Buchanan Family in South Africa

This post is about my family - the Buchanan Family.

My part of the Buchanan family started with James Buchanan.

(James Buchanan with Signature)

Born in Glasgow on the 11th of August 1845, to Peter Buchanan and Jean Liddel. According to the notice below, Peter Buchanan was a Victualler –landlord of a public house or similar licensed establishment, but more likely it was a spirits seller.

There were two more children: Anne Kirkland Buchanan born 21 Sep 1843 in Lanark Glasgow

& Jane Buchanan born 1 Dec 1847 in Dunoon Kilmacolmun Scotland 

James' Birth record

Other sources show that Peter Buchanan was also a printer by trade, more details about this later. In 1849 the 3 ½ year old James said goodbye to his father when Peter left to blaze a trail to Australia, presumably to start a better life for the family. It seems Peter never returned, and he started a new Buchanan dynasty in the land downunder. 

Sadly by the time James was 6 he had lost his mother too, the family tree states that Jean died in 1851.

At the age of 18 James left Scotland and arrived in Durban, South Africa on the 23^rd of September 1863 aboard the Sebastian a 361ton British barque sailing ship built in 1855. James was lucky enough to escape the wreckage of the Sebastian, as it ran aground on the 26^th of September 1863 at Back beach Durban. “The British barque Sebastian, on a voyage from London to Durban with immigrants and a general cargo, was wrecked in a NE gale at Back Beach, Durban.”  - http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?224806

Back Beach - Durban - https://goo.gl/maps/tvLdMcfsC4J2

“The notorious Bar, a sandbank across the entrance to the Bay, was the greatest hazard to shipping at Port Natal, and "should on no account be attempted by a stranger, as the channel frequently shifts in direction and depth". It was this problem, the changing depth of water over the Bar, which frequently necessitated vessels anchoring in the roadstead outside, and, if a gale sprang up, there was a chance of them being driven on-shore or wrecked on the rocks below the Bluff.”,” the Sebastian and the Earl of Hardwicke were beached in a similar gale on 26 September 1863.” - http://molegenealogy.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/lightkeepers-view-from-bluff-durban.html

He migrated to South Africa was to work for R.W. Draper, Blacksmith & George J. Lee, Turner of Pietermaritzburg.  The following has been sourced from the Genealogical Society of South Africa’s passenger lists http://www.eggsa.org/arrivals/lists.html  (searching for James Buchanan)

BUCHANAN, James

Sex: M

Age: 18

Passage money: £10

Surety details: R.W. Draper, Blacksmith & George J. Lee, Turner PmBurg

Port of arrival: Durban, Natal

Arrived 23 Sept 1863 aboard the Sebastian

Source: NAB Pietermaritzburg Archives, Land and Immigration Board, Natal,

Register of Immigrants Arrived, Vol 65, page 61

transcribed by: John Deare, from photographs taken by John Deare.

Richard Withers Draper was married to Ann Kirkland Draper (nee Buchanan), the older sister of James Buchanan.

Ann Kirkland Buchanan

Scotland Births and Baptisms

Name	Ann Kirkland Buchanan
Gender	Female
Birth Date	21 Sep 1843
Birthplace	, GLASGOW, LANARK, SCOTLAND
Father's Name	Peter Buchanan
Mother's Name	Jean Liddell

"Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FMSP-18R : accessed 8 February 2016), Ann Kirkland Buchanan, 21 Sep 1843; citing , GLASGOW, LANARK, SCOTLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 0102921, 0994181-82, 1042940, 0102920.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FMSP-18R

Richard Withers Draper and Ann Kirkland Draper's marriage certificate