Harriet Lane had four uncles and five cousins living in Jefferson County and at one time even co-owned the building of Shepherdstown's Sweet Shoppe, originally called the Lane building
1.
View: https://youtu.be/AGYg4ecOnLE
23:32
How Queen Victoria Protected the U.S. from Ruin May, 1861-September, 1862
The friendship between Harriet Lane, her Uncle (and 15h President) James Buchanan with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and the young future king 18-year old Prince of Wales played a key role in the Queen's proclamation of neutrality in May, 1861 at the outset of the Civil War that provided some check on a strong sentiment among the commercial classes in England to recognize the Confederacy. These friendships began between 1853-1856 when Harriet and her uncle (whom she called "Nunc" in private, when he was made the ambassador from the U.S. to the Court of St. James. Then when Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation in September, 1862 the Confederacy was condemned by England, France and Russia. The Sweet Shoppe building in Shepherdstown is also known as the Lane building because Harriet's family - at one time herself - owned it. This quite remarkable person called by Frank Leslie's illustrated weekly as our original "First Lady" in 1860, cemented, shall we say, strong friendship not only with the Queen, but also the young Prince of Wales when she accompanied when he came to the United States in July-October, 1860 as war clouds gathered and soon burst.
2.
View: https://youtu.be/SF_6xodgzHs
25:57
Harriet Lane's Star Rises Over Incredible London 1854-1855
A chapter in a sixty-six minute, factual video/story about how Harriet Lane, the niece, but declared "consort" (by Queen Victoria) to her Uncle James Buchanan, the Ambassador from the U.S. in London. During that brief period Harriet saw world events from every side: the Crimean War, a doctor's discovery of the cause of cholera while five hundred died in two months in the city, Charles Dickens' latest book called "High Times," and a re-opening of the fabled Crystal Palace - the scene of the first World's Fair in 1851. And the gifted, unique 25-year old Harriet deftly absorbed all these heady influences (except cholera!). She was prepared when Uncle "Nunc" was elected President in 1857 to become his White House hostess - a stabilizing charm crusader on the eve of division and civil war. She became one of the most savvym admired and beloved First Ladies ever at the age of twenty-seven, and was called the original "First Lady" in 1860 by Frank Leslie's illustrated newspaper. Her many uncles and cousins considered Jefferson County, Virginia home..
1.
23:32
How Queen Victoria Protected the U.S. from Ruin May, 1861-September, 1862
The friendship between Harriet Lane, her Uncle (and 15h President) James Buchanan with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and the young future king 18-year old Prince of Wales played a key role in the Queen's proclamation of neutrality in May, 1861 at the outset of the Civil War that provided some check on a strong sentiment among the commercial classes in England to recognize the Confederacy. These friendships began between 1853-1856 when Harriet and her uncle (whom she called "Nunc" in private, when he was made the ambassador from the U.S. to the Court of St. James. Then when Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation in September, 1862 the Confederacy was condemned by England, France and Russia. The Sweet Shoppe building in Shepherdstown is also known as the Lane building because Harriet's family - at one time herself - owned it. This quite remarkable person called by Frank Leslie's illustrated weekly as our original "First Lady" in 1860, cemented, shall we say, strong friendship not only with the Queen, but also the young Prince of Wales when she accompanied when he came to the United States in July-October, 1860 as war clouds gathered and soon burst.
2.
25:57
Harriet Lane's Star Rises Over Incredible London 1854-1855
A chapter in a sixty-six minute, factual video/story about how Harriet Lane, the niece, but declared "consort" (by Queen Victoria) to her Uncle James Buchanan, the Ambassador from the U.S. in London. During that brief period Harriet saw world events from every side: the Crimean War, a doctor's discovery of the cause of cholera while five hundred died in two months in the city, Charles Dickens' latest book called "High Times," and a re-opening of the fabled Crystal Palace - the scene of the first World's Fair in 1851. And the gifted, unique 25-year old Harriet deftly absorbed all these heady influences (except cholera!). She was prepared when Uncle "Nunc" was elected President in 1857 to become his White House hostess - a stabilizing charm crusader on the eve of division and civil war. She became one of the most savvym admired and beloved First Ladies ever at the age of twenty-seven, and was called the original "First Lady" in 1860 by Frank Leslie's illustrated newspaper. Her many uncles and cousins considered Jefferson County, Virginia home..
