Bible Records - Tombstone Inscription, Acklen, 1933, page 261, 256 Will of Arhibald Buchanan, recorded October 7, 1806 Recorded in Will Book 3, in Davidson County, TN. Buchanan Station, A Pioneer Fort, Founded by Major John Buchanan and wife, Margaret Kennedy who died in 1789 and in 1791 married Sarah Ridley of the Watauga Valley. Situated only a short distance north of the old home lies the family Graveyard. A few markers still remain and bear the following inscriptions. John, Sarah, Martha, George, and Samuel Buchanans. This old pioneer fort and surrounding acreage is located on Elm Hill Pike, four miles from Nashville, is now known as the Seamen A. Knapp Demonstration Farm of the Peabocy Colloge for Teachers in Nashville, Tennessee. Many graves have long since been erased by time. For instance, it is know that the bodies of Archibald Buchanan, cousin of John, and his wife, Agnes Bowen, were removed from the garden of the "Old Blue Brick" on Stewart's Ferry Road by their son, James, when the homstead was sold, and both placed in the same grave in the Buchanan Graveyard. However, no trace can be found of the same. BUCHANAN A Geneological History John A. Blakeman, 1978 Quality Printers, Inc. Bristol, Virginia page 233 BUCHANAN, LIEUT. ARCHIBALD s. James Buchanan and Martha Allison Buchanan. Born about 1725 in Pennsylvania. Bertie Rose. Another record indicated he was born in 1728, but the list by Alexander Buchanan, s. Capt. John Buchanan, shows the first above date the more probable. He and his brothers, Alexander and John, were thought to have accompanied Col. James Patton and Col. John Buchanan on their survey trips to the Southwestern part of Virginia in 1743 and 1752. On 1 Sept. 1748 he was a purchaser at the sale of the personal property of Joseph Harrison. Augusta County, Va. WE 1-208, Ch III 15. m. first in May 1751 to Nancy Bowen, dau. John Bowen and Lilly McIlhaney Bowen. Issue: William, Spencer Eggleston and John. Enlisted 17 July 1755 in a company of Rangers commanded by Capt. William Preston and Lieutenants Audley Paul and David Robinson. At aged 27, height 5 feet 7 inches. Weaver. Kegley 212. In 1754-56 he was a soldier in the French and Indian War as a subaltern under Co1. William Preston. On 10 March 1759 he, Alexander Buchanan and Robert Buchanan witnessed a deed from James McCown and Margaret to William Buchanan for 370 acres in Borden I s tract, corner to James Buchanan, crossing Halker's Creek to said McCown's Run, on a line of John Hallace. DB 8-96. Ch III 354 On 20 Sept. 1759 he was a purchaser at the sale of the effects of his deceased brother, James, Jr. j,JB 2-396. Ch III 59. m. second on 19 May 1760 to Agness Bowen McFerran, dau. John Bowen and Lilly McIlhaney Bowen. Issue: Martha, Rebecca, James, Lilly, Nancy, Mary Agnes and Ellen. On 24 Dec. 1760 he, Hilliam Thompson, James Buchanan and William Buchanan witnessed the will of James Rutherford. j,JB 4-134. Ch III 104. On 19 May 1761 he and Agness Buchanan, late Agness McFerrin, as administrators of James McFerrin, deceased, made bond with John Buchanan and Hilliam Buchanan as sureties. j,JB 3-23. On 18 Aug. 1761 he was appointed guardian of John McFerran, s. James McFerran and Agnes Bowen McFerran, and made bond with John Maxwell and Charles Hays as sureties. He agreed to educate, clothe and bring up the said orphan at his own expense, and when said orphan was of age, to pay him his estate with interest. j,JB 3-239. DB 7-53. Ch I 91. He made bond for himself and Agness Bowen McFerran Buchanan as administrators of the estate of James McFerran. j,JB 3-23. Ch III 62. On 2 June 1761 he was named as a son and devisee in the will of his father. j,JB 3-379. Ch III 88. On 18 Aug. 1761 he, John Maxwell and Charles Hays made bond as guardian of John McFerrin, orphan of James McFerrin. j,JB 3-239. Ch III 79. On 9 Dec. 1761 he, Jacob Anderson and Hugh Cunningham filed an appraisal of the estate of Francis McCown. j,JB 3-116. Ch III 67. On 7 Nov. 1762 he got a deed from Borden's executors for 406 acres, a part of 92,100 acres crossing McCown's Run, corner to Robert Christian, white oak by a warm spring on Hays Creek. DB 11-134. Ch III 393. In 1765 he was processioned for by Collier and McCampbell. Vestry Book 385. Ch II 451. On 18 May 1768 he, as a witness, proved the will of James Rutherford. j,JB 4-134. Ch III 104. On 18 Aug. 1769 he and Agnes conveyed to William Buchanan 406 acres, part of 92,100 acres of Borden's tract, crossing McCasson's Run, corner to Robert Christian, oak by a warm spring on the north bank of Hays Creek. DB 16-35. Ch III 490. Between 1769 and 1772 he moved to the Locust (Plaster) Cove on the head waters of the North Fork of Holston River, and settled near the mouth of Cove Creek. On 4 May 1773 the County Court of Fincastle County, Va. ordered him, James Hais (Hays), John Hais (Hays) and Robert Davis to view the nicest and best way from the Rich Valley over the mountain by Robert Davis' unto the leading road from Holston and