John Lee Buchanan (June 19, 1831 – January 19, 1922) was the second president of

Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six re ...

(then Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College) and sixth president of the

University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkansas ...

Biography

Buchanan was born to Patrick C. and Margaret Graham Buchanan in Rich Valley, Smyth County, Virginia. He received an A.B. in 1856 and an M.A. in 1858 or 1860, both from

Emory and Henry College Emory & Henry College (E&H or Emory) is a private liberal arts college in Emory, Virginia. The campus comprises of Washington County, which is part of the Appalachian highlands of Southwest Virginia. Founded in 1836, Emory & Henry College is ...

, where he was a member of the faculty until 1878 with the exception of the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

years when he served the

Confederate States The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

in the mining department. In 1879 he became the Latin chair at

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...

and later served as president of Emory and Henry College before being appointed VAMC president in 1880. The state legislature replaced the Board of Visitors, who in turn removed all university officials and faculty in June 1880. Buchanan re-assumed the presidency of VAMC in August 1881, but was removed for the second and final time in January 1882. At this time, Buchanan began teaching at Martha Washington College in Abingdon, Virginia, later becoming president there. In 1884 he served on a state committee that established the State Normal Female School in Farmville (now Longwood University). From 1885 to 1889 he served as state superintendent of public instruction (hence was ex officio member of the VAMC Board of Visitors). He began teaching at Randolph-Macon College in 1889, later becoming president. He resigned the presidency of Randolph-Macon in 1894 to assume presidency of what was then Arkansas Industrial University before he renamed it to

and where he remained until retiring in 1902. Buchanan died January 19, 1922, in Rich Valley, Virginia, at age 90.

Honors

Two residence halls at the University of Arkansas were named after Buchanan, including the Buchanan-Droke residence hall.

Personal life

Buchanan married Frances Elizabeth Wiley, with whom he had nine children.

References

External links

The Buchanan-Shipp-Hart-Buchanan Years (1880-1882)
Presidents of Virginia Tech Leaders of the University of Arkansas Place of birth missing Place of death missing 1831 births 1922 deaths {{US-academic-administrator-stub