James Blake
|
James Blake |
James Blake was born January 1793 in Pennsylvania and died 1859 in Unknown at about age 66. He is the son of James Blake and Ann Unknown. Sarah Unknown was born Unknown in Unknown and died Unknown at age Unknown. She is the daughter of Unknown. James and Sarah were married Unknown. James and Sarah had nine children:
TIMELINE Sarah Unknown was born Unknown in Unknown. RODMAN CEMETERY ROARING SPRING The 1790 U. S. Census shows James Blake is the head of household living in Rapho Twp., Lancaster Co., PA. There are 2 males 16 and over; 1 male under 16; and 2 females. This township at that time lay along the northern boundary of the county and included the first low range of mountains of the Appalachian chain. Tax records list James Blake as a "founderer" which was an important and skilled job in the iron furnaces which dotted South Mountain from Berks County to the Maryland border. A high grade of iron ore was mined in this area from earliest days to the present time. As mines developed we find the "iron master" taking his skilled workers from place to place, so a study of the movement of the Blake family follows along the line of furnaces from the Mt. Hope Furnace Lancaster Co., where his record first appears, to the furnace in Drumore township near the Susquehanna river, thence to Maryland a back again to Pennsylvania in Franklin, Huntingdon and Blair Counties. James Blake was born January 1793 in Pennsylvania. Sarah (Unknown) Blake died about 1798 in Pennsylvania at age Unknown. After Sarah died, James married Ann Unknown about 1799 in Pennsylvania. Ann was born about 1783 in Unknown and died before 1834 in Pennsylvania at age Unknown. She was the daughter of Unknown. James and his first wife, Sarah (maiden name unknown), had five children according to the family record: Elizabeth, Thomas, James, Henry, Simon. There appears in the Salem Lutheran Church record of Lebanon, PA, the baptism of an Isaac Blakes on Nov. 30, 1798 whose parents were James Blakes and wife. No further record of this child has been found, neither do we find a census record for James for the year 1800 so it may be assumed that wife and child may have died and that he was living with his five children with relatives in Pennsylvania or Maryland. He must have remarried shortly after Sarah's death for Ann is the mother of Burdine who was born Jan. 13, 1800. Another child of this marriage, Maria, died in 1804.
James and Ann had two children:
The census of 1810 finds James Blake in Drumore Township. In 1815 he buys land from George Withers, iron master, for a consideration of $4,208.00, sells some of it in 1823 as a resident of Woodbury Twp., Bedford Co., but he is listed as a non‑resident taxpayer in Drumore Twp., from 1816 to 1828. During this period he was probably working in the furnaces of Huntingdon Co. for we find him and his son, James in Woodbury township of that county for the 1820 census. These two Woodbury townships should not be confused with each other; Woodbury of Huntingdon Co., and North Woodbury of Bedford are now in Blair Co.
Ann (Unknown) Blake died before 1834 in Pennsylvania at age Unknown. After Ann died James married Polly Unknown about 1835 in Pennsylvania. Polly was born about 1786 in Pennsylvania and died August 1876 in Pennsylvania at age 90. She was the daughter of Unknown. James and Polly had no children.