make report of the conveniences and inconveniences thereof. SA 603. On 6 July 1773 he, William Crabtree and James Fowler were ordered to appraise the estate of William Daugherty. SA 607. On 8 Sept. 1774 he, Capt. John Buchanan and their families narrowly escaped capture by Indians. Addington 32. On 6 Oct. 1774 Major Arthur Campbell, of Royal Oak, wrote to Col. William Preston, "Upon the alarm of Lammey (Andrew Lamie) being taken, Vance's and Fowler's wives with several other families convened at Mr. Barriso!)'s, which lies upon the main path to Clinch, Rich Valley, opposite the Town House (Chilhowie) and that Archibald Buchanan and John Buchanan's families with Andrew Lammey's came here who have continued on this side yet. "Addington 64. Pendleton at page 294 stated that Archibald Buchanan lived near the mouth of the Cove Creek that empties into the North Fork of Holston. That he afterward moved to Washington County and is the ancestor of most of the Buchanans who lived in Tazewell County, Va. (The above statement is partly in error in that Archibald Buchanan did not move to Washington County since he lived in that County after 1777; also that his descendants did not live in Tazewell County. It was the descendants of Capt. John Buchanan and Jolm Buchanan III who moved to Tazewell County, Va. JAB) On 6 Dec. 1774 the County Court of Fincastle County, Va. ordered that a road be cut from Arthur Campbell's Mill, at the Royal Oak, to Archibald Buchanan's on the North Fork of Holston and that William Campbell, Gent., appoint the tithables to work thereon, and that Archibald Buchanan be overseer thereof. SA 634. On 18 Feb. 1775 he got a Fincastle County, Va. survey for 266 acres on both sides of the South Fork of Reed Creek. SA 654. That land he later sold to Kettering. On 2 Oct. 1775 he and Alexander Walker took deli very of a recorded deed from Borden's executors to John Walker, Jr., for 302 acres, part of 92,100 acres, corner to Joseph CuI ton, on Moffett's Creek, on a line of Robert CuI ton. DB 5 154. Ch III 311. On 7 Nov. 1775 he, Arthur Galbreath, Jacob Anderson and Charles ; French and Indian War Warrants 2, 461; Virginia Colonial Militia 48.On 5 April 1780 he was certified by the County Court of Montgomery County, Va. as having served as a Sergeant with Preston in 1755-6, and that he might get a Land Office allotment. SA 738. His children by his first wife left the Plaster Cove and went to Kentucky, and, according to Roy George Buchanan, neither they nor their descendants knew what happened to their father and his other descendants until after 1950. Said Roy G. Buchanan expressed the view that Archibald Buchanan had been in the Battle of Kings Mountain but could not furnish proof thereof. It is known that his brother, Capt. John Buchanan, and many of his neighbors were in that battle. On 21 March 1782 he was ordered by the County Court of Washington County, Va. to be overseer of the road from the top of Walker's Mountain to the Cove Creek and that Arthur Campbell, Gent., give him a list of tithables. SA 1098. In 1783 he got Grant No. 414 for 640 acres in Davidson County, Tenn. on Stones River, including the Clover Bottom Farm. In that grant his name was spelled Bohannon. Tenn. Archives. On 2 Nov. 1789 he got a North Carolina grant for land on Stones River. David son County, Tenn. DB B-224. He was granted land for services in the French and Indian War. SA 1415. He moved in 1783 from the Plaster Cove to the Clover Bottom Farm near Donelson, Tenn., and took up his grants there. At that time that area was under the control of the State of North Carolina. He had a grant of 100 acres and possibly of 2000 acres. He first built a log house, which in Oct. 1792 was attacked by Indians, who were fought off and some killed by his wife and children. Carr wrote, "Watts, a Cherokee Chief, living near Nickajack, had been on a visit to Nashville during a temporary sesation of hostilities, and had been treated with much attention and civility by the principal men there. Sometime after this, Findleston, a half breed, came in and told the people that Watts was raising a large force to attack Nashville, and that if his words did not prove true, they might put him in jail and hang him. Consequently, all the men that could be raised in the country were called out to defend Nashville, some 300 in number being mustered. They were stationed about 1-1/2 to 2 miles from Nashville, at Rains Spring, where they lay a week or more. They kept spies out constantly to look out for the arrival of the Cherokee forces. The Castlemans were reputed to be excellent woodsmen, and having been as far as where Murfreesboro now stands, they came back with the report that there was not an Indian on the course. (In Carr's book in the Tennessee State Library there is a pencil note at this point, stating, "A mistake. It was not the Castlemans. On the contrary they reported Indians Someone else reported "No Indians ".) They therefore marched into Nashville on