He Was Almost Expelled For Misbehavior

James Buchanan Sr. (1761-1821) and Elizabeth Speer (1767-1833) welcomed their son James Buchanan Jr. on April 23, 1791, in a log cabin in Cove Gap, Pennsylvania. His father immigrated from Ramelton, Ireland in 1783, and both of his parents were of Ulster Scots origin. After moving to a property close to Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, shortly after Buchanan was born, the family eventually settled there in 1794. As a trader, farmer, and real estate investor, his father amassed the most riches among the locals.

Following his time at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Buchanan attended the Old Stone Academy in Mercersburg. One of the interesting facts about James Buchanan is he was almost expelled for misbehavior, but he begged for another opportunity and eventually graduated in 1809 with honors. Later on in the year, he relocated to Lancaster, the state's capital. Buchanan was accepted as an apprentice by the area's top attorney, James Hopkins, and in 1812 he was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar. When Harrisburg was chosen as the state capital in 1812, a lot of other attorneys relocated there, but Buchanan remained in Lancaster his entire life. After he began his practice, his income quickly increased, and by 1821 he was making over $11,000 annually (equal to $220,000 in 2021). He handled a range of matters, such as a widely reported impeachment trial, when he successfully defended Pennsylvania Judge Walter Franklin.