1819
- 1901
From Snells History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, James P. Snell, 1881Joseph B. Probasco was born at Quakertown, Hunterdon Co., NJ, Aug. 1, 1819. He is a son of William and Rachel (Scott) Probasco. His ancestors came from Holland, and settled near Pluckamin, Somerset Co., NJ. The family is now numerous and widely scattered.
His father was born in Warren County, and came to Pittstown, where he was a miller several years; he then bought property in Quakertown, upon which he settled and spent the remainder of his life, pursuing the occupation of a cabinet-maker. He married Rachel, daughter of Israel Scott, of Mercer County, near Trenton, where she was born and reared. He was the father of twelve children; two died in infancy; the others were Theodore, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah Ann, Joseph B., William, John, Rynear, Elisha, and Sylvester. The only survivors are, at this writing, Theodore, who resides at Quakertown; Sarah Ann, wife of Theodore Holcombe, of the same place; and the subject of this sketch, who lives in Union township, on the road leading from Pittstown to Clinton.
He served an apprenticeship at cabinet-making with his brother in Quakertown, and worked at the trade about eight years, until his marriage to Elizabeth Teeple, which occurred March 20, 1844. He then went to farming near Little's Mills, where he remained nineteen years, when he bought the old homestead in Quakertown, built a residence upon it, and lived there, retired, till he came to his present place, in 1873. He has here a fine farm of 140 acres, well improved, and still owns the old place in Quakertown.
By the first marriage, above referred to, he had two children; one died in infancy, the other at Quakertown, Oct. 21, 1872, where also her mother died, Jan. 29, 1871. He married for his second wife Selinda H. Hice, June 11, 1872. Three children are the fruit of this union, one son and two daughters.
In political affiliations Mr. Probasco is a Democrat. He had held several township offices. He is a self-made man, having obtained all he has, and all he is, in a certain sense, by his own exertions. Besides the knowledge and experience he has attained, he has gained a competence of worldly goods from a very humble and unpromising beginning. He is a member of the Bethlehem Presbyterian Church of his neighborhood.