The 1830 U. S. Census shows there is a James Blake living in Woodbury Twp., Huntingdon Co., PA. 1 Male 30-39, 1 Male 15-19, 1 Male 10-14, 1 Female 30-39, 1 Female 10-14, and 2 Females 5-9. The 1840 U. S. Census shows Birdine Blake (age 40 to 50) is living in North Woodbury, Bedford Co., PA. Living with him is his wife (age 40 to 50). Also living there are their children: 2 males 5 to 10, and one male 10 to 15, and 1 male 15 to 20, 2 females 5 to 10, 1 female 10 to 15, and 1 female 15 to 20. James Blake (age 70 to 80) is living next door with his wife (age 50 to 60). Also in the household are: 1 male 10 to 15; 1 female 15 to 20, and 1 female 20 to 25. The 1850 U. S. Census taken on August 28, 1850 shows Nancy Blake (age 49) born in Pennsylvania with real estate worth $2,500 is living in Martinsburg Borough, Blair Co., PA. Living with her are the following, all born in Pennsylvania: Samuel Blake (age 19) a Farmer; Elizabeth Blake (age 15); Eston Blake (age 9); and Nancy Blake (age 6). The adjacent household also has some Blakes, all persons born in Pennsylvania: The 1850 U. S. Census taken on August 28, 1850 shows Sarah Miller (age 41) born in Pennsylvania is living in Martinsburg Borough, Blair Co., PA. Living with her is Columbus Miller (age 1) born in Pennsylvania. Also living there are: Polly Blake (age 64) born in Pennsylvania; and Simon Blake (age 26) born in Pennsylvania. Polly is the third wife of Simon's grandfather, James Blake, and is therefore Simon's step-grandmother. Fillmore Co., NE HON. J. M. PERKINS. The history of Fillmore county would be very incomplete and unsatisfactory without a personal and somewhat extended mention of those whose lives are interwoven so closely with its agricultural development. Mr. Perkins is a prominent representative of this class and during his residence here he has been a leader in local politics. He is one of the older settlers of West Blue township, and there he continues to make his home, his time and attention being devoted to agricultural pursuits on section 10. Mr. Perkins was born October 3, 1828, in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, near the town of Everett or Bloody Run, and is a son of Joshua and Rebecca (Knowlen) Perkins, the former native of New Jersey, the latter of Pennsylvania, born near Pittsburg. The maternal grand-father, James Knowlen, came to this country from Ireland. The paternal grandfather, Abraham Perkins, was also born the other side of the Atlantic, being a native of England, and came to America prior to the Revolutionary war, in which struggle he lost a leg while helping the colonies to achieve their independence. He lived for some years in Pennsylvania, but spent his last days in Columbiana county, Ohio. He was a farmer by occupation, as have also been most of his descendants. The father of our subject remained in the Keystone state, where his death occurred. In his family were two sons and two daughters, and the brother of our subject was a member of the Eighteenth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry during the war of the Rebellion. The father was twice married; his first wife was Millie Siegler, who bore him two sons and two daughters, the two sons serving in Pennsylvania regiments during the Rebellion. In his native state J. M. Perkins was reared and educated in much the usual manner of farmer boys of his day, and at the age of twenty began learning engineering, which he successfully followed for many years in Pennsylvania. On coming west in 1873 he located in Grundy county, Illinois, where he purchased a farm and turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. He made his home there until 1882, in which year he became a resident of Fillmore county, Nebraska, and bought the farm in West Blue township where he still lives, it comprising a half section of valuable land under a high. state of cultivation and well improved with good buildings. Here he follows general farming and stock raising and is meeting with well-merited success. On the 26th of December, Mr. Perkins was united in marriage with Miss Mary Blake, a native of Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of James and Jane (Kluck) Blake, who were born in York county, Pennsylvania, and spent their entire lives in that state. To Mr. and Mrs. Perkins were born eleven children, namely: George A.; Harvey G., deceased; Charles W.; John A.; Edward D.; Alexander R.; Frank B., and four daughters deceased. For over half a century our subject and his wife have been consistent and faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal church, being converted November 20, 1852, and now belong to the church in Fairmont, in which he has filled all of the offices. He has served as an exhorter and local preacher and has always taken an active and prominent part in church work. His parents were connected with the same denomination. For forty years Mr. Perkins has also been a member of the Masonic fraternity and is now a trustee of the lodge in Fairmont. He has been an ardent supporter of the Republican party ever since its organization in Grundy county, Illinois, and as one of the influential citizens of his community he has been called upon to fill a number of official positions of honor and trust, being county commissioner three years, justice of the peace three years and supervisor two years, resigning the latter office on coming west. In 1888 he was elected supervisor of West Blue township, Fillmore county, and served as such for seven years. He was elected to the lower house of the state legislature in 1895, and filled that position for one term with credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of his constituents, during which time he was a member of the committee on agriculture, cities and villages. It will be of interest to state that Mr. Perkins had three uncles in the war of 1812, two serving five years and one seven years. |