Tuesday, as well as I remember and dismissed; and on Thursday morning following, as nearly as I can recollect, two spies were sent out from Nashville - Gee and Latham - I believe. About 8 or 10 miles out, they fell in with Watt's force, were slain and their hearts cut out, as it was said. In relation to this affair, it was afterwards reported that Watts kept Indians ahead of his forces, dressed as white men; that by these means he decoyed the unfortunate men within reach, surrounded and killed them. In 1813, on my way to take part in the battle of Talledsgo, I fell with George Fields, a half breed Cherokee, who had enlisted on our side to fight the Creeks. Going along, he, being somewhat intoxicated, (a good opportunity to make an Indian talk freely), I told him of this report, and asked him whether or not he was one of the decoys mentioned? He denied the charge, but acknowledged that he was along when the two men were killed in a small glade. The Indians kept down and coming near Buchanan's Station a little after dark, George said they could hear the cows lowing; and here an altercation sprang up between Watts, the Cherokee Chief, and Chief (Attawalla) in command of the Creeks, in which the latter insisted on at once attacking Buchanan's Station, the former as earnestly desiring first to attack Nashville, saying, "They could attack and take Buchanan's Station afterwards. " Watts added, "If Buchanan's Station was attacked first they would be put upon their guard at Nashville. Their great object in starting was to take Nashville, and that they could take the little fort as they came back." Watts ended the controversy by telling the Creek Chief to take the fort then, himself; and said that he would stand by and look at him! The result is well known. Watts got desperately wounded, and the Indians were badly whipped. Watts was carried home on a horse litter, and the Creek Chief was killed. He was the same Indian mentioned in Colonel Brown's narrative as Chichattally, or Tom Tunbridge, and was said to be the same one who set fire to and burnt Zigler's Fort. Fields, my narrator in this instance was desperately wounded at Talledega. He was carried from our encampment by our men on a litter, and left in the Fort. The Indians, however, cured him." Carr 204 et seq. Archibald Buchanan and his son were absent at the time of the attack, but the savages were driven away by the prompt action of Mrs. Buchanan and several children and grandchildren, who were with her. A Tennessee Highway Marker is in front of the site and gives details of the incident. In 1795 the log house was replaced by a substantial and comodious house of brick and of Colonial design. It became known as the "Blue Brick House", and stood until the summer of 1952, when it was replaced by a house of smaller size. Some of the bricks of the old house were used in the new house and are readily identified by their bluish cast. He had added to his land holdings until about 1796 he had 1700 acres. He was assessed in 1790 as having 640 acres in the bounds of Capt. James Frazier's Company. Tenn. Archives. On 30 May 1801 he made his will as follows: "I, Archibald Buchanan, of Davidson County, do dispose of all my estate of what kind so ever it be in the following manner. Imprimis I give to my grandchildren the sons and daughters of my daughter Martha Steel one dollar to be equally divided among them. Item I give to my daughter Lilly Wells one dollar. Item I give to my daughter Mary Jones one dollar. Item I give to my daughter Rebeccah Shannon twenty do llars. Item I give to my daughter Nancy Drew one dollar. Item I give to my daughter Ellen Buchanan one dollar. Item I give to my brother Robert Buchanan an absolute right in fee simple to three hundred and twenty acres of land part of the tract on which I live. I give this to him his heirs and assigns forever to be laid off to him on the west side joining the lands of James Todd. Item I give and devise to my son James Buchanan and to his heirs and assigns forever an absolute and fee simple right to all the residue of the tract of land whereon I live after his uncle Robert gets his three hundred and twenty acres laid off, this I give to him with all the appurtenances thereto belonging and lastly I do appoint my son James Buchanan sole executor of this my last will and testament. May 20th, 1801." Signed, sealed and delivered by the testator as his last will and testament in presence of Daniel Smith, Edward Saunders and Sookey Sanders. Proven 7 Oct. 1806 by Daniel Smith, with James Buchanan qualifying as executor. Davidson County, Tenn. WE 3-120. He was buried in the garden of the Blue Brick House and when it was sold by James Buchanan the bodies were moved to Buchanan's Fort. He was a cousin of Alexander Buchanan who as an old man was killed at the Bluff (Nashville). Don 44. The farm was in 1956 used as a school for the deaf and feeble -minded and as a State Highway Police Headquarters. The family cemetery was in poor repair. JAB.