Mary G. Buchanan1

b. 11 June 1807, d. 6 January 1883
FatherSamuel Buchanan2,3 b. 16 Aug 1783, d. 8 Aug 1867
MotherCatharine Barrick4 b. 12 Mar 1788, d. 6 Nov 1847
Birth11 Jun 1807 Mary G. Buchanan was born on 11 Jun 1807 in Virginia.1,5 
Children  She gave birth to her only child, a daughter named Amanda, in 1832. 
Devisee23 Sep 1842  Robert Meek of Washington County, Virginia wrote his last will and testament on 23 Sep 1842. He left Mary the plantation Robert owned jointly with his brother James and which was referred to as the Grubb place or LeFevere patent. He also left Mary $3,000 which was to be partly paid in Negroes. Robert left Amanda B. Buchanan, who he stated to be Mary's daughter, the plantation Robert purchased from Charles W. Meek, being the land James Meek Sr. owned on Baker's [Hutton's] Creek. The will also left Amanda $3,500 in Negroes and other personal property, and requested that Amanda be sent to the Female School at Salem, North Carolina for 3 years. However if Amanda married without the consent of her mother she was to forfeit the land in which case it was to go to the children of Robert's brother and sister James and Jesstiana Meek.6 
Marriage3 May 1848 Mary married Calvin Cunningham on 3 May 1848.7 
Cens-185022 Aug 1850  They were enumerated together in 1850 on the first census to record the names of everyone in the household. Mary was 47 and Calvin was 31. The entry stated he owned land worth $1,700. Also recorded in the household was Mary's 17 year old daughter Amanda who was listed with the surname Cunningham.8 [should have been Buchanan] 
  In March 1855 Mary filed suit against Calvin in Washington County Circuit Court. She asked for a divorce and that she be granted title in her own name to the land she inherited from Robert Meek. The bill of complaint stated that Calvin converted much of Mary's inherited personal property into cash, borrowed against other assets and then left for Tennessee with as much as $8,000 in cash. The assets, then being encumbered, were sold to pay the debts. Several defendants spoke on Mary's behalf, stating that Calving owned nothing more than a horse and $150-$200 at their time of the marriage and that he was flashing a thick bank roll in the days before he left town.

The court granted Mary her divorce in April 1859. It also stipulated that Calvin was to have no claim to her land or any other asset she might have. In addition he was charged with paying Mary $2,000.9 
Cens-18609 Jul 1860  The following summer Mary was enumerated as the head of her own household. She owned real estate worth $2,000 and personal property of the same value.10 
  In Feb. 1872 Mary filed suit in Washington Co. court as the guardian of her sister Jannet. The suit alleged that Jannet, who was described as of feeble intellect, had been misled into selling land inherited from her father to one Sarah Jane Walden and her children. The Waldens did not respond to the suit and the deed was set aside.11 
Land-Sell5 Oct 1872  Mary executed a deed on Oct. 5th, 1872 whereby she sold 5 1/2 acres of her Washington County land to Hiram Greever for $110.12 
Cens-18802 Jun 1880  She apparently then joined her daughter Amanda and Amanda's husband Benjamin Gatewood in Johnson Co. (Texas) where they had settled after spending some years in Tennessee. Mary was enumerated in their household in 1880. She was 72 years old.13 
Death6 Jan 1883 Mary died on 6 Jan 1883 at age 75, probably in Johnson County, Texas.5  
Burial She was buried at Grange Hall Cemetery in Rio Vista, Johnson County, Texas.5 

Related Links and Images:

Mary's birth was recorded in a Bible purchased by her sister Nancy in 1862 and gifted to their brother Moses in 1878 (icons link to the following pages: title, births, marriages, deaths, provenance).
To read a transcription of the Bill of Complaint in the 1872 lawsuit, visit the Chancery Records page and look for the case styled Mary G. Cunningham, Committee vs Sarah Jane Walden & others. If you would like a copy of the court papers surrounding Mary's divorce from Calvin Cunningham please contact me.
Later in life Mary lived in Johnson County, Texas. The county is identified on the Texas map (also accessible via the Misc. Locations link in the menu bar at the top of any page).

