Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bohn, James Stuart Burges
BOHN, JAMES STUART BURGES (1803–1880), bookseller, was son of John Bohn, a bookseller of London, who died on 13 Oct. 1843, in his eighty-sixth year. James was born in London 20 Dec. 1803, and, after a good education at Winchester, was sent to Göttingen to perfect himself in German and French. He assisted his father for some years, but in February 1834 commenced bookselling on his own account at 12 King William Street, Strand. Here his great knowledge of books soon attracted many customers, and his shop became a meeting-place for a number of the most learned men of the day. In 1840 he published a catalogue extending to 792 pages; it contains, amongst much other valuable matter, nearly complete lists of the works of Burnet, Defoe, Hearne, and Ritson, and it still finds a place on the shelves of all bibliographers. He, however, was not successful in business, and in 1845 had to recommence at 66 St. James's Street, and here he republished Dugdale's ‘Monasticon’ in eight ponderous folio volumes. Being after this again unsuccessful, he gave up his shop in 1847, and turned his attention to literature, and was for many years a contributor to the ‘Family Herald;’ he also acted as assistant editor on the ‘Reader.’ In 1857 he prepared for Mr. David Nutt a catalogue of theological books in foreign languages, a volume of 704 pages, enriched by many original notes. For several years before his decease he was in the employment of his friend Mr. Nicholas Trübner, of Ludgate Hill. Here he compiled several catalogues of Brazilian, Mexican, Spanish, Portuguese, Latin, German, and French books. He died at Peckham 4 Jan. 1880.
[Bookseller, February 1880, pp. 105–106.]