Lawrenceville Meeting Room, IL

Since 1917, there has continually been a meeting room of Tunbridge Wells exclusives in Lawrence County, Illinois, meeting initially in Lawrenceville, and relocating in 1949 to St. Francisville, and returning to Lawrenceville after 1985, most likely in 1992, where it meets to this day. The pioneer settlers of this assembly were of the Buchanan family, which are also among the earliest farming pioneers of the county, starting with Victor Buchanan, born in Pennsylvania, relocating initially to Kentucky, and arriving in Lawrence County in 1819, two years prior to its naming.

It is presently outside this editor's knowledge how the Buchanan family was introduced to the PB, but they have held a lasting testimony in the area, originally as Presbyterians in honor of their earlier roots in the 18th century in Scotland, but eventually as those meeting simply around the Lord Jesus, and it would be surprising if there are not also likely brethren serving in leadership in most of the other evangelical fellowships in present day, with exemplary character.

Lawrence County history

According to Wikipedia, Lawrence County, Illinois was formed in 1821 out of Crawford and Edwards counties, named for Capt. Lawrence, who was killed in action during the War of 1812 while commanding the full-rigged warship USS Chesapeake, and his final order to his men after being mortally wounded was, "Don't give up the ship".

In a 1910 biographical volume of Lawrence County, part of a series on Illinois history, there is a five page section dedicated to the Buchanan family, which it credits as being among the oldest families in the history of that area.

Buchanan history

In a forementioned history of Lawrence County, in a biographical piece on Aaron B. Buchanan (1835-1910), it references a Scotch family named Boahahan, whose family coat of arms included a sprig of birch. When members of the Scotch clan wedded with Irish, the surname was changed to Buchanan.

Noted Early Buchanans

George Buchanan

• George Buchanan (reformer)

James Buchanan

James Buchanan (1791-1868) served as the 15th president of the U.S. (1857-1861), previously serving as Secretary of State (1845-1849) and represented Pennsylvania in both houses of the U.S. Congress. His father, James Buchanan Sr. (1761-1821) was of Ulster Scot descent, and emigrated from Ramelton, Ireland in 1783. He was the last U.S. president born in the 18th century, and is the only one to remain a lifelong bachelor. He was buried in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where he had lived for 60 years.

Sources

• Wikipedia
  • Lawrence Co., IL
  • George Buchanan
  • James II

• Ancestry.com
  • Illinois Historical / Lawrence County Biographical. Chicago: Munsell Publishing Company, 1910. Ed. by John William McCleave (1877-1957). pp. 734-739.