John Lee Buchanan

John Lee Buchanan (June 19, 1831 – January 19, 1922) was the second president of Virginia Tech (then Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College). Buchanan was born in Rich Valley, Smyth County, Virginia. Received an A.B. in 1856 and an M.A. in 1860, both from Emory and Henry College where he was a member of the faculty until 1878 with the exception of the Civil War years when he served the Confederate States in the mining department. In 1879 he became the Latin chair at Vanderbilt University and later served as president of Emory and Henry College before being appointed VAMC president at age 48. After being removed from VAMC presidency for the second time in 1881, he 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 University of Arkansas and where he remained until retiring in 1902. Died Jan. 19, 1922, in Rich Valley, Virginia, at age 90.