Tag Archives: President James Buchanan

James Buchanan: The Successful Failure

The Stellar Resume James Buchanan (1791-1867), a Pennsylvanian from mid-state, was the last President born in the 18th century. His family was large, but he was essentially a brother among a slew of sisters.  Blessed with above average academic gifts, … Continue reading

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G.P.A. Healy and the Portraits of Presidents

The Young Artist George Peter Alexander (usually known as G.P.A.) Healy was definitely born poor in 1813 to Irish immigrants in Boston. A bit late to his calling, he was sixteen when he first picked up a brush, but the … Continue reading

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, Chester Arthur, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, James K. Polk, John Quincy Adams, John Tyler, Martin Van Buren, Millard Fillmore, Ulysses S. Grant | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gideon Welles and the Naval Battle

Gideon Welles was Secretary of the Navy during the Civil War. March 9, 1862 It was a Sunday. Navy Secretary Gideon Welles rushed over to Lincoln’s office, where he found the President and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton in a … Continue reading

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James Buchanan: Tired Ol’ Buck

James Buchanan was nearly seventy in 1861, a time when 75 was a ripe old age. The Election of 1856 When James Buchanan (1791-1868) was elected in 1856, he was a) the last President born in the 18th century; b) … Continue reading

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Harriet Lane’s Bracelet Story

Harriet Lane served as de facto First Lady for her bachelor Uncle, POTUS James Buchanan. Little Orphan Harriet James Buchanan was a brother among many sisters. Having received a solid education, he became a successful Pennsylvania attorney, elected to Congress … Continue reading

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The White House Conservatory: The Lost Treasure

 Arguably the largest of all lost White House treasures, is the Conservatory. The Greenhouse Concept Some three hundred years ago, the first greenhouse was built in Colonial America. The concept had been known in Europe for some time: to provide … Continue reading

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Presidential Sites, Rutherford Hayes, Theodore Roosevelt, Ulysses S. Grant, William McKinley | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

1861: A Year of Six Presidents

Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration in 1861 set many precedents. Presidential Precedents. Abraham Lincoln was a President of many firsts: The first POTUS born west of the Appalachian Mountains (KY); the elected first from Illinois; the first elected by popular plurality in … Continue reading

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, John Tyler, Martin Van Buren, Millard Fillmore | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

President Grant and the First State Dinner

The first sovereign of a foreign country to be hosted at a White House State Dinner was the King of the Sandwich Islands – in 1874. State Dinners From the beginning of the United States as a nation, elegant dining … Continue reading

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Harriet Lane and the James Buchanan Statue

James Buchanan has been the cellar dweller among Presidents for more than 150 years. JB: The Balance Sheet The asset side. Pennsylvania’s James Buchanan (1791-1868) came to the presidency in 1857 with a forty-plus-year resume of solid achievement: successful attorney, … Continue reading

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James Buchanan and the Prince of Wales

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales had always been a concern to his parents, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The Prince and his Parents Prince Bertie, as his family called him, was a genial, warm-hearted and pleasure-loving fellow, and would remain … Continue reading

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