Andrew Buchanan was born on 8 April 1780¹ to Andrew Buchanan Sr. and Rachel Gilleylen. Raised in Chester County Pennsylvania his father died in 1785, between the months of May and July². Andrew and his other five siblings; including Isaac, David, James, an Martha, saw their mother marry again. This did not last long though as their new stepfather passed away on 9 May 1790. Andrew went on to attended Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania studying under the college's president at the time Charles Nisbet. Main points of academic study at the college were Natural Philosophy, Mathematics, Latin and Greek, History, Geography, Rhetoric, Criticism, Logic, Composition, and "government and the laws of nature and nations."³ Graduating in 1798 Andrew was admitted to the bar and practiced in York, Pennsylvania for a short time.⁴ Shortly thereafter Andrew decided to move his practice west to possibly Kentucky or Tennessee, but was uncertain of an exact place to settle.⁵
 

Setting out Andrew traveled with another lawyer by the name of John Bannister Gibson. There was speculation on where the two may have been headed but Andrew's journey eventually ended in the township of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania in 1802. "Fact and Folklore", a local historical book by John L. O'Hara, tells that the two companions entered the Bull's Head Tavern in Waynesburg where they rested for the night. The beauty of the area must have captured Andrew's attention for, as described by his granddaughter in a newspaper article from 27 August 1896, he stayed a fortnight. Jane Ragan Zink, Andrew's granddaughter who wrote the article, said that Andrew was "attracted by the little hamlet nestling amid Greene County's old forest trees."7 The frontier of the young American nation caught Andrew Buchanan's eye and helped start the Buchanan family legacy in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, where his descendants still live today. 
 

This stop in Waynesburg would continue to altar Andrew's life when Rhoda Stevenson, living with her relatives who operated the Bull's Head Tavern, met Andrew Buchanan while he was staying there. Rhoda had come to Waynesburg after her fiancé was killed at sea in New Jersey and it was thought best for her to live somewhere else. Now in Pennsylvania the two met and were married two years later in 1804. The Buchanan family grew large with 9 of 10 children surviving infancy. This was a clear indication of the impact the Buchanan family would have in Greene County. The other lawyer, John Bannister Gibson, continued on to the Maryland where he was able to begin his own successful career that led him back to Pennsylvaniaand the state supreme court.⁸
The western portions of Pennsylvania were still considered the frontier when Andrew settled in Waynesburg. So when Andrew started his law practice it was believed to be the first in the area.⁹ The record of his registration can still be found at the Prothonotary's Office in Waynesburg. The document reads; 

On Motion of Henry Postlewaite Esquire
Andrew Buchanan Esquire was admitted an Attorney
Of this Court and the Oath prescribed by 
Act of Assembly administered to him in open Court¹⁰

A political career at the local, state, and national level was a direct result of Andrew's law practice and education at Dickinson College. Beginning with titles such as county commissioner he soon was appointed to the Pennsylvania Legislature between 1831 and 1835. Andrew was then elected to the House of Representatives as a Jacksonian under the Twenty Fourth Congress. Upon election to the Twenty Fifth Congress Andrew had changed party affiliation and was now a Democrat. Under the Twenty Fifth Congress Andrew served as chairman of the elections committee¹¹ where he would have had to make key decisions on controversial elections. One such case that Andrew may have been involved in was between Thomas J. Ward, Samuel J. Olson, and J.S. Clayborne in Misssissippi.¹² Congressional records held no further information on the details of the case. After this term Andrew removed to Waynesburg to continue his practice. Andrew seemed to put down politics after his tenure in the House of Representatives.
Living out the rest of his life in Waynesburg Andrew passed away on December 2, 1848¹³, sometime around midnight according to the family bible. Andrew's will was probated three days later on December 5, 1848. His wife Rhoda passed away in 1869. The two are buried in Greene Mount cemetery in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. A tall pillar amongst other family members marks their grave site.
 

A primary source document still held in the Clerk's office of Waynesburg that provides a better understanding of Andrew Buchanan is his will. Proven on December 5, 1848 the will provides a look in to his devotion to his family and the concern he had for their well being. A large land owner, Andrew was able to leave his wife and several of his sons with buildings and land. To his wife Rhoda, Andrew left the home that they resided in, a small farm, as well as two more seemingly undeveloped lots. Rhoda also would receive a yearly allowance of sixty dollars. Andrew does state in his will though that if Rhoda were to remarry that all this property and fortune would be forfeit to the family. To his son, James Andrew Jackson Buchanan, Andrew left the land and property that J. A. J. and his family already seemed to inhabit. Trusting J. A. J., Andrew also went on to state that "if the said trustee should at any time think proper to dispose of said land and vest the proceeds in other real estate(for the uses aforesaid) he is hereby authorized to do so." To his daughters Elizabeth, Martha, Jane, and Harriet, Andrew gave them the notes for debts owed to Andrew by their husbands. It should be noted that all of them men married to Andrew's daughters had accumulated debts with Andrew. This can possibly be attested as loans from Andrew in order for these men to begin their respected trades and businesses in order for them to better provide for his daughters. Rachel, who had passed away before her father, had two children who were also named in the will. The two grandchildren, Andrew B. Brown and Ellen Brown, would receive a share of the profits from the sale of all property not named in the will.¹⁴ Andrew's hard work in life would in able him to take care of his family even after his death.