Edwin Buchanan - updated 1/28/2017

Edwin Buchanan was born in February 14, 1838, in Steuben County, New York, the son of New York natives Corydon (b. 1808) and Lucy A. (b. 1808).

In 1840 Corydon was living in Wayne, Steuben County, New York. He eventually took his family and moved westward, settling in Michigan. By 1850 Edwin was living with his family when in White Lake, Oakland County, where his father worked as a cabinetmaker.

Edwin married New York native Martha (b. 1843). By 1860 Edwin and Martha had settled on a farm in Ensley, Newaygo County, Michigan. That same year his family was living in Walled Lake, Oakland County (Corydon would be appointed postmaster of Walled Lake in 1866). Edwin stood 5’5’ with black eyes, brown hair and a dark complexion, and was 24 years old and possibly still living in Newaygo County when he enlisted in Company B on May 13, 1861. Edwin was sick in a hospital in January of 1862, probably from chronic diarrhea, and indeed was discharged on February 10, 1863, at Camp Pitcher, Virginia for chronic diarrhea, which had reportedly plagued him since he first enlisted.

After his discharge from the army Edwin eventually returned to western Michigan. He married his second wife Pennsylvania native Sarah Adaline Losinger (1849-1940), and they had at least six children: Rosa Jane (1867-1957, Mrs. Losinger), May (b. 1871), Cora Minnie (1872-1905, Mrs. Segar), John (b. 1875), Charles (b. 1877) and Daisy (b. 1880).

By 1870 he was working as a farmer and living in Ensley, Newaygo County with his wife Sarah A. and daughter Rosa; also living with him was 20-year-old Marshall Buchanan, probably a younger brother. Living next door was Edwin’s father Corydon who was appointed postmaster of Ensley in 1875. By 1880 Edwin was working as a farmer and living with his wife Adaline and children in Ensley, Newaygo County (and Corydon was also still living in Ensley and working as a retail grocer). Edwin moved to Morley, Mecosta County where he was living by 1888 and in 1890 and in Aetna, Mecosta County in 1894 and 1900.

Edwin was a member of the Old 3rd Michigan Infantry Association, and in 1876 he applied for and received pension no. 435,368.

Edwin died of pneumonia on January 24, 1905, in Mecosta County, and was buried in Aetna Township cemetery, Mecosta County.

In February of 1905 his widow was living in Michigan when she applied for and received pension no. 597,029.