Walter Washington Buchanan, a
Greenock doctor is the connection. He
was born at Hanover (Morristown), New Jersey on 4 June 1777. He was baptised on 6 July 1777 and George Washington, America's first
president, was his godfather! This is Buchanan's grave in Greenock Cemetery.
The inscription reads:-
Walter
Washington Buchanan born 4th June 1777 at Hanover, Jersey USA, died 11th
September 1861, his son James Campbell, merchant, born 3rd Mar 1803 at New York
died 10th Oct 1868.
Walter Buchanan went on to
have a very interesting life. As a child
he recalls playing with the grandchildren of Martha Washington - George
Washington Custis and his sister Eleanor at the Osgood/Franklin House on Cherry
Street.
Walter's family originated in
Scotland and he was sent back to attend Glasgow University, graduating MD in
1798. He returned to New York and
applied to the US Navy for a position and was appointed to the ship
"Ganges". Several of his
letters to the War Department remain - he had quite a flamboyant
signature! It was a short-lived career as he was
discharged the following year under the Peace Establishment Act.
He returned to Scotland and
married a Greenock lass - Annabella Brownlie on 27 February 1802. On their return to New York, they had two
children, a son James Campbell and a daughter Eliza. Dr Buchanan's career blossomed and he was
elected Professor of Midwifery at Columbia College in 1808. He was also Secretary of New York County
Medical Society and was connected with the New York Almshouse (Bellevue?).
When the Anglo-American war
broke out in 1812, Buchanan was re-appointed as a Navy Surgeon and worked at Sackett's
Harbour on Lake Ontario. There is an
interesting letter from him in "The Naval War of 1812" Vol II edited
by William S Dudley in which he objects strongly to a proposed pay cut! He was visited at Sackett's Harbour by the
writer Washington Irving with whom he seems to have been friends since they
were younger.
He retired from the Navy in
1827 and was residing at Greene Street, near Broadway in New York. In 1830 his daughter, Eliza married a wealth
cloth merchant Alexander Rodger in Greenock.
By 1837 Walter and his family were residing at Mount Pleasant in
Greenock. Sometime in 1843/44 he bought
the beautiful house of Bagatelle in Greenock (now a care home). He was involved in local affairs and
continued to practice as a doctor in the town.
Annabella died in 1852 and was buried in the Old West churchyard
(remains later transfered to Greenock Cemetery). Walter died of apoplexy in 1861. In his will he left some knives, forks and
spoons which "were so long in the use of President Washington" to his
son, James who died in 1868. James
founded the Buchanan Night Asylum in the town which gave shelter and food to
homeless people.
Walter Washington Buchanan
seems to have been a very interesting man.
His daughter's family are buried nearby and also have a story to tell!
The Greenockian
