April 2021

Page A22 APRIL 2021 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A Order Direct at 1-800-782-8249 Free UPS Ground Shipping www.mccordcasketsandvaults.com proached Lincoln and said, “My dear sir, if you are as happy on entering the Executive Mansion as I am on leaving it, you are a very happy man indeed.” After leaving the presidency, Buchan- an returned to his home in Lancast- er, Pennsylvania and rarely comment- ed on the issues of the day. His greatest pleasure was entertaining guests at his home, which he called “Wheatland.” Buchanan was shocked at the assassi- nation of Lincoln. On Saturday, April 22, 1865, as the Lincoln funeral train slowly passed the depot at Lancaster, Buchanan sat bare-headed in his buggy in quiet homage to his fallen successor. In 1864, Buchanan’s health began to decline rapidly. He was stricken with severe gout, dysentery, and diar- rhea. During the period of 1864 to 1868, his physician made 430 visits to Wheatland. The President experi- enced painful swelling of his muscles and joints, and then he sprained his ankle, which aggravated this ar- thritic condition. Buchanan was experiencing shortness of breath, which resulted in progressive heart failure. By the end of May 1868, he had developed terminal pneumonia and an in- flammation of the lining of his heart. On June 1, 1868, James Buchanan died in one of the second-floor bedrooms at 8:30 AM. His last words were, “O Lord Almighty, as Thou wilt.” Buchanan had lived 77 years and 231 days. His cause of death was rheumatic gout. Buchanan had purchased two adjoining burial lots at the Woodward Hill Cemetery in Lancaster the winter before his death. He instructed his family that he wished to be buried alone rather than with relatives. The Presi- dent left several funeral instructions, such as no pomp or parade (a wish singularly ignored), and that he want- ed the York Rite Masonry in his burial service. On the afternoon of June 1, 1868, a Lancaster under- taker by the name of Christian Widmyer was called to By Todd Van Beck James Buchanan has the distinction of being our only bachelor president, although he was engaged once. The marriage didn’t occur, and no one knows the precise rea- son for the break-up. His fiancée, Anne C. Coleman, died of an overdose from a powerful narcotic. Buchan- an wrote about her death, saying “I have lost the only earthly object of my affections, without whom life now presents to me a dreary blank.” On paper, no one could have been better prepared or experienced to assume the presidency. Buchanan had served in the Pennsylvania House, then as Minister of Russia, next as Secretary of State, and then as the Minis- ter to Great Britain. With the exceptions of John Quin- cy Adams and Calvin Coolidge, James Buchanan held more governmental offices before his presidency than any other man in American history. However, James Buchanan had the unfortunate expe- rience of being president right before hostilities broke out which resulted in the Great American Civil War. Torn by the failures of his policies, Buchanan could hardly wait for the day when he could turn the helm of government over to his successor, Abraham Lincoln. On the day of Lincoln’s inauguration, Buchanan ap- J ames B uchanan the fifteenth President of the United States of America Rest in Peace, Mr. President. That was the hope... that our presidents would rest in peace, but that has not always happened. For example, between 1865 and 1901 Lincoln’s remains were moved 18 times. Funerals are a reflection of how people live their lives, and this remains true for the funerals of our U.S. presi - dents. This series offers a glimpse into the deaths and fu- nerals of our presidents, while offering overdue recogni- tion to the scores of funeral professionals who labored ceaselessly to carry out the wishes of the presidents, their families, and in some cases, the wishes of the United States government. Each account tells an interesting sto- ry. I hope you enjoy this new series. —TVB Todd W. Van Beck is associated with John A. Gupton College in Nashville, and has been an author, teacher, practitioner, and speak- er for over 40 years. On May 30, 2018 Van Beck celebrated 50 years in funeral service. You can reach Todd at 615-327-3927. FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS www.nomispublications.com Monthly Columns online at Rest In Peace, Mr. President Wheatland to take charge of Buchanan’s funeral. Widmyer furnished the casket, which was a full-open casket made of met- al but painted to imitate rosewood. The casket was adorned with silver mountings and a bright silver railing around the upper edge by which it was carried. The mountings were covered with lace trimming, and the interior was lined with white satin. The top of the casket consisted of a solid glass plate, which when bolted down tight, created a seal against air and water. The casket cost $520.00. It is possible that Buchanan’s body was chemically embalmed, but the undertak- er’s bill did not itemize the charges. The funeral for James Buchanan took place on June 4, 1868. Thousands of people mingled on the property. Bu- chanan’s funeral was the largest Lancaster had ever seen. The body of President Buchanan was placed in the cen- ter hallway of Wheatland. People passed through the north entrance and moved on each side of the casket to view the President and then exited out the south entrance. Following the residential funeral service, the funeral pro- cession started for the cemetery. The grave for James Bu- chanan is located on one of the main avenues in the ceme- tery. The oblong monument, which today marks the grave, cost the estate of James Buchanan $2,500.00. When the hearse stopped, the body was taken to the grave where the clergy conducted the religious graveside services. Then the Masonic Brethren conducted their ancient rituals and had, as is custom, the last word. Flanner Buchanan funeral directors gathered on March 8 to celebrate the company’s 140 th anniversary at its cor- porate headquarters in Indianapolis. Pictured (L to R) are: George Brown, Kandace Klingler, Emanuel Smith, Jan Smith, Jay Recker, Russell Beckner, Cari Jones, Tim Taylor, Jamie Weyer, Brian Vaughan, Shannon Yowler, Jerry Roberts, Dana Foster, Mark Worland, Emma Miner, Zoë Norris, Kristen Yonts, Lauren Secor, Stephanie Parrish- Goldsmith, and Omega Thomas. Continued on Page A23 Flanner Buchanan Celebrates 140th Anniversary INDIANAPOLIS,IN— Flanner Buchanan, a four-generation local business, is celebrating its mile- stone 140th anniversary with a do- nation to Flanner House, a com- munity center that helps people move to a place of self-reliance and self-sufficiency. The announce- ment was made at a gathering of the company’s funeral directors on March 8, 2021. Flanner Buchanan has a long- standing relationship with Flanner House, dating back to its found- ing by Frank W. Flanner in 1898. Through the years, the Buchanan family has stayed committed to Flanner House, a national model for social service agencies. The donation is the use of 1.5 acres of land, valued at $140,000, for the construction and use of three greenhouses near Flanner House. The greenhouses will cre- ate 12-15 full time jobs in the neighborhood as well as pro- vide fresh produce in an area of the city known as a food desert. Ground breaking is expected in April. Frank W. Flanner partnered with his sister’s husband, Charles Buchanan, and Flanner Buchan- an was born by the collaboration in 1881. “I take great pride in my family’s 200-year history in Indiana and we’re pleased to partner with Flan- ner House on this unique green- house project,” said Bruce W. Bu- chanan, the fourth-generation owner and CEO of Flanner Bu- chanan. “The Buchanan family has been interwoven into Indianapolis Scan QR for our website 1-888-792-9315 • mymortuarycooler.com Mortuary Coolers starting at $4,299 Beat the price increase increase coming March 2021 Beat the price increase coming June 2021