The Family History of James Buchanan | James Buchanan Genealogy
James Buchanan was our only President to never marry and he was one of the oldest, age 65, at his inauguration. James Buchanan was born on April 23, 1791 in Cove Gap, Pennsylvania. His parents were James Buchanan and Elizabeth Speer.
Both of his parents were of Irish descent. Buchanan was the first son and second child in a family of ten. He was born in a log cabin in 1791 His father was a storekeeper and a farmer. During his presidency, his niece Harriet Lane served as the White House hostess. As a philanthropist, she was to later found the Johns Hopkins children’s hospital.