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The Archives of the Washington, D.C. Census Record 1850-1860 gives Samuel David Buchanan born in 1816. Celie Ann Kenson born 1820. They married in Lincoln County, TN in 1837.Father of Samuel David Buchanan was David Buchanan, who married Abigail McElroy. Lived in Fayette, Lincoln County, TN., 1784-1794. Then they moved to Rusk County, Texas, later known as Purtle, Gregg County, TX, about 1849. They moved from Gregg County of Kilgore, Rusk County 12 miles from Henderson, Texas.
The Archives 1860 Vol. 8 Texas. Census Records, gives Celie Ann Buchanan born July 4, 1819 (head of house, Samuel David Buchanan, her husband, had died between 1850-1860) children Edwin 17, John 14, Lititia 12, Williams and James 9, Charlie 8, Albert 6, daughters, Mary and Sarah Jane had married and left the home. Real estate value $1,000.00; personal property, slaves $600.00 (Charlie, one of the sons, was C.M. Buchanan, Dickens County).
George P. Johnson, born Jan. 1832, Lawrenceburg, TN. He married Ruth Angeline Williams in TN. They were parents of several children most of whom died young, and Kate Camilla Johnson, born February 10, 1866 in Arkadelphia, AR (Kate Buchanan, Dickens County). She and Charles Monroe Buchanan were married November 26, 1882 in Ellis County, Texas. Charles Monroe Buchanan was born March 31, 1853 in Gregg County, Texas.
Charles Monroe Buchanan and wife, Kate Camilla Johnson Buchanan were living in Ellis County, TX when they heard glowing tales from H. Alford who had moved to the Cottonwood Community (Afton) in what was to become Dickens County. Mr. Alford told of open range for all, cattle and horses one could raise..flowing creeks of water..plenty of antelope, deer and prairie chickens and turkey and wild hogs; and best of all no farming and hard work. So together with their little daughter, when summer came they made the long trip WEST; passing up the fine farming land in Haskell County..Aspermont where a former neighbor had settled and just begged them to stop (This was common in many places on the way as people grew lonely and wished for neighbors and community life.) They arrived on Cottonwood Creek in August and spent about six weeks riding around, finally decided to file on a claim on Grapevine Creek, where there was running water and the Matadors had a north-south fence. They dug in the side of a band and so built their first home of logs and dirt...dirt floor, a few logs across top covered with dirt, a typical "dug-out". But the nearest railroad was 100 miles distant to Quanah. The hard cold winter coming on they were thankful for shelter and the big fireplace across most of the north wall.
It was there that their second child, Emma Ann was born January 19, 1890. Two cowboys who had a winter camp down the creek, drove the wagon the twelve miles to Cottonwood and brought back two women to be with Mrs. Buchanan. Mrs. Sid Dunwoody and Widow Crawford.
Our well was hand dug, about twenty feet deep on the slope near Grape Vine Creek. We used a rope and bucket to draw water. One day when Emma was nearly two years old she fell into the well, while "helping" her mother draw water. She caught the bucket going down! This happened six weeks before her brother, Albert was born, Jan. 4, 1892, but Mrs. Buchanan tied one end of the rope securely and slid down the rope, tied Emma in the well bucket and after baby rescued, she walked up the sides on the footholes, holding to the rope.
This was home, until 1899, when the family moved to the P. Berlin place five miles north of Dickens. but in the meantime they hauled lumber from Quanah and built a nice little two room house; painted it white but still used the dugout and fireplace to cook. Price of cattle and horses went down, open range was no more, so they sold all except a few saddle horses and work stock, and milk-pen bunch of cows. It was then that daughter, Buelah married J.A. Bird and went to live in Garza County. C.M. Buchanan died in 1942, was buried in the Cemetery at Espuela and Kate C. Buchanan died in 1956, buried in cemetery at Spur.
Written by Emma Buchanan Russell
Source: History of Dickens County; Ranches and Rolling Plains, Fred Arrington, ©1971
C.M. Buchanan, 88, one of the early citizens of Dickens County, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Emma Russell, about two o´clock Tuesday morning. Mr. Buchanan had been confined to his bed since January 18 of this year.Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at five o´clock with Rev. A.P. Stokes, a long time friend, in charge. He was assisted by Rev. J. E. Henson, pastor of Spur Methodist Circuit. The Plains Funeral Home of Lubbock, was in charge of all funeral arrangements.
Pallbearers were: Charles Russell, Charles Bird, Robin J. Clack, Allen Bird, Richard Bird, all grandsons; and Lee Davis, a very close friend to the deceased. Flower bearers were: Mrs. Charles Bird, Jimmy Bird, Mrs. Robin J. Clack, Royal Russell, Mrs. Richard Bird, Margie Nell Russell, Wanda Russell, and Linda Russell, all grandchildren of the deceased.
The survivors are the widow, Mrs. Kate C. Buchanan, five children: Mrs. Beulah K. Bird of Post, Mrs. Emma B. Russell of Spur, Albert Buchanan of Roswell, NM; Douglass Buchanan of Wichita Falls, and Royal Buchanan of Los Angeles, CA. All were present for the funeral except the last two named. There are a number of grandchildren in the family.
Mr. Buchanan was a native of Texas and was born at Bellevue, now Pirtle, in Rush County, March 1, 1853. He had passed his 88th birthday last March. He was married to Miss Kate C. Johnson in Ellis County, November 26, 1882. He moved his family to Dickens County the last of March 1889 and was here when Dickens County was organized.
Mr. Buchanan made a profession of religion about three years ago. On account of his age it is not known whether or not he ever affiliated with any church. His preference was the Methodist Church.
©The Texas Spur, January 7, 1942
Mrs. Kate C. Buchanan, a Dickens County pioneer passed away Tuesday September 4 at her home in Spur, following a brief illness.She was born February 10, 1866 in Arkadelphia, Ark. and married to Charles M. Buchanan on November 24, 1882 in Waxahachie, Texas. The couple came to this territory before the county was organized, driving a covered wagon from Cook County in 1889. Six weeks was required for the trip and often, Mrs. Buchanan drove the ox too and she remarked recently "that the critters would run over gullies and rocks when they smelled water." They lived in a dugout in Blanco Canyon 12 miles from the nearest settlement on land which they pre-empted. Later lumber was hauled via freight wagon from Childress to build their first house which was the seventh house built in Dickens County. In 1889 the family moved to a farm nearer Dickens in order to send the children to school.
Reminiscing about her pioneering here with her grandson Lt. Commander Sammy Buchanan, she noted that she and her family had traded from ox wagon to jet plane.
Mrs. Buchanan moved to her present home in Spur in 1921. She was a member of the Methodist Church.
Her survivors include five children, Mrs. Buelah Roddy, Post; Mrs. Emma Russell, Spur; Albert Buchanan, Roswell, NM; Douglas Buchanan, Post and Royal Buchanan. There are 11 grandchildren, 33 great grandchildren and nine great great grandchildren.
Services were conducted Wed. Sept. 5 at 4 p.m. in the Methodist church and interment in the Spur Cemetery with Rev. Cal C. Wright officiating and the Chandler Funeral Chapel in charge of arrangements.
©The Texas Spur, Thursday, September 6, 1956
from the records of Lillian Grace Nay
© Dickens County Historical Commission 1997-2022
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