Rev. Flavel Bascom, D. D.
from History of Lake County, 1902
BASCOM (Rev.) Flavel, D. D., clergyman, was born at Lebanon, Conn., June 8, 1804;
spent his boyhood on a farm until 17 years of age, meanwhile attending the common
schools; prepared for college under a private tutor, and, in 1824, entered Yale
College, graduating in 1828. After a year as Principal of the Academy at New-Canaan,
Conn., he entered upon the study of theology at Yale, was licensed to preach in 1831
and, for the next two years, served as a tutor in the literary department of the
college. Then coming to Illinois (1833), he cast his lot with the "Yale Band,"
organized at Yale College a few years previous; spent five years in missionary work
in Tazewell County and two years in Northern Illinois as Agent of the Home
Missionary Society, exploring new settlements, founding churches and introducing
missionaries to new fields of labor. In 1839 he became pastor of the First
Presbyterian Church of Chicago, remaining until 1849, when he assumed the pastorship
of the First Presbyterian Church at Galesburg, this relation continuing until 1856.
Then, after a year's service as the Agent of the American Missionary Association of
the Congregational Church, he accepted a call to the Congregational Church at
Princeton, where he remained until 1869, when he took charge of the Congregational
Church at Hinsdale. From 1878 he served for a considerable period as a member of the
Executive Committee of the Illinois Home Missionary Society; was also prominent in
educational work, being one of the founders and, for over twenty-five years, an
officer of the Chicago Theological Seminary, a Trustee of Knox College and one of
the founders and a Trustee of Beloit College, Wis., from which he received the
degree of D. D. in 1869. Dr. Bascom died at Princeton, Ill., August 8, 1890.
