George Bain

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

George BAIN became a tax-payer in Morris county, New Jersey, in 1886, and has spent the major part of his life there since that time. He located at Lake Hopatcong when there was not but two dozen houses on that remarkably beautiful sheet of water. He participated later in the wake of the first steamboat that ever ran on Lake Hopatcong. His article on the real estate conditions at Lake Hopatcong, published some years ago, has been accepted as a part of the history of the Lake. In 1905 he built a home overlooking the Jersey City water supply near Boonton, and it is generally admitted that he has selected for his home site, as beautiful a place as is to be found on God’s footstool. He is over f scenery, and chose his homestead with this particular point in view.

Mr. BAIN was born in New York City, October 19, 1862. His father, John BAIN, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, a city that General Grant said was the most beautiful he had seen in his trips around the world. John BAIN was a printer by trade, and married Sarah Jane CULBERT, at Columbia, South Carolina, his wife being also of Scottish birth. In his earlier years, Mr. BAIN’s father was associated with Horace Greeley on the New York Tribune, a man who made history in the days of the Civil War. And it is his son’s special gratification that he has a letter written by that great editor while he was running for President of the united States, to his father, who was at that time publishing the Lawrence Tribune and the Ottawa Herald in Kansas.

Mr. BAIN has never held public office, but has always taken a lively interest in governmental affairs, and his particular idol, if he has any, is Abraham Lincoln. He is a strong believer in the public schools, and deprecates what appears to be a growing habit among the well-to-do Americans to disregard this institution, which he considers the bulwark of the nation. He is a veteran of the Seventh Regiment of New York, and has been an insurance broker, on his own account, since 1887, in New York City. His acquaintanceship in the financial district is extended, and he is a walking encyclopedia on matters financial and commercial.

In 1902 he married Louise Marston BRASHER, the daughter of one of the oldest and richest citizens of Brooklyn. From this union there is one daughter, Jeanette Marston BAIN. Mrs. BAIN’s grandfather lies in St. Paul’s churchyard, six feet from Broadway, and was a member of the New York City government at the time of Mayor Kingsland. Her grandparents entertained at their home the famous Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, the latter being a cousin of the family. It is one of the charms of Mr. BAIN’s home to hear related stories of New York City’s early history – for instance, that her grandmother (Mrs. BAIN’s) telling of how she objected to going so far out-of-town as Beekman Street. Mrs. BAIN’s father spent his ninety-one years of life in Greater New York.

It is Mr. BAIN’s opinion that Morris county contains more beautiful scenery than any one county of the United States. He has lived in California and has spent time in almost every State in the Union (besides covering Canada and Mexico) and his judgement should carry weight.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)