Timothy Blackstone

Timothy Blackstone
A black and white circular portrait of a Caucasian man in a suit and bow tie
Mayor of La Salle, Illinois
In office
1854–1855
Personal details
Born(1829-03-28)March 28, 1829
Branford, Connecticut
DiedMay 26, 1900(1900-05-26) (aged 71)
Chicago, Illinois
Spouse
Isabella Farnsworth Norton
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(m. 1868)​
Residence(s)Chicago, Illinois
Signature

Timothy Beach Blackstone (March 28, 1829 – May 26, 1900) was an American railroad executive, businessman, philanthropist, and politician. He is descended from William Blaxton, an early settler of New England. He worked in the railroad industry for most of his life after dropping out of school. At the time of his death, his estate was worth US$6 million ($219.7 million today).

Blackstone served as president of the Chicago and Alton Railroad from 1864 through 1899, was a founding president of the Union Stock Yards, and served one term as mayor of La Salle, Illinois. He was the benefactor of the James Blackstone Memorial Library in Branford, Connecticut, and his widow donated the Blackstone Memorial Library to the Chicago Public Library in 1902, the first dedicated branch of the Chicago Public Library system.[1] The Blackstones also funded Blackstone Hall for the Art Institute of Chicago Building,[2] and his mansion became the site of the Blackstone Hotel and the Blackstone Theatre.

  1. ^ "Blackstone: About this Library". Chicago Public Library. Archived from the original on March 18, 2009. Retrieved January 31, 2010.
  2. ^ "The Art Institute of Chicago Museum Studies", The Art Institute of Chicago Buildings 1879-1988: A Chronology, vol. 14, The Art Institute of Chicago, 1988, p. 10, ISBN 0-226-02813-5