pioneer settler, author, historian, b. Lyman, N.H. He moved to Milwaukee in 1837. A builder and contractor, he worked on many of the first buildings erected in Milwaukee. For about 30 years he was employed by the Northwestern National Life Insurance Company. A founder and officer of the Milwaukee County Pioneers' Club, he was the author of Pioneer History of Milwaukee (1876-1881) and Milwaukee under the Charter (1884-1886, both valuable sources of early Milwaukee history. J. S. Buck, Pioneer Hist. of Milwaukee (2 vols., Milwaukee, 1876-1881); Milwaukee Sentinel, Sept. 28, 1892; Milwaukee Journal, Sept. 27, 29, 1892; WPA field notes.

The Wisconsin Historical Society has manuscripts related to this topic. See the catalog description of the James Smith Buck Autobiographical Sketch for details. See also the James Smith Buck Reminiscences.

View newspaper clippings at Wisconsin Local History and Biography Articles.

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[Source: Dictionary of Wisconsin biography]