Family
Child
Last Edited18 Dec 2013

Citations

  1. [S3277] The Holy Bible, acquired in 1862 by Nancy L. Buchanan and presented to Moses S. Buchanan, July 1878 (New York: The American Bible Society, 1857); digital images shared by April Pastis, <http://heycuz.net/TNG/>. The first entry on the "Birth" data page (after Samuel and Catharin) reads: Mary G. Buchanan was Born June the 11th 1807.
  2. [S827] Samuel Buchanan settlement (recorded 1883), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 21: 259. The settlement includes entries from Sept. 1868 through 1882. Receiving amounts totalling $125-$150 each and identified as distributees: Janette Buchanan, Wilson Buchanan, Nancy C. Buchanan who transferred her share to J__ Hutten, Wilson Buchanan, Mary Ann Buchanan, Mary G. Cunningham, James Buchanan's heirs and Jos M. Buchanan. Additional payments identified as distributions were paid to John A.P. Hutton & wife ($104) John Harris in right of his wife ($30) and James R. Buchanan ($12).
  3. [S3085] "Bill of Complaint", Polly (Mary G.) Cunningham committee and next friend of Janet Buchanan vs Sarah Jane Walden & others, Washington Co., Virginia Ended Chancery Causes 1876-043, reel 145, Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St., Richmond, Virginia. Janet Buchanan identified as daughter of Samuel Buchanan and sister of Polly (Mary G.) Cunningham.
  4. [S3277] The Holy Bible, acquired in 1862 by Nancy L. Buchanan and presented to Moses S. Buchanan, July 1878 (New York: The American Bible Society, 1857); digital images shared by April Pastis, <http://heycuz.net/TNG/>. The "Birth" data page recorded Samuel and Catherine Buchanan's dates of birth followed by the birth dates for the following Buchanan children: Mary G., William, Jannet, James, Wilson, Elizabeth and Nancy L. There may have been a second birth page recording additional children which are known from other records to have included Joseph and Samuel.
  5. [S1777] Find A Grave Website (http://www.findagrave.com/index.html : Nov. 2013). Mary G. Cunningham memorial #29662413, Grange Hall Cemetery, Rio Vista, Johnson Co., TX (memorial includes photo of two stones, a broken original stone and a new replacement stone. The original stone reads: Mary G. Cunningham, born June 11, 1807 died Jan. 6, 1883. The replacement stone provides the same information and also reads: "Mother of Amanda Buchanan Gatewood").
  6. [S2615] Jack Hockett, Washington Co. VA Will Book 9 1841-1845, abstracting the will of Robert Meek dated 23 Dec. 1842 and recorded 28 Aug. 1843 in Washington Co. Will Bk 9: 243 which provides for Amanda B. Buchanan, daughter of Mary G. Buchanan.
  7. [S3293] "Bill of Complaint filed March 1855", M.G. Cunningham vs C.F. Cunningham, Washington Co., Virginia Ended Chancery Causes 1859-02, reel 100, Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St., Richmond, Virginia.
  8. [S367] Calvin Cunningham household, 1850 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., 67th District, p. 108 stamped, dwelling 621, family 621, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2013. Household includes: Calvin Cunningham, 31, farmer, owns land worth $1,700; Mary, 47; Amanda, 17; all b. VA.
  9. [S3293] M.G. Cunningham vs C.F. Cunningham, Washington Co., Virginia Ended Chancery Causes 1859-02, reel 100, Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St., Richmond, Virginia.
  10. [S234] Mary Cunningham household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., The Western District, p. 459 added script, dwelling 688, family 667, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Oct. 2013. Household includes: Mary Cunningham, 58, housekeeper, owns real estate worth $2,000 and pers. prop worth $2,000.
  11. [S3085] Polly (Mary G.) Cunningham committee and next friend of Janet Buchanan vs Sarah Jane Walden & others, Washington Co., Virginia Ended Chancery Causes 1876-043, reel 145, Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St., Richmond, Virginia.
  12. [S3214] Jack Hockett, Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 30, 1871-1874, abstracting Deed Bk 30: 290.
  13. [S1811] Benj D. Gatewood household, 1880 U.S. cens., Johnson Co., Texas, pop sched., District 82, ED 82, page 4D, dwelling 31, family 31, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Oct. 2013. Household includes: Benj D. Gatewood, 61, farmer, b. KY/VA/VA; Amanda B., 47, wife, b. VA/VA/VA; Amanda, 14, dau, b. TX/KY/VA; Robert E., 13, son, b. TX/ KY/ VA; household 33 in same dwelling: William Gatewood, 26, son, b. TN/KY/VA; Millie E., 18, dau-in-law, b. TX/TN/NC; Mary Cunningham, 72, mother-in-law, wid or div, b. VA/VA/VA; Millburn Jones, 23, laborer, b. Ark.