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Silsbee, Nathaniel, Jr.
View related Fitz Henry Lane catalog entries (1) »
Nathaniel Silsbee (1804–81) bought Salem Harbor, 1853 (inv. 53) from Lane in 1853. His family's ship is in the painting. (1)
Nathaniel was the son of Nathaniel (1773-1850) and Sarah (Becket) Silsbee. Nathaniel, Sr. was a shipmaster, merchant and statesman. He became so successful that he was able to retire as a captain in 1801 at the age of twenty eight. He went on to purchase shares in vessels on his own account and on that of the firm of Silsbee, Pickman, and Stone. He served in both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate.
Nathaniel Jr. was married to Marianne (Devereux) Silsbee (1812–89). He was the mayor of Salem (1849–50) and treasurer of Harvard College (1862–76).
(1) Lawrence W. Jenkins, A Catalogue of the Charles H. Taylor Collection of Ship Portraits in the Peabody Museum of Salem (Salem, MA: Peabody Museum, 1949).
