Dr. George Buchanan and Letitia McKean
Husband Dr. George Buchanan 1 2
Born: 19 Sep 1763 - Baltimore, MD 2 Christened: Died: 9 Jul 1808 3 Buried: - Lazaretto, near Philadelphia, PA
Father: Gen. Andrew Buchanan (1734-1786) 2 Mother: Susan Lawson ( - ) 2
Marriage: 11 Jun 1789 4
Wife Letitia McKean 1
Born: 6 Jan 1769 - New Castle, New Castle Co, DE 5 Christened: Died: 9 Feb 1845 6 Buried: - Woodlands Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA
Father: Hon. Thomas McKean (1734-1817) 7 8 9 Mother: Mary Borden (1744-1773) 10
Children
1 M Gen. George Buchanan 11 12
Born: 27 Jul 1796 - Baltimore, MD 12 Christened: Died: 9 Jun 1879 - near Penn Hall, Centre Co, PA 13 14 Buried:Spouse: Sarah G. Miles (1806-1844) 14 15 Marr: 16 May 1833 14Spouse: Mary Patterson (Abt 1810-1868) 14 Marr: 26 Jun 1846 - Potter's Mills, Centre Co, PA 14
General Notes: Husband - Dr. George Buchanan
He studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania under the celebrated Dr. William Shippen, and graduated as a bachelor of medicine in 1785. He then went abroad and prosecuted his studies at Edinburgh and Paris. He received the degree of bachelor of medicine at the American Physical Society of Edinburgh, in 1786, and the next year was admitted a member of the Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh, and subsequently became its president. In 1786 he was also elected a member of the American Philosophical Society.
He returned to Baltimore in 1789, and the same year received his degree of M. D. from the University of Pennsylvania, and entered into practice in Baltimore in partnership with Dr. Samuel S. Coale. He was at this time appointed physician to the Alms-house. The Medical Society of Baltimore was also organized this year, of which Dr. Buchanan was one of the founders. During the winter of 1789-90 he delivered a course of lectures on obstetrics, at the close of which his pupils published a complimentary notice, hoping that the lectures of Dr. Buchanan and Dr. Wiesenthal may prove the beginning of a permanent medical school. The Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland was organized in 1799, of which Dr. Buchanan was one of the charter members. He is the author of the following works: His thesis Dessertatio Physiologica de Causis Respirationis ejusdemque affectibus, University of Pennsylvania, 1785, pp. 30, Phila. 1789; Treatise on the Typhus Fever, published for the benefit of establishing a Lying-in-Hospital in Baltimore, printed by William Goddard, Baltimore, 1789, 16mo., pp. 25 ; the first published medical monograph of a Baltimore physician. But two copies of this are known, one in the Boston Athanaeum among the pamphlets of General Washington, and the other presented by the author to the Royal Society of London. Letter to the Inhabitants of Baltimore, in which is suggested the Registration of Deaths, the Formation of a Public Park, and the Organization of a Humane Society; An Appeal for the establishment of a humane Society, in connection with Drs. George Brown, Andrew Wiesenthal, Lyde Goodwin, Samuel S. Coale, James Wynkoop, George P. Stevenson, and Moses Haslett. An Oration upon the Moral and Political Evil of Slavery, delivered at a public meeting of the Maryland Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, and the Relief of Free Negroes and others unlawfully held in bondage, Baltimore, July 4,1791. Dedicated to Vice President Thomas Jefferson, and printed by P. Edwards, 1793. A copy of this was found in the Boston Athenaeum, among the Washington pamphlets, with George Washington's autograph on the title page. It was considered so important a publication that it gave rise to W. F. Poole's Anti-Slavery Opinions before the year 1800, Cin., Clark and Co., 8vo., in which is given a facsimile of the oration.
He was a member of the First Branch of the City Council, 1797-8, at the first election after Baltimore had been incorporated a city. He was a magistrate in 1799; and in 1803, October 3, a candidate for Congress, but not elected; there being three candidates, N. R. Moore, William McCreery and George Buchanan, the first named receiving a majority of the votes cast.
