TidesNet—Online Collections Entry Detail

DescriptionAn early 19th century mahogany sideboard that came down through one family in this region for over 200 years. It measures 74 inches long, 25 1/2 inches wide and 41 inches high. It was first owned by Seward Bucknam (1783-1868) and his wife Irene McLellan (1796-1865). Seward was born in Falmouth, Maine and then moved to Eastport, Maine at a young age. He became a well established merchant with stores and wharves on the south end of Eastport. Ellen Irene Bucknam (1826-1900) was their only child and daughter. She married Joseph Mason Livermore (1824-1872) and they eventually inherited the sideboard. They had eight children, among them Anna Bucknam Livermore (1859-1933). Anna’s first marriage to Albert Pike was short lived as he died shortly after they were married. She then married Lincoln Hamlin Newcomb (1860-1923), a lawyer. Anna inherited the sideboard from her parents. When Anna and her second husband died, the sideboard went to Anna’s younger sister, Sarah Preble Livermore Whalen Hayes (1867-1961), who married Leverett Mitchell Whalen (1850-1912) and then George Hume Hayes (1851-1935) after Leverett died. When the sideboard came to Sarah, it would have been in the large 7 Key Street house in Eastport that had been in the Whalen family for generations. It stayed in this house after Sarah’s death as the house and sideboard were inherited by Sarah’s daughter, Anna K. Whalen (1894-1986) who continued to live in the house until her death. Anna had no children and when she died, the house, sideboard and other household furnishings were inherited by Anna’s niece, Frances Whalen Strout (1933-2020). Frances sold the house and moved the sideboard and most of the household furnishings to her ranch style home with attached garage in Brewer, Maine. She converted her garage into a 19th century parlor room filled with the furnishings from her aunt’s Eastport house including the sideboard. Frances had no children and when she died the sideboard along with many with many other of the family furnishing were placed with the Tides Institute. A note found in the sideboard written by Frances reads: “Originally had black knobs. Henry Newcomb put on new brass pulls.” Federal Sideboard, c.1810. Gift from estate of Frances Whalen Strout, 2020. From Anna Whalen House, 7 Key Street, Eastport, Maine. Anna Whalen was the aunt of Frances Whalen Strout. Sideboard was first owned by Seward Bucknam of Eastport, Maine. One note from Frances Whalen Strout reads: "Seward Bucknam, born June 7, 1783, owned this sideboard." Another note from Frances Whalen Strout reads: "The Livermore sideboard - once was Aunt Nan's - at her death went to Sara P. Whalen Hayes. Originally had black knobs. Henry Newcomb put on new brass pulls." Email from Margaret Whalen, July 6, 2022: "I think I figured the history of that sideboard out. Here goes: Joseph Mason Livermore (1824-1872) married Ellen Irene Bucknam (1826-1900); the sideboard must have come to them from Ellen’s family. (Joseph and Ellen were my great-great-grandparents. It was she who must have made the crazy quilts, based on Grandpa’s letter to me.) They had eight (8!) children, among them Anna Bucknam Livermore (1859-1933). She was known in the family as Aunt Nan; her first marriage was to Albert Pike, who died pretty young. She then married Lincoln Hamlin Newcomb (1860-1923), a lawyer who was known as Linc. When they died, the sideboard went to Anna/Nan’s younger sister, Sarah Preble Livermore Whalen Hayes (1867-1961), who married Leverett Mitchell Whalen (1850-1912) and then George Hume Hayes after Leverett died. When the sideboard came to Sarah, it would have been in the 7 Key Street house, where it stayed under Anna K. Whalen’s stewardship until she died in 1986. From there it went to Dimpy’s house, where it stayed until it was given to the Tides Institute in 2020." Seward Bucknam, born in Falmouth, July 7, 1783, died Feb. 14, 1868, aged 84. His wife Anna died Nov. 22, aged 38. His wife Irene, died Oct. 19, 1865, aged 69. Ellen Irene Bucknam (1826-1900) was the daughter of Seward Bucknam (1783-1868) and Irene McLellan (1796-1865)