James Buchanan Junior was born April 23, 1791 near Mercersburg or Cove Gap in Pennsylvania. After serving as the 15th President of the United States in charge of the 15th Administration, (March 4, 1857 to March 4, 1861), he died on June 1, 1868 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
His mother had been the American born, Elizabeth Speer. She had been born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania around 1767 and died in Greensburg, Pennsylvania on 14 May, 1833.
His father, James Buchanan, had been born in Ramelton, Donegal, Ireland around 1761. He is said to have come to the United States around 1781 which would have made him eligible to be President thanks to the exception clause. He died in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania on June 11, 1821.
The eligibility, due to the exception clause, could not be passed to the younger James Buchanan who was therefore not eligible himself to be President because he was not a natural born citizen. Having lived in his minority under the influence of his foreign born father, young James was subject to his father's reminiscing of the country of his birth, Ireland, and not the United States.
Richard Carl Shellhorn
Executive Director
