Town: Princeton

G. F. Blust, Princeton, was born in Freeport, Ill., February 24, 1857. He is the son of George and Mary (Heck) Blust. Mr. Blust was reared and educated in Freeport. For seven years in early life he clerked for Best & Morgan, of Freeport, and there laid the foundation for his future success as a business man. In 1877, after having been absent from his native city for some time, he returned, and in partnership with Mr. R. Donaldson engaged in the dry goods and notion business. In 1880 Mr. Blust located at Princeton, where he has since done a … Read more

Dr. J. M. Beach, Princeton, was born in Burlington, Hartford County, Conn., December 16, 1813. He is the son of Joel and Lydia (Sutliff) Beach, both natives of Connecticut, which State they made their home till the time of their death. Of their family one son and two daughter yet survive, viz: Dr. J. M., of Princeton; Mrs. Squires, of Winona, widow of Martin Squires, and Mrs. F. A. Raymond, of Henry, Ill. Dr. Beach was reared in his native county, and in 1836 began the study of dentistry with Dr. Crane, of Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1839 he began the … Read more

Eugene C. Bates, Princeton, was born in Cummington, Mass., November 9, 1840, his parents also being natives of the same Green Mountain nook. Jacob Bates, son of Alvin Bates, and father of Eugene C., was born in 1805, was bred a farmer, and served for a time as Captain of Massachusetts militia. He married in 1831 Miss Mary Mason, daughter of Elisha Mason, a lady five years his junior, of great personal beauty and unusual intelligence, with whom he lived happily until her death in Princeton, in 1878. The fruits of this union were a large family of energetic sons … Read more

Charles P. Bascom, Princeton, was born July 5, 1842, in Chicago, Ill., and is the eldest son of Flavel Bascom, D. D., and Elizabeth Bascom, nee Sparhawk. The latter died in Galesburg, Ill. Rev. Flavel Bascom was born in Connecticut, June 8, 1804. After working his was through Yale College, he came to Illinois in 1833, under the auspices of the Home Missionary Society. For some years he resided at Pekin, but later went to Chicago, where he was pastor of a church for ten years and during that time was President of the first anti-slavery society in Chicago. In … Read more

In 1856 M. Denham engaged in business in Princeton, and the same business has been continued till the present time. In his employ were Messrs. J. J. Bamburg and A. Oppenheim, both natives of Baden, German. In 1872 Mr. J. J. Bamburg purchased the business of M. Denham, and the same year took as partner Mr. Oppenheim, and for twelve years the firm of J. J. Bamburg & Co. have done a large and successful business as Clothiers and merchant tailors. They carry a stock of goods which will aggregate at least $25,000 in value, and have annual sales reaching … Read more

Judge Martin Ballou, Princeton, was born July 18, 1812, in Halifax, Windham Co., Vt. His father, Asahel Ballou, was born January 18, 1771, in Rhode Island; he died March 20, 1851, in Halifax, Vt. He was a mechanic and farmer by occupation, and a son of Benjamin Ballou, whose brother, Hosea Ballou, was the celebrated clergyman of New England. The Ballou family is French extraction. The mother of the Judge was Martha (Starr) Ballou, who was born May 28, 1776; she died October 9, 1839, at Halifax, Vt. she was the mother of nine children, viz.: Hosea, Asahel, Perley, Levi, … Read more

John W. Bailey, Princeton, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 15, 1830. He is the son of William S. and Caroline A. (Withall) Bailey. William S. Bailey is a native of Massachusetts, but in childhood removed West with his family, and settled in Ohio, and there he was married. At the age of eleven years, after having spent five years in the common schools, John W. Bailey commenced as “devil boy” in a Cincinnati job office, where he remained until he had thoroughly mastered the jobbing trade; and in the meantime had begun to write sketches for the daily papers … Read more

A. N. Bacon, Princeton, was born May 5, 1815, in South Egremont, Berkshire Co., Mass. He is the son of Andrew Bacon, who was born 1791 in Canaan, Conn. He died 1875 in Egremont, Mass. He was a farmer by occupation, and was married to Clarissa Vosburgh, who was born in Sheffield, Mass. She died in 1828, in Egremont, aged thirty-eight years. She was the daughter of Henry Vosburgh, and was the mother of six children, viz.: Henry V., Amos N., Milton H., (deceased), Mrs. Amelia C. Hull, Porter A. and Andrew U. (deceased). Mr. Andrew Bacon was married a … Read more