James S. Buck
M2007.041.112
c. mid 19th century
Oil on canvas. Portrait of a bearded man with brown hair and a dark suit.
James S. Buck was a trained seaman from Boston, who upon hearing of a new settlement called Milwaukee, ventured to live a life away from the sea. He arrived in 1836 and so was one of the first group of settlers in the Milwaukee area. He became a writer in his later years and served as the marshal for Milwaukee’s Old Settlers Club. The club was formed in 1869 and he served as marshal until 1889, the year in which he resigned. On top of that James S. Buck authored the Pioneer History of Milwaukee. This book is an insight into the earliest days of, and the people involved in, the formation of Milwaukee. The work proves to be a valuable piece of the early area’s history even to this day.