Last Updated on May 25, 2011 by
Eugene B. Buck, editor and proprietor of the Charleston Courier. Charleston; was born in Fayette Co., Ind., Oct. 12, 1834; when he was about five years old, his father’s family removed to McLean Co., Ill.; he served his apprenticeship to the printer’s trade in Bloomington; in 1852, he went to Peoria, Ill., and, in 1855, was connected with the publication of the Pekin Plaindealer; in 1856, he was associated with four other journeymen printers in running a co-operative daily paper in Peoria; in 1857, he conducted the Washington Advertiser, in Franklin Co., Mo.; in 1859, he edited the Daily Enterprise, in Decatur, Ill., and, in 1861 and 1862, the Magnet in that city; in 1864, he run the Constitution, a campaign paper, in Pontiac, Livingston Co., Ill., and, the next year-1865-he started the Bloomington Journal; in 1868, he became connected with the Charleston Courier, a live weekly newspaper and a vigorous advocate of the principles of the Democratic party, and, in 1874, became sole proprietor and editor; the esteem in which Mr. Buck is held by ,the editorial profession is manifest from the fact that, in 1865, he was chosen President of the Illinois Press Association, a member of the Executive Board in 1877, and is at present a Vice President of that body; he is a Director of the Second National Bank; in 1876, he received the nomination as Representative to the State Legislature, but, owing to disaffection, withdrew from the contest; for nine years, he has been a member of the Board of Supervisors, and was for seven years Chairman of the Board; he has also been a member of the Board of Education of this city. He was married Feb. 11, 1860, to Miss Mary C. Jones, of Decatur, Ill., and has four children – Ida May, Katie Florence, Willie Clarence and Eugene Clifford.