William I. Buchanan

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For other people named William Buchanan, see William Buchanan (disambiguation).
William I. Buchanan
United States Minister to Panama
In office
December 17, 1903 – February 2, 1904
PresidentTheodore Roosevelt
Preceded byInaugural holder
Succeeded byJohn Barrett
United States Minister to Argentina
In office
May 19, 1894 – July 11, 1899
PresidentGrover Cleveland
William McKinley
Preceded byJohn R. G. Pitkin
Succeeded byWilliam Paine Lord
Personal details
Born
William Insco Buchanan

(1853-09-10)September 10, 1853
Covington, Ohio
DiedOctober 17, 1909(1909-10-17) (aged 56)
London, England
Political partyDemocrat
SpouseLaura Williams

William Insco Buchanan (September 10, 1853 – October 17, 1909)[1] was an American diplomat who spent much of his career in Latin America.

Early life[edit]

Buchanan was born in Covington, Ohio, on September 10, 1853. He was a son of George Preston Buchanan and Mary Eliza (née Gibson) Buchanan.[2]

Career[edit]

Department chiefs, including Buchanan, of the World's Columbian Exposition, 1893.

After receiving an education at the common schools in Ohio, he served as engrossing clerk of the Indiana House of Representatives from 1874 to 1875.[2] Buchanan moved to Sioux City, Iowa, in 1882 and was an organizer of the Corn Palace Exposition there.[2] He also organized the Academy of Music and an opera house. His work with the Sioux City Corn Palace Exposition led to his appointment as overseer of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, held in Chicago.[3]

On January 26, 1894, President Grover Cleveland (the former mayor of Buffalo and governor of New York) appointed Buchanan United States Minister to Argentina. He presented his credentials on May 19, 1894, and served until he left his post on July 11, 1899.[4] He also served as arbitrator on the special commission to fix the boundary between the Chilean and Argentine governments.[5] After William McKinley became president, he kept Buchanan on, even though he was a Democrat and the new president was a Republican. Once Panama separated from Colombia in 1903, he was appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt on December 17, 1903, to serve as United States Minister to Panama.[4] Buchanan presented his credentials as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary on special mission in December 1903, however, "he received new credentials as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary only a few days before he was to leave Panama and apparently did not present them. He ceased to act "on special mission," however, and conducted business in the capacity of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary until his departure."[4]

Later career[edit]

Buchanan was Director General of the Pan-American Exposition, held in Buffalo, New York, from May 1 through November 2, 1901, and is credited with the construction, operation, and dismantling of the exposition.[6] He was chosen by John G. Milburn, president of the exposition, as the exposition was planned with a Latin American theme and they wanted someone who knew the South American countries well.[3] President McKinley was assassinated at the exposition by anarchist Leon Czolgosz on September 6, 1901, and Roosevelt traveled to Buffalo where he was inaugurated shortly thereafter.[7]

At the time of his death, he was connected with the Westinghouse Company in London.[1]

Personal life[edit]

Buchanan was married to Laura "Lulu" Williams (1855–1928), a daughter of John Insco Williams and Mary (née Forman) Williams. Together, they were the parents of:

He died suddenly on October 17, 1909, while in London on business.[1] An autopsy revealed the cause of death was heart failure.[10] His body was returned to the United States and he was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York.[11]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c TIMES, Special Cable to THE NEW YORK (18 October 1909). "W.I. BUCHANAN DIES IN A LONDON STREET; Former American Minister to Panama Unconscious When Found in Park Lane. WAS HEAD OF BUFFALO FAIR State Department Mourns Loss of the Man Who Settled Our Long-Standing Difficulties with Venezuela" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "William Insco Buchanan". The Annals of Iowa. 9 (5): 399. 1910. doi:10.17077/0003-4827.3627.
  3. ^ a b LaChiusa, Chuck. "William I. Buchanan". buffaloah.com. Buffalo Architecture and History. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "William Insco Buchanan - People - Department History - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Office of the Historian, Foreign Service Institute United States Department of State. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  5. ^ "CHILE AGREES TO ARBITRATE.; The Dispute with Argentina to be Submitted to Minister Buchanan" (PDF). The New York Times. 5 November 1898. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  6. ^ "Buffalo Exposition Wants Buchanan" (PDF). The New York Times. 30 August 1899. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  7. ^ Peterson, Harold F. (1977). Diplomat of the Americas: A Biography of William I. Buchanan, 1852-1909. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-87395-346-7. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  8. ^ The Harvard Graduates' Magazine. Harvard Graduates' Magazine Association. 1904. p. 327. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  9. ^ School, Yale University Sheffield Scientific (1906). Catalogue of the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University for the College Year ... Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor Company. p. 160. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  10. ^ "BUCHANAN'S DEATH NATURAL.; Autopsy Shows Heart Failure, Not Apoplexy, Was Cause" (PDF). The New York Times. 21 October 1909. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  11. ^ "William Insco Buchanan". The American Journal of International Law. 4 (1). American Journal of International Law: 160–163. 1910. doi:10.2307/2186464. JSTOR 2186464. S2CID 246003663. Retrieved 6 March 2020.

External links[edit]

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Minister to Argentina
1894–1899 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Inaugural holder
 United States Minister to Panama
1903–1904 		Succeeded by
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