Biography of J. Henry A. Blome
From DeWitt Co Biographical Record, 1901
This well-known cigar manufacturer of Clinton, Illinois, was born in the province of Hanover, Germany, in 1857, and in 1871 came to the US with his parents, Frederick and Mary (Honfeldt) Blome. The family located at Earlville, Illinois, where the father engaged in railroading and farming. There he died in 1885, at the age of 55 years, and his wife, who long survived him, passed away in 1901, at the age of 72. They had four children: Dora, Rudolph, J. Henry A, and Elizabeth.
The subject of this sketch had learned the cigar maker’s trade in his native land, but on first coming to America he followed farming for a short time. He then worked at his trade as a journeyman until 1886, when he came to Clinton and started a factory of his own on a small scale with only one man to assist him. He sold his goods to the townspeople and was careful to make a cigar that would please…[He} purchased Nancy Mann property at 216 E. Main, remodeled the residence, built a business building at the rear. Now [he]employs four men.[His leading sellers are] Espanol and Ringlets at 5 cents and Royal Prince at ten cents. The factory is #34.