Buchanan, Ruth B., 1882-1953.

Employee of the museum at the University of Michigan.

From the description of Ruth B. Buchanan papers, 1928-1953. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 34423407

Ruth Buchanan was born May 31, 1882, at Harbor Beach, Mich., a daughter of Elbridge F. and Clarena Bailey Bacon. She attended Michigan State Normal College at Ypsilanti. For many years, she was a museum assistant at the University of Michigan.

During World War II and the Korean War, Ruth Buchanan maintained a correspondence with men and women, mainly former students at the University of Michigan, who were then serving in the military. She wrote to some 2,500 servicemen and during World War II and had what is believed to be one of the largest collections of servicemen's letters in existence. She began this unique correspondence before Pearl Harbor with letters to the men of Ann Arbor's Company K of the National Guard. She sent letters, greeting cards, and packets of newspaper clippings from the Michigan Daily . Many of her correspondents were in veterans hospitals.

Also active in women's clubs, Buchanan was president of the Washtenaw County Federation of Women's Clubs from 1928-1930. She was president of the Phoebe Beal Circle of King's Daughters in 1925 and 1926 and was a member of the Sodalis Circle of King's Daughters. She also held memberships in the Daughters of the American Revolution and the auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic. She died April 20, 1953.

From the guide to the Ruth B. Buchanan papers, 1928-1953, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)