| Revision as of 17:56, 16 February 2007 editShsilver (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers16,558 editsNo edit summary← Previous edit | Revision as of 17:57, 16 February 2007 edit undoShsilver (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers16,558 edits →AscendancyNext edit → | ||
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| In 1868, Blackstone married Isabella Farnsworth Norton, the daughter of a successful businessman from ]. | In 1868, Blackstone married Isabella Farnsworth Norton, the daughter of a successful businessman from ]. | ||
| Blackstone died of pneumonia on May 26, 1900, in ], Illinois.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |url= |title=T.B. Blackstone. Former Alton President. T.B. Blackstone Is Dead |publisher= ] |date=1900-05-27 |page=6}}</ref> | Blackstone died of pneumonia on May 26, 1900, in ], Illinois.<ref name="obit">{{cite news |last= |first= |url= |title=T.B. Blackstone. Former Alton President. T.B. Blackstone Is Dead |publisher= ] |date=1900-05-27 |page=6}}</ref> | ||
| == Blackstone mansion == | == Blackstone mansion == | ||
Revision as of 17:57, 16 February 2007
| Timothy Blackstone | |
|---|---|
 Timothy B. Blackstone Bronze Plaquelocated in Blackstone Library | |
| Mayor of La Salle, Illinois | |
| In office 1854–1855 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 28, 1829 Branford, Connecticut |
| Died | May 26, 1900 Chicago, Illinois |
| Height | 200px |
| Spouse | Isabella Farnsworth Norton |
| Residence(s) | Chicago, Illinois |
Timothy Beach Blackstone (March 28, 1829 – May 26, 1900) served as president of the Chicago and Alton Railroad from 1864 through 1899. He was also a one-term Mayor of LaSalle, Illinois and a founding president of the Union Stockyards.
Early life
Blackstone was born in Branford, Connecticut, the sixth child, and fourth son, of James Blackstone and Sarah Beach. His father, James, served in the Connecticut state Senate representing the sixth district. The family is descended from William Blaxton, who arrived in New England in the seventeenth century.
Health issues caused Blackstone to drop out of school in 1847, and he got a job working for Roswell B. Mason, surveying the New York and New Haven Railroad. He only worked on the NY&NH for a year before becoming an assistant engineer on the Stockbridge and Pittsfield Railroad. Again, he only remained with the firm a short time before leaving for the Vermont Valley Railroad. In 1851, Roswell invited Blackstone to help lay out a railroad between Bloomington and Dixon, Illinois. Blackstone accepted the job and moved to La Salle, Illinois.
Ascendancy
Blackstone was elected mayor of La Salle in 1854 and served a single term, his only brush with elected office. After leaving office, he returned to working on railroads, first as chief engineer of the Joliet and Chicago Railroad, which would eventually become the Chicago and Alton Railroad. Blackstone became president of the Joliet and Chicago Railroad in 1961, keeping the line running in the black while other divisions were filing for bankruptcy. When the system was reorganized, he was named president of the board of directors for the company. John Drake I served on the board of directors. In 1899, a new corporation was formed and Blackstone disposed of his stock in the company.
In addition to his activities in the Railroads, Blackstone was the first president of the company that controlled the Union Stock Yards.
In 1868, Blackstone married Isabella Farnsworth Norton, the daughter of a successful businessman from Norwich, Connecticut.
Blackstone died of pneumonia on May 26, 1900, in Chicago, Illinois.
Blackstone mansion
Blackstone built a mansion for himself at 252 Michigan Avenue in Chicago. The property later became th site of the Blackstone Hotel and the Blackstone Theatre. Following the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, he invited his friend John Crerar to stay with him, which Crerar proceeded to do for twelve years. Crerar donated the Crerar Library to the city of Chicago and Blackstone continued to donate to the maintenance of the building throughout his life. Blackstone also donated a library and building to his hometown with the only stipulation that it be named in honor of his father. The building was designed by Chicago architect Solon Spencer Beman.
Blackstone library (Hyde Park)
In 1904, Isabella Blackstone donated the T.B. Blackstone Memorial Branch Library to the city of Chicago. Located at the intersection of Blackstone Avenue, Lake Park Avenue, and Forty-ninth Street, the library is modeled after the James Blackstone Library in Branford, Connecticut.
Support for Zionism
Blackstone was an early financial supporter of his cousin, William Eugene Blackstone, who in 1891 proposed giving Palestine to the Jews.
References
- ^ Ida Hinman. "Biography of Timothy B. Blackstone." Methodist Book Concern Press, 1917.
- ^ Berger, Miles L., They Built Chicago: Entreprenuers Who Shaped a Great City's Architecture, Bonus Books, Inc., Chicago, 1992, p. 155., ISBN 0-929387-76-7.
- Peggy Sullivan, "Naming the Branches," Journal of the Caxton Club, June 2006, p.1.
- ^ "T.B. Blackstone. Former Alton President. T.B. Blackstone Is Dead". Chicago Daily Tribune. 1900-05-27. p. 6.
- "The Blackstone Zionists". 2006-09-06. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
External links
| Preceded by | President of Chicago and Alton Railroad 1864 – 1899 |
Succeeded bySamuel Morse Felton, Jr. |
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