In 1806, July 4, Dr. Buchanan was appointed by Governor McKean physician at the Lazaretto, six miles below Philadelphia, and removed with his family to that city. Governor McKean was assailed for this appointment, but upon giving his reasons showed that the appointment was proper and according to law. Dr. Buchanan did not long enjoy his appointment, for he was stricken with yellow fever contracted in the discharge of his duties, and died July 9th, 1808, and was buried at the Lazaretto. "The duties of his office were performed with a mildness of temper and correctness of manner that engaged the attention of all with whom he had intercourse. The sick or unfortunate were objects of his particular attention. The feelings of the man were never lost, nor the dictates of humanity ever neglected in the performance of official duty. In private life he was amiable, respected and beloved. In the character of a husband, father and master, his example was worthy of imitation. He was a sincere and devout Christian; and by his premature death society is deprived of a good and useful member, and skillful physician. . . . " For the principal facts of Dr. Buchanan's professional life we are indebted chiefly to the researches of Dr. John R. Quinan, as published in his Medical Annals of Baltimore,1884; and also in a biography, page 53 of the Transactions of the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland, April, 1881.
Dr. Buchanan's diplomas were later in the possession of George O. G. Coale, of Boston.
General Notes: Wife - Letitia McKean
After her husband's death, she removed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1825-35 she resided at No. 43 South Eighth street (between Chestnut and Walnut, east side, about five doors below Chestnut). At that time the city extended no farther west than Twelfth street, or its vicinity.
Notes: Marriage
Their children:
1. Susanna, b. April 9, 1790 ; d. Aug. 24, 1795.
2. Thomas McKean, b. Sept. 17, 1791; d. Oct. 5. 1791.
3. Mary Ann, b. Oct. 15, 1792 (Mrs. Coale).
4. Rebecca Susanna, b. Oct. 15, 1793.
5. Andrew, b. Nov. 10, 1794; bur. May 1, 1796 (St. P. church).
6. George, b. July 27, 1796.
7. McKean, b. July 27, 1798.
8. Franklin, b. Sept. 17, 1800.
9. Elizabeth, b. Jan. 25, 1801; d. Aug. 24, 1825. (These dates are on her tombstone in Woodland's Cemetery, Philadelphia.
10. Joseph McKean, b. May 7, 1804; d. June 7, 1804.
11. Laetitia Egger, b. Oct. 17, 1806.
1 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania (New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1911), Pg 1185.
2 Roberdeau Buchanan, Genealogy of the McKean Family of Pennsylvania (Lancaster, PA: Inquirer Printing Co., 1890), Pg 129.
3 Roberdeau Buchanan, Genealogy of the McKean Family of Pennsylvania (Lancaster, PA: Inquirer Printing Co., 1890), Pg 130.
4 Roberdeau Buchanan, Genealogy of the McKean Family of Pennsylvania (Lancaster, PA: Inquirer Printing Co., 1890), Pg 128.
5 Roberdeau Buchanan, Genealogy of the McKean Family of Pennsylvania (Lancaster, PA: Inquirer Printing Co., 1890), Pg 124.
6 Roberdeau Buchanan, Genealogy of the McKean Family of Pennsylvania (Lancaster, PA: Inquirer Printing Co., 1890), Pg 131.
7 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 100.
8 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania (New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1911), Pg 1178.
9 William C. Armor, Lives of the Governors of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: James K. Simon, 1873), Pg 289.
10 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania (New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1911), Pg 1184.
11 John Blair Linn, History of Centre and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1883), Pg 182, 215.
12 Roberdeau Buchanan, Genealogy of the McKean Family of Pennsylvania (Lancaster, PA: Inquirer Printing Co., 1890), Pg 152.
13 John Blair Linn, History of Centre and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1883), Pg 182.
14 Roberdeau Buchanan, Genealogy of the McKean Family of Pennsylvania (Lancaster, PA: Inquirer Printing Co., 1890), Pg 153.
15
John Blair Linn, History of Centre and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1883), Pg 215.
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