"Death of J. A. J. Buchanan

Prominent Waynesburg Attorney Passes Away in His 87th Year -- Was a Brilliant Orator and Lawyer

James A. J. Buchanan, Esq., died at his home on South Morgan street, Wednesday evening, Aug. 10, at seven o'clock. For several years he had been in failing health, but was usually able to go about the streets until the last few days of his life.

In the death of Mr. Buchanan there has passed away the last of the "old school" attorneys here, who were noted in the legal profession for years prior to and during the civil war period. They were all men of rare acumen, learned in the law as well as in statesmanship and their influence was felt upon the citizenship of Greene and other counties of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

J. A. J. Buchanan was born in Waynesburg, February 8, 1824, being the son of Col. Andrew and Rhoda Stevenson Buchanan. The parents were of Scotch-Irish extraction, the former having been born in Chester county, Pa., and the latter in New Jersey. They settled here in 1803, their residence being at the corner of Main and Morgan streets. Col. Andrew Buchanan was prominent in the affairs of the state during the early period of the last century, having been a member of the legislature in 1832-3 and was a member of congress from 1835 to 1839. He also served one term as county commissioner of Greene county, receiving as his salary the meagre sum of fifteen dollars. He practiced law here from 1803 until 1848, the time of his death.

The subject of this sketch was next to the youngest in a family of eleven children. He was educated in Greene Academy and Washington College, having been graduated from the latter in 18__, being a fellow student of Hon. James G. Blaine, Judge Kennedy Ewing, Dr. McKennan and other well known men. After his graduation he entered upon the study of law in his father's office and was admitted to the Greene county bar in 1845. He subsequently formed a partnership with Hon. James Lindsey, which continued until 1863; when the latter was elected law judge in this district. Mr. Buchanan and the late George L. Wyly then became law partner, which continued for thirty-four years. Both had wide reputations as attorneys, the former being especially known as a brilliant orator, while the latter was an excellent counselor. In 1875, Hon. D. S. Walton became a member of the firm, , which was thereafter styled Wyly, Buchanan & Walton. The clientage of the firm was very large and for many years there was rarely an important case tried in our courts in which they were not engaged.

Mr. Buchanan's power to sway a jury by his brilliant oratory and ________ arguments was widely known. His success and ability were shown both in civil and criminal proceedings, a combination which is rarely found in an attorney. Many a prisoner at the bar has well attributed his aquittal to the power of Mr. Buchanan's oratory and if the latter was engaged upon the side of the commonwealth, the strength of his personality, his skill as a questioner and the _______ of his arguments weighed heavily for the state.

Throughout his life, his politician affiliation was with the Democratic party, though during the civil war period he was an ardent supporter of the Union. He had no sympathy with _________ or the practice of slavery and opposed what was known as the "copperhead" faction in the ___th. He delivered many addresses in Greene and adjoining counties during the war and his spirit of loyalty did much toward securing support for the Union cause in this section. At one time he held a joint debate in Waynesburg with Henry Clay Dean, a noted speaker of the south and advocate of the confederate cause, and the latter admitted his defeat in argument.

Mr. Buchanan was not only a lawyer of the "old school" but a gentleman of the "old school." Always polite and curteous to those around him, generous-hearted and ready to aid a friend he held the esteem of his associates and acquaintances. He was foremost in enterprises which were for the benefit of his community and county. He took an active interest in the building of the first railroad into Greene county and Waynesburg College always had his friendship and financial support.

Mr. Buchanan was united in marriage in 1845 to Miss Mary Ann Boner and this union, which was a most happy one, lasted nearly fifty-five years. Mrs. Buchanan's death occurring Dec. 7, 1899. There were six children, but one of whom is now surviving, Mrs. Mary Walton, wife of Hon. D. S. Walton, of Waynesburg. Three of the children died in infancy, one, Miss Sadie Buchanan, was united in marriage to Judge William B. McConnell, of Angola, Ind., and died two years later, Sep. 21, 1871. Miss Haddie Lantz, wife of W. T. Lantz, of Pittsburgh, died recently.

The funeral services were held from Mr. Buchanan's home, on Friday, at 2 p.m. They were conducted by Dr. J. Calvin Mead and Dr. W. M. Hudson, of Waynesburg; Rev. Joseph Donahey, of Bridgeport, O., a former pastor here, and Rev. W. E. Howard, of Fayette City. The Bar Association attended in a body. Interment in Green Mount cemetery."