| Robert
Buchan was James Buchan and Jane (McClure)
Buchan’s first child; further details about
the James Buchan family appear on James’s page. Like his father,
Robert worked in the soap and candle business
and, like several of his siblings, Robert seems
to have lived under the comfortable umbrella of
his extended family for many, many years. In the 1870 census he is living next
door to his father's household and is listed as a
30 year-old merchant. His household appears to
include his wife Sophia, age 27 and their young
daughter Rachel. In the 1880 Federal Census he is
listed as residing in Westchester County, NY,
with his elderly relative (probably by marriage),
Maria Rich, age 90. Also in that household at the
time were Maria Rich’s sister Rachel Oliver
(age 92), and Maria’s daughter Ann (Rich)
McClure, age 60. It's likely that the Maria Rich
mentioned in the census is the Maria Oliver Rich
whose portrait also appears in Hannah Rich’s
album.
In 1900 Sophia is listed as a
widow with her daughter Rachel. They are residing
in St. Lawrence Co., New York living in the city
of Messena Village. It is believed that Sophia is
widowed, however, she was not enumerated with
Robert in the 1880 census. In 1900 she lists her
occupation as a land lady and four young women
are living in her household. She lists her birth
as Aug 1845 and her daughter Rachel as born March
1869. By 1910 she is living with her
son-in-law Alan Philips, husband of her daughter
Sophia. In this census Sophia is listed as
widowed and mother of four children, three
living.
The Riches, the
Buchans, and the Olivers were a tightly knit
family: Hannah Rich’s photo album pictures
three woman with the maiden name of Oliver: Maria (Oliver) Rich above, Jane (Oliver) Rich, and Lockie Oliver. It seems probable, as so
often happened in that day, that sibling Olivers
married sibling Riches. Thus, Rachel Oliver would
have married one Rich brother, while Jane Oliver
married Stephen Altgelt Rich, another brother.
Stephen Altgelt Rich and Jane Oliver Rich’s
daughter Rachel married Rob’s father, adding
the Buchan branch to the family tree.
The Buchan family
was originally from Aberdeenshire; for more about
the clan see the Buchan clan’s webpage. As
the site mentions, Buchan is not a common name,
and there was a time when there were not enough
members for the Buchans to be considered a clan.
Fortunately, the downward trend reversed itself,
and in the 1970s the Buchans regained clan
status.
About the
photographer: Charles K. Bill can be found in
John Craig’s fascinating Craig's Daguerreian
Registry.
Like most of the other photographers represented  in
Hannah Rich’s photo album, Bill’s
studio was in New York City, on Broadway:
specifically at 419 Broadway, from 1858-1860.
According to Craig, from 1859- 1860 Bill was
listed alone as a photographer, with no business
address, and lived at 603 Broadway. Another
directory listed Bill in a partnership in
1859-1860 at the 603 Broadway address.
On the back of Rob
Buchan’s photograph, Bill is listed as
having a second studio at 241 Fulton St.,
Brooklyn, but there is no further information
about this address that might serve as a clue as
to when the picture was taken.
For other examples
of Bill’s work, see the picture of Gailey
McLaury [link: ] in Hannah Rich’s album, as
well as examples in Rob Billard's online photograph album
and the magnificent portrait of an unknown woman
posted at Rootsweb as a collection among "The Virginia Stash."
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