cabin has been removed
TO Mercersburg, where 1t still stands
IN Fayette street, and is now occupied
by a coICred family.
Think of the policies for which Blu.
chanan stood touching the negro race
add the fact that negroes now live In
the edifice of that presidents nativity
and surely you have the irony of fate
in one of its most startling twentieth
century eXemplifica tions!
A few of the foundation stones are
left to mark the place where the Bu-
chanan cabin stood in the mountains,
but most Of them have been used for
the foundation of a schoolhouse near
by. At the time Of his birth tue turn
pike had not been made, but there
which ran on one side of the house,
and Of a wagon road on the other side
Stony Batter, as his birthplace is
called. was one Of the few places in
those days where farmers from the
western counties came with pack
horses laden with the products of
their lands which they exchanged for
the necessaries Of life brought there
from the city Of Baltimore. Near
where the cabin stood flows a little
stream called Trout Run, and all
around the mountain peaks tower
aloft in surprising grandeur and SUBJ
Unity.
These mountains were and are even
at the present time infested with
bears, panthers and wildcats, and
there is tradition that the solicitous
mother of Buchanan was wont to tie
around little Jimmy's neck a bell so
that she might know in the midst Of
her household cares that her boy was
safe.
In the year 1896 Mr.. Buchanan re-
moved with his family to the village
Of Mercersburg, where he sought a
wider field for his business career
that of a country merchant. At this
time young James was about five
years of age, and here he attended
school and was instructed in Latin |
and Greek until the year 1907, when |
lie was sent to Dickinson college, Car |
isle, from which institution he was |
graduated with honor in 1909.
An amusing incident is told regard
N horseback behind his father. AS
hey left the town a neighbor woman
an out of her house crying: IF you
axe James to that bad school he will
e ruined and come home good for
othing."
There are many reminders of the
'uchanans in the town. Here is the
Id Buchanan house, on Main street,
ow used as a hotel, and so changed
rom it's original state that it would
OF be recognized. Just opposite is the
ane house, where Harriet Lane
ohnson, Buchanan beautiful and ac-
omplished niece, who afterward pre-
ded at the White House, was born
nd lived One of the oldest men in
le town we'll remembers having
layed with her when they were chill
ren together.
Here On West Seminary street the
,ire of the Presbyterian church is
enciled against the background Of
ountains. At this church, which is
le of the oldest in the valley, the
uchanans, the Irwins, the maternal
lcestors of Benjamin Harrison, Gov.
ndlay and many others who in later
,ars rose to eminence, attended serv-
es.