Bucklin was born on 26 July 1801, in a part of Rehoboth that is now part of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, to James and Lorania (Pearce) Bucklin. His father died 6 December 1802, and his widow moved to Providence with her son. Bucklin attended the town's public schools. At the age of 14 he was apprenticed to early architect-builder John Holden Greene, working there for seven years. In 1822, at the age of 21, he established a partnership with William Tallman (d.1862). The firm of Tallman & Bucklin was a design-build firm, similar to Greene's business.[1] in 1846, 20-year-old Thomas A. Tefft began working for Tallman & Bucklin. Before long, Tefft was doing most of the firm's design work. This continued until 1851, when Tefft finished his studies at Brown University and established his own office.[2] Also at this time, Tallman & Bucklin's partnership was dissolved. Bucklin worked alone for many years. By 1880 he had taken his son, James A. Bucklin (1840-1901),[3] as a partner in J. C. Bucklin & Son. Although son James largely took over the practice, he remained active until his death in September 1890.[1] The office was succeeded by J. A. Bucklin & Company.[4]
In 1829 Bucklin married Lucy Dailey of Providence. They had five surviving children, including son James. Lucy Bucklin died in November, 1888.[1]
Bucklin was a member of the Squantum Association and the Providence Athenaeum, and was considered "a great reader of good books".[1] He was a member of the Providence common council from the fifth ward for the years 1839-41 and 1842-43.[5] He was a member of the First Light Infantry.
Despite having fallen into relative obscurity, Bucklin was a very prominent designer in Providence from the 1840s to the 1870s. He designed at least half a dozen Westminster Street office buildings, as well as several more in other parts of downtown. From 1839 to 1844 Tallman & Bucklin had charge of the city's first major period of school-building, designing 12 buildings citywide.[6] Bucklin also was the designer of several other municipal structures.
Shakespeare Hall, 128 Dorrance St., Providence, RI (1838) - Closed in 1844, renovated into a warehouse in 1854.[7]
Arnold Street School, 41 Arnold St., Providence, RI (1839–40) - Demolished.[6]
Benefit Street School, 21 Benefit St., Providence, RI (1839–40) - Demolished.[6]
Elm Street School, Elm St. at Parsonage, Providence, RI (1839–40) - Demolished.[6]
Fountain Street School, 157 Fountain St., Providence, RI (1839–40) - Demolished.[6]
Knight Street School, 347 Knight St., Providence, RI (1839–40) - Demolished.[6]
Summer Street School, Summer & Pond Sts., Providence, RI (1839–40) - Demolished.[6]
President's Residence, 72 College St., Brown University, Providence, RI (1840) - Demolished 1908.[9]
Rhode Island Hall, Brown University, 1840.Rhode Island Hall, Brown University, Providence, RI (1840)[7]
East Street School, 28 East St., Providence, RI (1841) - Demolished.[6]
Prospect Street School, 45 Prospect St., Providence, RI (1841) - Demolished. Site of the Corliss-Brackett House.[6]
Federal Street School, 97 Federal St., Providence, RI (1842) - Demolished.[6]
Washington Buildings, Memorial Blvd. & Westminster St., Providence, RI (1843) - Demolished. Now the site of the Hospital Trust Building.[10]
Providence High School, 205 Benefit St., Providence, RI (1844) - Later owned by the state. Demolished.[10]
Rhode Island Historical Society (Mencoff Hall), Providence, 1844.Rhode Island Historical Society, 68 Waterman St., Providence, RI (1844) - Now Brown University's Mencoff Hall.[7]
Exchange Building, 30 Kennedy Plaza, Providence, RI (1845)[7]
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