Fred K. Bastian, senior partner of Bastian Bros., publishers and proprietors of the Fulton Journal (see history of the paper elsewhere in this work); was born in Rochester, N. Y., Sep. 23, 1856, and is the son of Van S. and Ann E. Bastian. He came to Illinois with his parents in 1861, and was brought up on a farm near Prophetstown, this county. He received his primary education in the district school, became a student of Princeton (Ill.) High School and of Wheaton (Ill.) College, and subsequently attended the Whiteside County Normal School three terms. He received a first-grade certificate and taught school three years. He was engaged in various employments till October, 1879, when he was employed as reporter on the Sterling Gazette. That connection continued till April, 1881, when he purchased the Journal office of the Sterling Gazette Company. He changed its politics from Republican to Independent-Democratic. Aug. 21, 1881, his elder brother, A. W., purchased a half interest in the office, and the business has since been conducted under the firm name of Bastian Brothers. In September of that year they changed the paper from an eight-column folio to a nine-column folio, weekly, patent inside; and in November following the patent business was discontinued and the paper wholly printed at home. The paper was issued in that form till October 30, 1882, when it was made a seven-column semi-weekly, all home print, and published Tuesdays and Fridays. The Journal was the official paper of the county during the years 1883-4-5, The office is supplied with a power press and good outfit of material for all sorts of job work. Without severing his connection with the Journal, Mr. Bastian went to Grand Forks, Dak., in July, 1882, and engaged as a reporter on the Grand Forks Daily and Weekly News. He continued on the News staff until November of that year, when he returned to Fulton and the Journal office.

Mr. Fulton has served one year as City Marshall of Fulton. In politics he is a Democrat.

He was married at Mendota, Ill., Aug. 21, 1884, to Miss Nellie J. Barton, daughter of William and Maria L. Barton. Mrs. Bastian was born in LaSalle Co. Ill.

Transcribed by Marji Turner from Portraits & Biographical History of Whiteside 1885 Pg. 206