John Bastian

The funeral rites to the memory of the late Pioneer settler of this county, John Bastian, were observed from the family residence in Guilford township to the Union Methodist church nearby at one o’clock this afternoon. Mr. Bastian has long been a member of that church and will be greatly missed as a member of the congregation. The attendance of friends and neighbors at the services was large, a number being present from Galena, thus attesting in a silent manner the high regard and respect in which the venerable pioneer was held during his long and useful life. The services were conducted by Rev. D. F. hardy of Council Hill who delivered a deeply impressive and instructive funeral sermon during which he paid fitting tribute to the many noble qualities of mind and heart of the subject before him. Numerous beautiful floral tokens of love from kindly hands were in evidence. At the conclusion of the services at the house and church, the remains were conveyed to Miner’s Chapel cemetery where they were gently laid to their final repose.

John Bastian died at the family home in Guilford township on Sunday evening, Jan. 9th 1904. He was born in Crowan, Cornwall Co., England, Sept. 11, 1809, and died on January 9th, 1904, aged 94 years, 3 months and 28 days. He married Ann Holman, who survives him, in England and came to this county in 1841. Part of his earlier life was spent in mining, at the same time clearing and cultivating the land on which he built the comfortable home in which he died.

He reared a large family of children, ten of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. Five of these have preceded their father to the grave. John, who died in 1901; Mary Hocking in 1895; Thomas, who was killed in a boiler explosion in Nevada some years ago; Hester Swaney and Elizabeth Sincox were both married on the same day and both died at the age of 28 years, leaving young families.

Those who survive are: Sampson, of Council Hill, Frank, of Tombstone, Arizona, and William, Annie and Orlando who reside at home. He is also survived by two brothers, Thomas of East Galena, and Henry, of Guilford, and by two sisters, Mrs. Jane Trevarthen of Guilford, and Mrs. William Fiddick of Galena. When Mr. Bastian came to America, they were eight weeks on the voyage. They came by way of the Hudson river and Erie canal to Buffalo and then by team from Chicago to Galena. Like all other pioneers, he suffered many hardships and inconveniences that can hardly be comprehended in this luxurious age. He has always been a strong and vigorous man and until very recently has suffered very few of the ailments peculiar to old age. His face was round, plump and rosy with scarcely a wrinkle and with his snowy hair was indeed a beautiful old man. He was tenderly cared for in his last illness by his sons and daughter, Annie, and granddaughter, Charlotte Hocking, who have been untiring in their care of him and his aged wife who has been an invalid from paralysis since last spring.

Submitted by Tim Doser.